Nowhere Boys Read Online Free PDF Page B

neither is running a business, so unless you want to order something, clear off.’
    Jake stormed out of the shop. Why was Jim playing games with him? Was there some joke he wasn’t in on? Maybe his mum was cross with him for not calling last night. Though that really didn’t make sense. She’d be more worried than angry.
    He picked up Telly’s bike. If Jim wasn’t going to tell him the truth, he’d go and see Phil. Yep, that’s what he’d do. He’d go and ask him directly why he’d chosen the night Jake was missing, possibly presumed dead, to throw them out of their house. God, his poor mum, having to deal with all of that in one night.
    Jake barged into the mauve-and-grey reception area of Phil Mason’s real estate agency.
    ‘Can I help you?’ called the receptionist.
    Jake walked straight past her into Phil’s office. ‘How dare you chuck us out?’
    Phil, a balding man with a comb-over, jumped up from his reclining chair, thrusting his magazine quickly into a drawer. ‘How can I help you?’
    Jake clenched his fists. It was really hard to control himself. ‘You can’t just give our house away. You need to give us warning.’
    Phil looked at him blankly. ‘And your house is … ?’
    ‘You know our house. You’ve been there enough times, trying to scare Mum.’
    Phil stood up. ‘Okay, kid. You need to calm down.’
    Jake could feel his fingernails piercing into his palms. He was that angry he could … He took a deep breath and counted to ten in his head, like the school counsellor had taught him. He tried to speak slowly and calmly.
    ‘You need to tell me where my mum is.’
    ‘Mate, I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.’
    Jake unclenched his fists and grabbed hold of Phil’s arm. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. ‘Listen to me, you fat freak. You tell me –’
    The next thing Jake knew, Phil and the receptionist were dragging him out of the office and into the street.
    Phil shook his head at him. ‘Stay off the drugs, mate.’
    Jake wanted to scream. What was going on? Why was everyone behaving like they had no idea who he was?
    Jake got back on Telly’s bike. The only thing he could think to do was to report his mum missing.
    It seemed pretty odd that he would go missing one day and then she would the next. Unless of course she went missing while looking for him, but how would that explain the biker? And Jim pretending he didn’t know her? And Phil? God, his head hurt.
    He climbed the steps to the police station and swung open the door. A young constable looked up from reception.
    ‘Can I help you?’
    Jake blurted it all out. He’d been missing in the forest overnight and he’d come home, only he didn’t have a home anymore, and he couldn’t find his mum and no-one seemed to know her.
    ‘All right, slow down,’ said the cop. ‘Your mum’s missing. Have you tried calling her?’
    ‘Obviously. But my dad borrowed money off her which meant she couldn’t pay her phone bill, so it got disconnected which means –’
    ‘Okay, okay, back up a bit. First let’s start with her name so we can check for admissions.’
    Jake looked at him. ‘Admissions? You mean, like, at the hospital?’
    ‘Yep.’
    ‘You think something bad’s happened to her? An accident?’
    ‘It’s a formality, okay? What’s her name?’
    ‘Sarah. Sarah Riles.’
    The cop stopped, pen poised above his piece of paper.
    ‘Sarah Riles?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘You sure about that?’
    ‘I think I’d know my own mother’s name.’
    ‘Any relation to Gary Riles?’
    ‘They used to be married. He’s my dad but there’s no point calling him. He doesn’t even have a phone.’
    The cop put his pen down, then called over his shoulder. ‘Boss? You might want to come out here.’
    A moment later, Senior Sergeant Gary Riles appeared. He looked Jake up and down.
    ‘What’s your problem, kid?’
    Jake’s mouth fell open. His loser of a dad was a freaking cop?

sam: same sam but different
    Sam was cruising.