Three police cars were parked outside Jamie’s house, angled crookedly like toy cars on a rug. Shouts came from inside the building. An officer called out and another reached for her radio. Eva stood stock still. She felt Heidi’s grip tighten on her wrist. Gran put a hand on each of their shoulders.
Someone was bundled out of the front door. He had the hood of his jacket up, so she couldn’t see who it was. Officers on either side held him by the shoulders.
‘It wasn’t me. This is an unfair arrest,’ the man shouted. Eva recognised his voice – Michael.
Another figure appeared. Mrs McIntyre. Her face was twisted in fury. She spat words as though they were a bad taste in her mouth. ‘Let him go. He’s done nothing. He was here the whole time. This is discrimination.’
The officers kept walking. They paid her no attention. It was as though she was invisible.
Then Mrs McIntyre grabbed one of the officers and pulled him backwards. Eva gasped. The officer stumbled and fell. In the confusion, Michael wrenched his other arm free and set off down the path. He ran with an awkward sway, like a moored boat on a sudden current.
‘Go on, son,’ Mrs McIntyre yelled.
Michael leapt over a small wall, heading for the street.
Three more officers appeared from their cars. Michael ran straight into them. They grabbed him tight and dropped him into the back of a police car. His break for freedom had lasted about six seconds and now he was trussed up like a Christmas turkey.
Then Mrs McIntyre was swept into the back of another.
Eva felt sick. Jamie’s brother was being arrested.
His mum was being arrested.
Was he here or had they all been arrested? Even if Jamie thought Michael was cool, he hadn’t had anything to do with the break-in at the club. It wasn’t anything to do with Jamie.
She didn’t know whether to run towards the house or run away – she wanted to do both at once.
And then another vehicle pulled up. Eva recognised Melanie sitting behind the wheel of the battered-looking car; it was small and squashed full of file boxes. Melanie got out and strode over to one of the officers. Eva was too far away to hear what they said, but the officer nodded, then spoke into his radio. Melanie went inside the house. She was gone for a few minutes, then she reappeared. She wasn’t alone. She guided Jamie in front of her, with one hand on his shoulder. His head was down. He didn’t even look up when the police car drove away with his mum in the back.
Eva stepped forward, then broke into a run. ‘Jamie! Jamie!’ she yelled. But he didn’t hear her. Or, if he had heard, he pretended not to.
Jamie fell on to Melanie’s passenger seat; the door closed. Melanie got in and the car sped away.
Eva stopped. She was close to her house now. The other cars pulled away too. Only a few officers were left.
‘Please!’ Eva stepped up to the nearest one. His skin was tanned and crinkled, as if he spent a lot of time outdoors. He smiled at her, though he looked distracted.
‘What is it, pet? This is no place to be hanging around. You should get home.’
‘Please, he’s my friend. The boy in the car. Jamie. Do you know where Melanie’s taking him?’
The police officer shrugged. ‘No idea, sorry. It’s Child Protection’s job now. They’ll look after him.’
‘When will he come home?’
‘Here? If they do right by him, they’ll never send him back here.’