having all of your troop in there. This is between Brian and me."

Johnno grinned at her. "You always did your best work in the bed room,

didn't you, luy?" Their eyes held for a moment, the disgust they had

always felt for each other clear. "Bri, she was a first-rate wh.o.r.e once

upon a time, but she's second-rate now. Can we get on?"

"You b.l.o.o.d.y queer." Jane leaped at him before Brian caught her around

the waist. "You wouldn't know what to do with a real woman if she bit

you on the d.i.c.k."

He continued to grin, but his eyes frosted over. "Care to give it a

shot, dearie?"

"Always could count on you to keep things running smoothly, Johnno,"

Brian muttered as he twisted Jane around in his arms. "You said this

business was with me, then keep it with me. I'll have a look at the

girl."

"Not them two." She snarled at Johnno as he shrugged and pulled out

another cigarette. "Just you. I want to keep it private."

"Fine. Wait here." He kept his hand on Jane's arm as she walked to the

bedroom. It was empty. "I'm tired of the game, Jane."

"She's hiding. All these people put her off, that's all. Emma! Come

here to your mam right now." Jane dropped to her knees beside the bed,

then scrambled up to search through the narrow closet. "She's probably

in the loo." Rushing out, she pulled open a door off the hallway.

"Brian." Johnno signaled from the kitchen doorway. "Something here you

might want to see." He held up a gla.s.s, toasting Jane. "You don't mind

if I have a drink, do you, luy? The bottle was open." He jerked the

thumb of his free hand toward the cabinet under the sink.

The stale scent was stronger there, old liquor, ripening garbage,

molding rags. Brian's shoes stuck to the linoleum as he crossed to the

cupboard, then crouched. He pulled open the door and peered inside.

He couldn't see the girl clearly, only that she was hunched back in the

corner, her blond hair in her eyes and something black hugged in her

arms. He felt his stomach turn over, but tried to smile.

"h.e.l.lo there."

Emma buried her face in the furry black bundle she held.

"Nasty little brat. I'll teach you to hide from me." Jane started to

make a grab, but a look from Brian stopped her. He held out a hand and

smiled again.

"I don't think I can fit in there with you. Would you mind coming out a

minute?" He saw her peep up over her folded arms. "No one's going to

hurt you."

He had such a nice voice, Emma thought, soft and pretty like music. He

was smiling at her. The light through the kitchen window was on

his hair, making the deep, rich blond shine. Like an angel's hair. She

giggled, then crawled out.

Her new dress was smeared and spotted. Her wispy baby hair was damp

from a leak under the sink. She smiled, showing little white teeth with

a crooked inciser. Brian ran his tongue over a similar one in his own

mouth. When her lips curved, a dimple winked at the left corner of her

mouth, a twin of his. Eyes as deep and blue as his own stared back at

him.