The Other Child Read Free Page A

entirely.
    He told himself to stay calm. And to be cautious.
    He could not afford to make too many more mistakes in his life.
    2
    Amy Mills needed the money that her job as a babysitter brought in. That was the only reason she did it. But she had to pay for her studies more or less on her own, so she could not be picky. Not that it was unpleasant to spend her evenings in someone else’s living room, reading a book or watching the telly, just keeping watch over a sleeping child whose parents were out. But it meant she got home late, and she hated the trip home in the dark. At least in the autumn and winter. In the summer the evenings were light until late, and often the streets of Scarborough were full of overseas students coming to the East Yorkshire coast for summer English courses.
    This evening was different. The storm and the afternoon’s heavy rain had driven everyone inside and cleared the streets. What was more, after a very hot day it had cooled considerably. It was unpleasant and windy.
    No one will be out, thought Amy uneasily.
    On Wednesdays she was always at Mrs Gardner’s place, taking care of her four-year-old daughter Liliana. Mrs Gardner was a single mum, supporting herself and her daughter with a number of jobs, and on Wednesday evenings she taught French in the Friarage School. The class finished at nine, but then she always went out for a drink with her students.
    â€˜Otherwise I’d never get out,’ she said to Amy, ‘and at least once a week I’d like to have some fun. Is it all right by you if I’m back by ten?’
    The problem was it was never ten when she finally got in. Half-ten if Amy was lucky, a quarter to eleven more likely. Mrs Gardner apologised profusely each time.
    â€˜I have no idea where the time went! By ‘eck, once we start chattin’ …’
    Actually Amy would have liked to ditch this job, but it was her only more or less stable work. She looked after the children of other families too, but only irregularly. She could rely on the Wednesday money, and in her situation that was priceless. If only she did not have that trip home …
    I’m such a coward, she often said to herself, but that did not do anything to lessen her fear.
    Mrs Gardner had no car in which to drive her babysitter home quickly, and she was over the alcohol limit in any case. She had drunk a fair few this Wednesday and it was later than ever before – twenty past eleven!
    â€˜We said ten o’clock,’ said Amy in annoyance as she packed up her books. She had spent the evening studying.
    At least Mrs Gardner showed a rueful face. ‘I know. I’m terrible. But there’s a new lady in our class and she bought us a couple of rounds. She had a right few stories to tell. By time I thought ‘bout leavin’ – it were already so late!’
    She handed Amy the money and was decent enough to give her an extra five pounds. ‘Here. Because you really had t’ do overtime today … Everythin’ OK with Liliana?’
    â€˜She’s asleep. She didn’t wake up once.’ Amy said goodbye to tipsy Mrs Gardner and left. On the street she hunched her shoulders against the cold.
    Almost like autumn, she thought, but it’s just mid July.
    Thankfully it had not been raining for a few hours. The way home took her along the street, part of the way down St Nicholas Cliff, past the rather dilapidated Grand Hotel and then over the long iron bridge which connected the centre of town to South Cliff and went over a main road that was busy during the day. At this late hour, however, the road down there was deserted, although it was still bright under the blazing street lamps. The silent sleeping town was creepy, but Amy still had her fear under control. The stretch through the park would be worse. Down to her left was the sea and the beach, high up above were the first South Cliff houses. In between were the Esplanade Gardens, which