Eva realised that Gran and Heidi had come to stand beside her. They were the only ones left. The cars had gone; the McIntyres’ house was shut up like a keep, silent as a ruin.
‘What should we do?’ Heidi asked.
Eva didn’t know.
‘Should we tell Sally and the others? Do you think they were arrested because of the lodge?’
‘I don’t know.’ Eva’s mind was whirling. Poor Jamie, she thought over and over.
‘There’s nothing to be done,’ Gran said. ‘The McIntyres are none of our concern now. You should get on home, Heidi, before your parents start worrying.’
‘Mum’s not home,’ Heidi said cheerfully. ‘She won’t be for ages.’
Gran frowned. ‘Well, maybe you’d better come in with us then. Is that OK, Eva?’
Eva felt suddenly shy. It had been a long time since anyone had come to her house. At school, she was the odd one, the weird one, the one with the dead mum, the one who couldn’t read.
Heidi was waiting for an answer. She bit her bottom lip and looked anxious.
Eva suddenly realised that Heidi really wanted to be invited inside. She wanted to be here. It felt like the sunlight got a bit brighter, just for an instant. ‘Of course Heidi can come in. I’d like that.’
Heidi grinned and her face went back to its normal, happy expression.
‘OK then,’ Gran said. ‘We all need sugary drinks. That’s quite a shock you’ve both had.’
They followed Gran into the kitchen, and sipped the orange juice she prepared. Then Eva led Heidi out into the garden. There was still a silence from the house next door, but it felt like the kind of silence that followed a shout – just a pause before the next shout came.
Heidi sat on the swing. She pushed herself gently, careful not to spill her drink.
‘Where do you think Jamie is?’ she asked.
‘With Melanie somewhere?’ Eva suggested.
‘He might have gone into care.’
Eva didn’t really know what that meant, not really. She had images of orphanages from films: it was all gruel and rags and angry wardens. And there was Tracy Beaker, of course. She’d seen that on telly. Maybe Jamie was getting up to mischief and hoping that a new family wanted to adopt him.
No.
Eva knew there was no way he’d be hoping that. He loved his family, whatever anyone else thought of them. He’d be wanting to come home.
‘He’ll be hating it. It’s his worst nightmare. He told me that he’d never let Melanie take him away from his family. But he couldn’t stop her. This is my fault,’ she said quietly.
‘How is any of this your fault?’ Heidi asked.
‘He should have been at the lodge today. If he’d been with us, then Melanie wouldn’t have come to take him away. But he stayed home.’
‘I’m still waiting for the part where that’s your fault.’
Eva felt her face redden. Her cheeks were hot with shame. ‘I didn’t give him a chance to explain. Last night, he asked me to meet him. But I was angry, so I didn’t go. I knew that the police were going to talk to Michael. I’m just like everyone else, judging Jamie by what his family does.’
‘Do you think he wanted to explain?’ Heidi asked.
Eva nodded. ‘He waited for me for ages. He thought I was his friend, but I let him down. If I had met him last night, he might have come to the lodge with us today. He might have helped with the clean-up. He might have been there making it right – instead he was in his house. The police must have called Melanie as soon as they knew he was home. She wouldn’t have taken him away if he’d been with us. Oh, Heidi, he thinks that no one cares about him.’
‘You care,’ Heidi said. ‘Sounds like you care a lot.’
‘He doesn’t know that. And now he’s gone.’
Heidi was silent for a moment. She kicked at the scab of dry soil beneath the swing. ‘Maybe it’s for the best though. Whoever’s fault it is. Maybe Jamie will be better off wherever he is now.’
Eva shook her head. ‘No way. He loves his family. Even if they are a bit of a nightmare. He’s going to hate wherever it is that Melanie took him.’ Her nails dug into her palms. She realised that she was feeling angry, as well as guilty.
‘Heidi,’ she said, ‘I need to find him. I need to see that he’s OK. I need to say sorry. Maybe even get him back! What do you think?’
Heidi’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Get him back? He isn’t a computer game you’ve lent to someone. His social worker has taken him into care. You can’t just ask nicely and get him back.’
Eva looked at the rickety fence that divided her garden from Jamie’s. Sunlight dappled it with warmth. Even the shed looked more golden than brown. It was all right for her. She was here, with Gran and Heidi, and Dad was on his way home. It was all normal. But everything had changed for Jamie, and it was all because of her.
‘I have to go and find out where he is,’ she said.
‘Go where?’
‘Next door. Mr McIntyre might be there. Or Drew. I can ask them where Jamie’s gone.’
Heidi stood up. She looked horrified, as though a whole cyberman army had materialised next to the swing. ‘You want to ask Mr McIntyre if he knows where Jamie is on the day that his wife and son were arrested and his other son has been whisked away by the council?’
Eva nodded slowly. She thought that was what she wanted to do.
‘Wow. Well, all I can say is what song do you want played at your funeral?’