CHERUB: Class A - Robert Muchamore Page 0,73

James said. ‘Why?’
‘You’re the only one of Junior’s mates I thought I could rely on to look after him if something bad happens,’ Keith said.
‘Bad like what?’ James asked.
‘They could arrest me at any time, James. I know Junior likes to think he’s the big man, but he’s led a pretty sheltered life and I’m a lot happier knowing there’s a guy like you with him.’
‘You’ve got George back in Miami,’ James said.
‘George is good for two things,’ Keith laughed. ‘Breaking heads and polishing cars. I’ve known the man since infant school and I love him, but frankly, it’s a miracle he can tie his own shoe laces.’
‘Who knows?’ James said. ‘Maybe you’ll never get arrested.’
‘Life is certainly full of surprises,’ Keith said. ‘I’ll tell you that for nothing.’
He ripped off a monster belch that echoed down the corridor. James giggled and responded with a tiny burp.
‘Pathetic,’ Keith said. ‘Check this out.’
Keith tipped back his head to drain his can, then rolled out the longest, loudest belch James had ever heard. An elderly American was toddling along the corridor. She had giant rectangular sunglasses and the wrinkled face of somebody who’d spent too much of her life in the sun.
‘Why don’t you mind your damn manners?’ she said furiously.
‘Don’t worry, ma’am,’ Keith said, giggling as he gently cuffed James around the back of the head. ‘I’ll make sure the boy doesn’t do it again.’
‘It wasn’t me,’ James gasped, struggling to keep a straight face.
The woman shuffled a few more steps and stopped outside her room. As she rummaged through her handbag for the plastic card that unlocked her door, Keith stepped into the corridor and belched again. It wasn’t as big as the first two, but it was still loud. James couldn’t control himself and started howling with laughter. The woman scowled so hard, he half expected a laser beam to shoot out of her eyes.
‘This hotel used to attract decent people,’ she shouted. ‘Why don’t you act your age?’
Her door slammed. James and Keith stood there laughing for about ten minutes. James got it so bad his sides started hurting.
Keith looked at his watch. ‘You better get back to bed, it’s gone midnight and we’re doing another theme park tomorrow.’
James crept back into his room, being careful not to wake up Junior. He took a quick pee before sliding between his sheets. He was tired, but his brain kept churning over as he lay awake, listening to Junior’s gentle breathing.
James wondered if Keith really was planning to do a runner. It seemed sad that a guy who’d been showing him the time of his life was facing a choice between twenty years in prison and running off and never seeing his family again. James asked himself what he’d do if he saw Keith making a run for it. Would he grab his mobile the second he realised, or give Keith time to get away?
*
They left the hotel early next morning and went to Disneyworld, then spent the afternoon cooling off at a water park. It was getting dark by the time they left Orlando for the five-hour drive back to Miami.
James woke up late Thursday morning on his four-poster bed in the Miami house. He was on top of his duvet, wearing the trainers and clothes he’d had on the day before. The last thing he could remember was falling asleep in the back seat of the car. He needed a shower and his mouth tasted like a sewer, but before any of that, he scrambled downstairs to see if Keith was still around.
George, Keith and Junior sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, wearing swimming shorts and watching a daytime talk show.
‘Here’s sleeping beauty,’ Keith said.
Junior started to laugh.
‘What?’ James asked.
‘I pinched your cheek and everything,’ Keith said, ‘but you didn’t bat an eyelid. I had to get George to carry you upstairs and dump you on your bed.’
‘All red-faced and tired-out,’ Junior giggled. ‘You looked like a little angel.’
‘I can’t remember a thing,’ James gasped. ‘God … That’s so embarrassing.’
‘It’s all those midnight phone calls,’ Keith said. ‘You’re not getting enough sleep.’
James had a mental jolt. He’d missed his nightly call and John Jones might be worried.
‘I better go freshen up,’ James said.
As soon as he got to his room, he found the overnight bag he’d taken to Orlando and grabbed his mobile. He tried to switch it on, but the battery was dead. He hunted around the room until he found his charger and his