Stake You

Chapter Eleven

Stalking session number one came directly after school on Monday. Base had somehow managed to persuade his mother that he could drive her car without crashing, and it had slightly tinted windows, so it seemed like the perfect solution. I wasn’t convinced it was a good idea, but I was unusually willing to take the chance. I wasn’t prepared to analyse why.

We were in the car park before anyone else, watching Sully’s car, and it was such a lovely day that it seemed a shame to be stuck inside.

“Let’s hope he goes to a park or something today,” Base said, opening the sunroof. “It’s too hot for this shit.”

I unzipped my tracksuit top and took it off. The car was sweltering, and the air conditioning didn’t work. “Am I even safe in this car with you?” I asked.

“Afraid you won’t be able to resist me?” he teased. “Of course you’re safe. I’m an excellent driver.”

“When did you even get a licence? You’re like twelve. Oh, wait, that’s just your mental age.”

“Funny, aren’t you? Mam made me learn when she was pregnant, just in case I had to drive her to the hospital or something crazy like that, and I figured I might as well go for the driving test when I was old enough. Might as well try do what I can now to lower the insurance when I save up for a car.” He shrugged. “Didn’t think I’d pass, but I lucked out.”

“When was she pregnant?”

“She told me on my 14th birthday. I nearly passed out. He’s almost four now. She named him Francis, so we call him Frankie to annoy her, and now he refuses to answer to Francis. He’s a little cool dude though. Running around like a lunatic, climbing everything, calling me Base, and driving Mam demented. Great craic. And Damon’s ten now. He’s the quiet one, knows more than me about everything.”

“I always wanted a little sister,” I said wistfully.

“Nah. You’d have to share everything. I can’t even have a sandwich without the little dude robbing half.”

“I can’t believe your mam had another baby. I can’t imagine mine having one.”

“It was a bit of a surprise. After Dad died, nobody really expected her to move on. Frankie’s dad is okay, I suppose, but he doesn’t live with us or anything. He’s a bit of an idiot really. I’m more of a dad to the kid than he is.” His cheeks flushed red. “Sorry for boring you.”

“You’re not. I think it’s sweet that you help out.”

“Don’t have a choice,” he said, grinning. “Not if I want any peace. How’s your mam?” he added hesitantly.

I looked away. “Listen, Base, I’m not going to pretend that we don’t know she’s fucked up, but I’m not going to get into it either. Not any of it, okay?” I glanced at him, anxious in case he pushed me further.

“No worries,” he said. “But if you ever want to, I’m here, okay?”

I could see he even meant it. But that wasn’t going to happen. A movement in my eye line distracted me. “There he is,” I said excitedly. “He’s getting into his car with Aoife.”

“We need to do this carefully,” he said. “Have your phone ready, but I’m keeping as far back from his car as possible, or he’ll just be on his best behaviour.” He cocked his head to the side. “Not a bad result, actually.”

“Yeah, but the quicker we catch him doing something dodgy, the quicker we can let somebody else deal with him.”

He glanced at me. “He really scares you, doesn’t he?”