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Ava’s gaze slides to her brother and he seems to feel it. He nods almost imperceptibly, not looking up from his phone. His hair is shaved at the sides, a mass of waves on top. A lock drops to his forehead and he pushes it back.
I had hoped to get one of them on their own, but they’ve always been inseparable.
Ava shrugs. ‘I don’t know, Auntie Fran. They’re always arguing about something.’
‘Are they?’ I feel my eyebrows knit together. It’s the first I’ve heard of it.
Ava nods.
‘Did you hear what they said? Was there something in Rose’s bag? The head says Jenna took Rose’s bag.’ I don’t want them to know I’ve seen a video of them.
Ava gives me an apologetic look.
‘Rose is a little bitch,’ murmurs Ash, still looking at his phone. ‘Everyone – adults – thinks she’s so sweet. She’s a bully.’
My stomach drops. I’ve always been anxious about them being friends, simply because she's Lydia's daughter, but I’ve never thought Rose was anything other than kind and easy-going.
Ava adds, ‘She’s always taking Jenna’s stuff, spreading lies.’
I sit on the low wall, winded. ‘Is this true?’
They look at each other, then at me, nodding.
‘Why didn’t you tell me about the fight?’
Ava shrugs again. ‘None of our business.’
I try to hold her gaze but she looks beyond me.
‘Why didn’t you tell me Jenna left school?’
She bites her lip. ‘I didn’t think she’d want you knowing she was skipping.’ She moulds her perfect face into a picture of concern. ‘You really think she’s missing?’
‘I don’t know where she is, and neither does anyone else.’
The concern reaches her eyes.
‘What did she say to you as she was leaving?’
She flicks a dandelion spore from her lap. ‘That she wanted to be alone.’
I rub my hand, still smarting from the thistle, down my thigh and press harder where I nicked myself with the clippers. Pain swells. ‘Can you two search the whole house and the gardens?’
They lied to me, but I need their help. We should look everywhere we can before calling the police. If only I knew I could trust them.
‘Of course,’ says Ava, standing, tapping Ash’s knee so he stands too, putting his phone in his pocket.
‘Do you know what happened with the kids she and Rose used to hang out with? Devon, Dinae, Sylvie?’
Ash shrugs and Ava looks away.
‘Are they still friends?’
‘I…’ Ava starts.
‘Ava?’
‘I don’t really know, Auntie Fran. She’s in the year below.’
