Breaking the Circle (28 page)

‘No worries,’ Maya laughed. ‘Can’t be a gangster without a gun, can you?’

Zac put his arm around her and looked suddenly serious. ‘You know, I still have flashbacks. I was so scared when those men were takin’ you away. They could have killed
you.’

‘I was scared. They wanted to kill me.’

‘You was unreal leavin’ me with them thugs, though,’ Zac said. ‘If it hadn’t have been for Kay. . .’

‘What, you still haven’t forgiven me?’ Maya cut in.

He kissed her hair. ‘You owe me, girl,’ he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

Maya had him in an armlock when Leona and Evie bounded in. They were dazzling in shocking pink satin jackets, bobby socks and pumps. ‘The Pink Ladies,’ Leona announced, turning to
show the words on the back of her jacket spelt out in sequins.

‘What you doin’ to Zac?’ Evie asked.

‘Just teaching him who’s boss,’ Maya laughed. ‘Hey Kay,’ she shouted. ‘The Pink Ladies are here. You’ll have to sing some songs for us later.’

Kay came over, her eyes sparkling with fun. ‘I love this party,’ she said.

Maya caught her by her good arm and swung her round. ‘You’re easy to please. It hasn’t even begun yet.’

‘I know. But my friends are here. I have a place to live and I am happy.’

‘What’s gonna happen to her?’ Leona asked, as Kay walked off to help Helen hand out drinks.

‘I don’t know. We’re applying for her to stay. We might be able to get her a student permit. But she could have to go back to Kosovo.’

‘That’d be a shame.’ Leona said, ‘She seems so happy.’

‘Yeah, she’s really settled in and she loves Helen. It was tough for her coming off the drugs – she was brave.’

‘Yeah, Serena too,’ Leona said. ‘She’s a fighter. When she’s better, she wants to go back to school – do her A levels, go to uni.’

Later in the evening, Maya sat watching her friends mingling with Pam’s friends and colleagues – everybody dancing and laughing and enjoying themselves. Simon, dancing with Leona,
looked pretty cool in dinner jacket and bow tie and Pam was staying close to a guy who was dressed in a pirate costume. He’d arrived early in the evening, bearing Maya’s schoolbag and
bank card, so Maya assumed he was a police officer.

While Maya watched, she thought about the girls from China, and Annika, who was already on her way home, and the other girls, rescued from the hostel, who’d been taken to a detention
centre. The centre wasn’t a great place, but at least they were safe and were going to be returned to their families. One trafficking link had been broken and information gathered by the
police would be useful in breaking down other smuggling operations.

‘Not dancing?’ Pam, ever alert to Maya’s moods, came to sit beside her.

Maya shook her head. ‘I will in a minute. I was just thinking about the girls we rescued. I wish I could have saved Tanya too – it was horrible that she died.’

Pam sat down and put her arm around her daughter. ‘You did great. You can’t fix everything, darling.’

‘I know. But it doesn’t mean I have to stop trying.’

Pam rolled her eyes. ‘Right now I want you to try and pass your exams. I think that’s a big enough task.’

‘OK. I’m going to work hard, get good grades and then next summer. . .’

‘What?’

‘I have a plan which might involve a bit of travel.’

‘Any plans you run by me from now on,’ Pam said, pointing a finger. ‘Understood?’

Maya smiled. ‘Yes, but I think you might like this one,’ she said. ‘I want to go back to Kosovo, to Cuska. I think I’m ready to face my demons. I want to find out who I
really am.’

Pam leaned forward and enfolded Maya in a big hug. ‘For that plan you have my blessing.’

Stated occupation:
Teacher of English and Drama. (Has been spotted in classrooms in Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia and Bakewell.) Sometimes poses as a writer of fiction
– Circle of Fire is the fifth novel.

Subversive activities:
recently took part in a Bed-In for Peace in Liverpool; eats pistachios while typing.

Location:
between Matlock Bath, Derbyshire and John Lennon’s and Paul McCartney’s childhood homes in Liverpool – properties owned by the National Trust.
Is this a front for digging into matters of national security, such as John Lennon’s alleged scrumping of apples from Strawberry Fields? Meets high-profile individuals who visit the house,
but does not betray confidences.

Distinctive features:
mole on right cheek, whorls on 8 fingertips, scalp double crowned. Eye colour changeable – grey, green or blue depending on mood. Small enough
not to be noticed when following a suspect.

Known weapons:
rolled-up newspaper, umbrella.

Potential liabilities:
putting a foot in it; worrying; speaking French badly; shouting loudly at the TV when the England squad are playing football, “Pass,
pass!”

Ambitions:
to win the local pub quiz, to tell one funny joke, to grow six inches, hug a mountain gorilla, plant a tree in Nepal.

CIRCLE OF FIRE

S. M. HALL

is time on an assault course or a shooting range.

She can’t wait to follow in her mum’s footsteps

as an intelligence agent.

Can she infiltrate their cell without risking

her mum’s life? And is the mysterious Khaled

luring her into a trap, or is he a secret ally?

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