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“What’s going to happen today?” Robin said.

Both kids looked at Justin.

“Mr Fitz-Stanley will be here by around 10:30pm I imagine,” Justin said. “The arrangement is for him to be here by midnight, but knowing what I do about powerful people, he’ll have his own agenda. I’ve told him I don’t want him or his men in sight before 10:30 because I don’t want anyone scared off.”

“So they could be here now?” Ash said. She lay on the sofa, knees to her chest, one arm across her eyes and to anyone watching, she could be asleep, but she wasn’t, she was alert and listening to every word Justin said and she took in all the information.

Robin thought if he listened really closely, he might just be able to hear the cogs in her mind whirring away double-speed as she worked things out and plotted everything.

“No, they couldn’t be here now because they don’t know where ‘here’ is until I give them the address.”

“Ha!” Ash barked a laugh. “You think he doesn’t already know where you live? He knows. He’s got enough money to buy that little bit of information. He knows where you live.”

Justin looked at the tough little girl who had shaved her own head and gone in to a dangerous situation on faith in his judgement.

“Yeah… he knows where I live. That just means we have to make sure this all goes to plan, he gets what he wants, and we end up on his short list of favours to be paid back.”

“The junkie is coming here this evening, just after it gets dark. I have his stash, or so he thinks, and he’s gonna be hurting for it by then.” Ash sat up. She moved gingerly avoiding all the painful spots that hurt to touch. “I have to go fetch his stash.”

“Where is it?” Robin said. “I’ll fetch it.”

Ash shook her head. “Just gimme some of those painkillers. I can double-up the dose, two paracetamol and two ibruprophen will get me through to this afternoon at least. I can have a soak in the bath and be ready for when the junke comes around.”

She took the blisterpack from the table and pushed out two tablets, gulping them down with the dregs of her tea. “What time is Mike coming?”

“He’ll be here just after ten this evening.”

“Right,” Ash said. “Stuff to do.”

She stood up as straight as she could manage and stretched out her aching limbs.

“You’ve done that before,” Justin said as he watched her.

The grim little smile she gave back reminded him of something… A soldier going out to battle knowing the odds were stacked against him and his troop, but also knowing how many people, comrades, civilians were relying on him and so there was only one option – to get it done.

“I’m going to North Street. That’s where the junkie’s hiding out. That’s where the stash of ‘brown’ is hidden. If he sees me, I’m fucked…” she paused as she realised the connotations of her words. She closed her eyes, put her chin to her chest and sighed, getting to grips with her emotions.

Ash clenched her fists, sighed again, lifted her head high, and eyes glistening, she whispered. “Right, I’ve got this.”

She went to the kitchen and they heard her open the drawer where the painkillers were kept. She poured a glass of water and then left.

“Did you hear her?” Justin said. “She’s not using his name, she’s calling him ‘the junkie’. You know what that means?”

Robbin thought for a moment and looked at Justin’s own grim expression.

“She’s disassociating herself from him. Making him a stranger…” he faltered, thinking some more. “He’s the one that attacked her, isn’t he?”

Justin nodded. “Go after her, make sure she’s ok.” Justin struggled to stand up.

Robin went to help him but he waved him off. “I’ve got this…”

To the side of the fireplace, he loosened a tile. Underneath lay a box. He took out the box and sat down, panting heavily.

“Take this, but be fucking careful with it. I’ve been keeping it back, but I think you should have it just in case she gets into any more strife. Go on, take it! It’s easy to use.”

Robin stood looking at the box and its contents. “It’s a fucking gun!”

“Good lad! Can’t put one over on you, can I?”

“I’m not taking a fucking GUN!”

“Not even if it might be the only thing that could save Ash from more injury?”

Robin looked at Justin and swallowed hard. “Bastard,” he said in a whisper.

“Yeah, I know. Just think what kind of a bastard I could be to someone I don’t like,” he said. “This is the safety. Make sure it stays ON unless you need it. Don’t forget.”

“OK.” Robin took the gun and slipped it in his pocket. It felt heavier than he thought it would and he didn’t take his hand from it.

Robin ran out of the house and followed Ash. He caught sight of her as she rounded a corner and he made sure she didn’t know he was there.

Peering around the corner of the outhouses, he watched as she scrambled through the gap in a door and he watched the houses close by, ensuring no one was watching her.

Keeping an eye out for anyone watching him too, he breathed a sigh of relief as Ash emerged from the house and dodged and ducked her way back towards him.

He may as well let her see him now her task was finished and was about to make himself known to her, but she then ducked down another path and went into another house along the row.

When she emerged safely from there, Robin watched.

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