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tricks, partly enjoying the exercise of outwitting possible shadowers.
There was a bit of him that enjoyed exciteemntment, even danger. Sadie
understood it, shared it. It added spice to their meetings, made them
laugh together.
When he was coming home at tea-time that day he met Kate. She
hailed him as he was coming off the bus. He stood and waited for her
reluctantly.
"Your mother's had her baby," said Kate. "A wee girl. They were
looking all over for you this afternoon and they couldn't find you
anywhere. They had to get Brede from the nursery to look after the
wee ones."
"I must be getting home then." He lengthened his step.
"Hey, wait for us," said Kate. "It's a bit late to be running now.
What do you do with yourself all day?"
"Nothing much."
"You must do something."
He shrugged. He slowed his step to let Kate walk beside him. She
would run if he did not. She could hang on like a dog with its teeth
on a bone.
"You don't seem to have much time for your old friends now."
"Some of them are no longer my friends." Kevin pointed to his headtouched his bandagde
"I don't like getting kicked in the head."
"It wouldn't be friends that did that."
"Kate, I know who did it."
"You're thinking it's Brian Rafferty, aren't you? He says you've
been going round blackening his nameslandering him. He's not pleased."
