to go slowly. She returned a minute later with a pale-brown lump of vegetation in her hand. She held it out to Kirsty who took it tentatively.
‘This is root ginger. All you need to do is cut off about an inch, grate it into a mug then pour boiling water onto it. Leave it for about ten minutes then strain it. Add a spoonful of honey. It will take away your flu. I guarantee it.’
‘Thanks. I’ll give it a go.’ She felt her nose start to run and sniffed. ‘I hope your cat turns up.’
‘I’ll be heartbroken if he doesn’t.’
Jamie came through the front door struggling under the weight of a large cardboard box and perspiring heavily. He wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his T-shirt before making his way back out to the car and bringing in another box. Kirsty had fallen asleep on the sofa, and he woke her with a kiss. She sat up, rubbing her sleep-gummed eyes.
‘What have you bought now?’
He tore open the boxes to reveal a barbell and set of weights. Kneeling on the carpet, he screwed a weight to each end of the barbell, then lifted it above his head.
Kirsty applauded. ‘It’s Mr Universe!’
‘That’s right. Bullies will no longer kick sand in my face!’ He paused. ‘Actually this is hurting my arms.’
Kirsty laughed.
He put the weights down and knelt beside her. ‘How are you feeling? Any better?’
‘Not really. I still feel really tired, as if I’ve sprung a leak and all my energy has ebbed away.’
‘Poor Kirsty.’ He stroked her hair, then turned back to his weights. ‘So what do you think? There are a couple of smaller, single-handed ones which I thought you could use. And I’ve ordered a rowing machine as well. I thought I might start swimming again as well. I haven’t been for ages.’
Kirsty coughed. ‘I’m not really in the mood to talk about physical exercise right now.’
‘So you don’t want to go to bed then?’ He winked at her and she groaned and covered her face with a cushion. Whenever she was ill, Jamie became even more libidinous. His theory was that it was because she seemed so vulnerable, lying there sniffling: his primeval instincts came out and he wanted to carry her off to his cave.
‘Lemsip?’ he asked, putting thoughts of passion aside.
‘Yes please.’
He went into the kitchen and saw the chunk of ginger sitting on the worktop, untouched. ‘What’s this?’ he asked, going back out to Kirsty.
‘That’s root ginger. Mary came down earlier and gave it to me. She said it would cure my flu.’
‘And have you taken any?’
‘No, of course not. How’s that going to help me? I’ll stick with my Lemsips, thanks.’
Jamie tutted. ‘You should try it, Kirsty. What do we have to do with it?’ She explained the process. ‘Right, I’ll make you a cup.’
After Jamie had strained the ginger, he carried it out to Kirsty. She sniffed it and pulled a face, but then took a sip. ‘It’s foul.’
‘Come on, drink it.’
He knelt beside her and stroked her hair as she sipped it, screwing up her face in with distaste. ‘So what was Mary doing down here? Did she hear you coughing and blowing your nose and come down to offer you her miracle cure?’
‘No, she came down to ask if I’ve seen her cat. It’s gone missing.’
‘Lennon? Oh no. When did she last see him?’
‘Sunday, I think she said.’
Jamie scratched his head. ‘Oh. Because I saw him on Sunday. Lucy had him. I saw her carry him into her flat.’
‘Lucy?’
He stood up. ‘I’d better go and tell Mary.’
‘What was Lucy doing with him?’
He shrugged. ‘I’ll see you in a minute.’
At the top of the stairs, he knocked on Mary’s door. He felt uncomfortable. He had this strange, irrational fear that Lucy had done something to Lennon. She had made it clear that she didn’t think much of Mary (calling her a witch was hardly a display of neighbourly good feeling), but surely – surely – she wouldn’t do anything to harm her cat.
Mary opened the door. She was smiling, and Jamie noticed that her pupils were dilated. He guessed she had been smoking weed – in fact, there was the distinct smell of cannabis in the air as he stepped into the hallway.
‘Kirsty told me Lennon has gone missing. It’s just that, well, I’m not sure how to say this…’
Mary cut him off, a wide grin on her face. ‘He’s come back. Come and see.’
She led him into the living