CHAPTER XII

We'd have known that if we were liaising with Clyde, Falk said when they got outside.

He tucked the box of carons and billies belongings under his arm.

The cardboard stuck uncomfortably to his clammy skin.

Yeah, well no harm done we found out anyway.

Eventually.

I don't know, it might be time to bring them in.

Raker looked at him.

You honestly feel confident that we've got enough to make that phone call, bearing in mind

how they'll react.

Falk aimed his mouth to reply when a voice rang out across the playground.

Hey, Aaron, wait!

Falk turned to see Gretchen's shoulder jogging over.

He felt his mood lift fractionally.

The funeral attire had been swapped for shorts and a fitted blue shirt rolled up at the elbows.

It suited him much better, Falk thought.

Raker took the box from him.

I'll meet you back at the car, mate, he said tactfully, with a polite nod at Gretchen.

She stopped in front of Falk and pushed her sunglasses up, catching her blonde hair

and a complicated bundle on top of her head.

The blue of the shirt set off her eyes, he noticed.

Hey, what are you still doing here?

...