Wearily they all tramped inside the red brick detached house carrying their bags. The interior was coolly modern with polished floorboards and top of the range appliances.
“Do you own this house too dear?” Rose asked Faith.
“I do, under another name of course.”
“Of course,” she said flatly.
“There’s four bedrooms upstairs and a pull-out couch in this room here,” she said, pushing open a door that led off the hallway.
“Me and Michael should have the master bedroom seeing how we’re the only couple,” said Abi.
“Help yourselves,” Faith told them in a tired, flat voice.
“Come on,” said Abi, taking her fiancé’s hand and practically dragging him upstairs, carrying a goggling Monty.
“I’ll take the smallest room,” said Rose in her best martyr voice. “You all need more space than I do.”
“Jason, Kev,” said Vance. “You two can share.”
“I’m not sharing with him,” said Kevin. “I’ve just stopped sharing with him at home and I’m not doing it again.”
“This isn’t up for debate.”
Kevin decided his older brother was not in the mood for an argument. “Fine but if he snores I’m holding a pillow over his face.”
“You’re the snorer you noisy git,” retorted Jason.
“The room has two single beds,” said Faith.
“Well, that’s something I suppose,” sniffed Kevin before swanning upstairs, followed by Jason.
“You have the last bedroom Faith,” said Caleb.
“No, you take it,” she replied. “I’m not sure I’ll sleep anyway.”
“You need some proper rest. You came out of hospital today.”
“So did Vance.”
“Yeah but he looks fine. You look exhausted and I won’t hear any argument. I’ll take the couch. Vance can have the pull-out.”
Faith was so tired she couldn’t come up with an excuse that would keep her downstairs with Vance, so she cast him an apologetic look and headed upstairs to bed. She just managed to take off her clothes before she collapsed into bed, asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
Faith was the last up the next morning. She showered and dressed before wandering downstairs to the kitchen.
“Where did this lot come from?” she said, staring in astonishment at the veritable feast spread out on the kitchen table.
“I sent Jason and Kevin to the supermarket just down the road,” said Rose, who was busy buttering a huge heap of toast. “You had absolutely nothing in Faith.”
“Because I haven’t been here for six months,” she retorted. “There’s no point keeping fresh food in.”
“You look better,” Vance commented before the two of them could get into a row.
“I slept like a log,” she said, sinking into the chair beside him.
“Me too. I feel fully recovered from the fire.”
“Good,” she said with a gentle smile.
Kissing Matthew yesterday seemed so long ago and her love for Vance was still so strong. All was right with the world. Well, nearly.
“Abi dear,” said Rose. “Don’t feed Monty at the table.”
“But my little pookie loves sausages, don’t you?” she smiled, holding the dog on her lap and hand feeding him.
“Because he’s gay,” commented Jason.
“Shut it,” she snapped at him.
“Me and Abi have got an appointment this morning at the Boulevard Hotel to discuss the wedding reception,” said Michael. “Do you think it’ll be safe to go?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Faith. “With everything going on we have been neglecting that a bit.”
“It’s okay, you’ve had a lot to deal with and it’s not until the spring.”
“I think it’ll be fine. Jason and Kevin can go with you.”
“What?” frowned Kevin. “We don’t want to talk about weddings.”
“You won’t have to. Michael and Abi will do that. You can just hang around and keep an eye out for firefighters.”
“Suppose and there might be some fit birds there.”
“If there are you will ignore them. You can’t be distracted.”
“Your sister’s right,” said Rose, placing the plate of toast on the table. “Keep your mind on what you’ve got to do. I don’t want anyone else ending up in hospital.”
“Okay Mum,” said Kevin with an adoring smile.
She patted his cheek. “Now, who wants coffee?” She smiled when they all put their hands up.
“What shall we do today?” said Caleb, looking from Faith to Vance.
“We’ve still got the tracking device on Amanda’s car,” said Faith. “We could watch her movements.”
“Actually, I’ve been doing that,” said Jason, taking out his phone. “Her car went from her house then stayed for ages at the fire station. It only went back to her house at six o’clock this morning and it’s still there.”
“She’s probably asleep after working the night shift.”
“Perhaps,” said Vance. “Although it’s her car we can’t assume she’s the one driving it.”
“Good point,” said Faith, stifling a yawn. Despite the sleep she’d had, she was still catching up. “But we know all their home addresses, so following them won’t get us anywhere. We need to end this and the best way to do that is by drawing them to us.”
“You mean set a trap?” said Vance.
“And then what will you do to them?” frowned Rose. “Firefighters are heroes and Lord knows I’m finding it hard to find compassion in my heart for this lot after what they’ve done to my children but they have still done a lot of good work, saved lives. That has to count for something.”
“We know Mum and we are treating this differently,” said Faith. “Don’t worry.”
“Easier said than done,” she sighed in the same martyred tone.
Faith didn’t want to discuss their plans any further in front of Rose and Michael, so she turned her attention to the food instead. They were all so hungry the feast was demolished, Rose smiling with satisfaction when only crumbs remained. Faith felt her strength returning and it only just struck her that she’d barely eaten lately.
After breakfast, Kevin and Jason left
