Or distribute it by any other means without permission. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, Scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the Means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, Reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any I followed his actions and set mine down too.All rights reserved. ‘ Well, as a matter of fact, we have something to tell you,’ Tina said, taking Pete’s hand, forcing him to set down his knife and fork. Mum’s actions weren’t my sister’s burdens to bear.

‘Something wrong, love?’ Mum never called me love. ‘ You’ve barely touched your wine,’ Mum said to my sister as she topped up Pete’s glass. When Pete helped himself to a second serving, Mum went to get another bottle of wine to share around. I hated peas or beans to touch my meat or fish. I took the mash off my shepherd’s pie to make a barrier between the peas and the mince. Everybody filled their plates high with the pie and vegetables. ‘ How many more times do I have to tell you? Call me Anna.’ ‘Sorry. ‘This looks champion, Mrs Chester,’ said Pete. Then she went and fetched a side of peas and carrots and a huge jug of thick, meaty gravy. She removed the lid to reveal a shepherd’s pie sprinkled with cheese. ‘ That’s wonderful, JC! You’ll be running the place in no time.’ She chuckled, but I frowned, though before I could respond, Mum walked in carrying her best casserole dish between her flowered oven mittens and placed it in the centre of the table. I’d seen them near The Suit shortly after Mr Phillips’s death. Why would now be any different? Two large men in suits jumped from the van, and I recognised them immediately. As I turned, a phrase Mum had said popped into my head: ‘Why should we skulk off like wounded animals?’ She was right I had to be brave. Crap! Now, what would I do? I’d have to go back to the shop and wait it out. A white transit van had pulled up at the greengrocers, blocking my view. You can do this, John-Michael, I told myself. The Suit was leant casually against the hardware shop, his knee tucked so his foot was touching the wall. If PC Williams spotted me, he might stop me and demand to know what I was carrying. What was I going to do? He was in my way and now the guns were out in the open. Perhaps that’s why he’d swapped his outfit. Surely The Suit had to be aware the police were looking for him. I’d hoped he’d gone back to wherever he’d come from.

Mirror Man by Jacques Von Kat