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find out all the benefits you’re entitled to. But you’re under age, and I can’t take the responsibility for leaving you in London alone.’
    Roxy saw all her dreams of staying here fading. Her only hope now was Doreen and these people she knew. ‘What are you going to do now?’
    â€˜I’ll speak on your behalf, I promise.’ ‘Just give me another day,’ Roxy said, standing up. ‘Before you do anything. That’s not too much to ask, is it?’
    Jessica stood up too. She tried to hug her, but Roxy stepped back, embarrassed.
    â€˜What if we go to the police together, Rosemary? In the afternoon. It’s better getting it over with.’
    Roxy said nothing for a moment, then she managed to give her the sweetest smile she could muster. ‘OK,’ she said, ‘if you think that’s best.’
    Her smile was a lie. All the time she was thinking, You old bat, and I thought you’d help me.
    The dining room had begun to fill up by this time with girls waking up and coming downstairs for breakfast. No one seemed to notice Roxy. New faces must come and go every day. She supposed that in a way every face was a new face in this house. She scanned the room for a sign of Doreen. Finally, she appeared at the door and Roxy ran to her.
    â€˜Well, did you talk to them?’
    â€˜Sure did. Just off the phone to them.’ Doreen filled a bowl with cereal. ‘They’ll meet you this morning. There’s a coffee shop a couple of streets away. They’llmeet you at eleven o’clock.’
    She grinned at Roxy. ‘Don’t look so worried. The Dyces are wonderful people. You’re sorted, Rosemary.’

Chapter Five
    It was easy to sneak out of the house without anyone seeing Roxy. It was as if she was invisible. It made her realise how insignificant she was in this house of runaways. Today she was glad to be invisible. The last thing she wanted was for Jessica Jones to see her leave, realise she had no intention of coming back, and stop her.
    Doreen had given her directions to the coffee shop where she was to meet Mr and Mrs Dyce. It was easy enough to find, up one of the back streets where there was more litter and broken windows and drab buildings. Coffee shop was a rather grand title for the dilapidated cafe that stood on the corner.
    As Roxy stood at the door she was suddenly afraid. Here she was meeting up with strangers, expecting them to help her. She was frightened of what was ahead. The unknown. Was she ready for it? Not for the first time she thought how stupid all this was. She could justgo home now. Head for the bus station. Be back in her own bed tonight.
    If her family would take her back, that is.
    Were they worried about her? Or just glad to be rid of her?
    Just glad to be rid of her, probably. That thought decided her. She took a deep breath and went inside.
    Nobody seemed to notice her. Only the untidy waitress in the corner glanced her way, and that for just a second. Roxy scanned the tables looking for the Dyces. A woman sat reading a newspaper and smoking. Roxy studied the headlines to see if there was any mention of her going missing. There was a story about a football player who’d been arrested, and a pop singer who’d just won an award. Nothing about her. Yet. At the next table, another woman fanned the cigarette smoke away furiously. A young couple, both looking ridiculous in matching red berets, sipped coffee and muttered sweet nothings to each other. Could they be the Dyces? No. Of course not. They looked too young, and too stupid. She wouldn’t go anywhere with them. She’d never trust them.
    There was no one else here. She was almost ready to leave when a hand gripped her elbow.
    â€˜Rosemary?’ The voice was a whisper in her ear.
    Roxy swung round. A thin woman, her hair looking newly permed, was smiling at her. ‘You are Rosemary?’ she whispered again. It was as if her voice was always a