Page 112 of Meet me at the Seaside Cottages

‘You genius,’ says Janey under her breath.

They watch as, anxious to show off, doughnut crumbs all over his beard, Owen, as if he is doing something profoundly difficult and sacred, punches the number into the fax machine.

It actually whistles and burrs, a noise familiar to the older generation and quite startling to the younger. Yasmin jumps, and Owen puts a tentative comforting hand on her forearm.

And slowly, ringed in darkness, they all watch the pieces of paper disappear. And then there is nothing to do but wait.

45

Essie runs to the Seagate cottages first thing the next morning. Dwight is there already and they fly into each other’s arms.

‘What did the police say?’

‘I told them about the money,’ says Dwight. ‘And they wrote that down. But they don’t know about the houses.’

His phone beeps. He pulls it out. She is clinging to him, she finds, and she tries to pull away, but he casually grabs her and pulls her in tight with one hand, opening the phone with the other. She finds this incredibly sexy for some reason.

He whistles, and touches his hat with his phone.

‘What? What?’

He shows her.

It is the confirmation from the Land Registry that they have received the withdrawal notification.

‘Oh,thatthey can email,’ says Essie.

The door opens and Essie and Dwight leap apart instantly, which is probably just as well, as it’s Shelby. She grimaces.

‘Hey, sis,’ says Dwight.

‘Okay, everyone wants to know what they can do to help,’ says Shelby, looking around the place. ‘Get it finished, if you can.’

Word has obviously spread quickly. For once Essie doesn’t mind.

‘I’ve got the timeline,’ she says.

‘I don’t need to talk to you,’ says Shelby. ‘The one who made my brother give up everything.’

‘I didn’tmakehim do anything,’ says Essie. ‘Although I’m sorry I introduced him to those guys. I didn’t know they were crooks.’

‘You’re sleeping with one of them.’

‘Have you never slept with a crook?’

Shelby thinks about this for a moment. ‘I think I’ve only slept with crooks.’

‘Lay off, Shelbs,’ says Dwight, but she ignores him.

Essie steps forward. ‘Shelby – why . . . why were you always so mean to me?’

‘Me?’ says Shelby, turning back, her face completely astonished. ‘Me, mean toyou?’

Essie blinks, slightly taken aback. ‘Yes. You know, at school.’

Shelby looks at her, astounded. ‘What are you even talking about? You marched around the whole time talking about how Carso sucked, how you couldn’t wait to get out . . . and always boohooing in the toilets about your parents fighting, whenyoustill had a dad, two parents, a home. You knew where your dad was. You know we had to leave our council house? Move into a bedsit? Because Kenny threatened my mum?’

Essie goes quiet. She had not quite realised this. She knew they had had a divorce too; that was all she’d thought. And she’d thought that Shelby hadn’t given a toss.

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