The Bones of Summer Read Online Free PDF

need us, one of us can pull a sickie, can't we, Julie? Or in the uni it might even come under compassionate leave? After all, your father's gone missing. It's family stuff.”
    “Well, I—,” he began, but Julie—in typical fashion—got to the heart of things first.
    “No,” she said, causing Maddy to almost spit out her wine. Almost, but not quite. Still speaking, Julie softened her words by refilling Maddy's glass. “No, we won't. At least not unless Craig asks either of us directly, rather than being forced into acceptance by social politeness. Honestly, Maddy, you're way too much sometimes. Let the poor bloke think for himself.”
    Craig smiled to himself. Julie always said what she thought and what you least expected. She never went along with the crowd. Maybe that's what made her so good at PR. She made you think about things.
    Maddy gave a rueful shrug. “Yeah, you're probably right, Jules, but what man has ever managed to think for himself, gay or otherwise? Anyway, it's a great chance of getting firsthand knowledge about Craig's secret past. Who could resist it?”
    Craig snorted. “Nothing secretive about me. You know everything there is to know several times over, believe me.”
    Even to him, the lies seemed obvious. Maddy only laughed, but Julie pursed her lips and reached into the drawer for the Chinese menus.
    “Before anyone makes any decisions about anything,” she said, “we ought to eat. Do you want something different or the usual?”
    They went for the usual. Even Julie had a combination she'd had before. For Craig, there was something about Sunday nights that made familiarity the best option. This Sunday night more than any of them—after all, didn't he have the strange journey “home” to face tomorrow? No, not home. It hadn't been home for a while. His home was ... where? He no longer knew. He wasn't even sure he had one. No, this Sunday night he clung to anything that was normal with the strength of a small child clinging to a favorite toy.
    So he had the seaweed, and the sweet and sour pork. Maddy went for prawn toasties and the lemon chicken, and Julie for the spring rolls and the Peking duck. They shared the special fried rice.
    They were happy-drunk by eleven. Or rather Maddy was; she could never take her alcohol well, so he and Julie had to help her to bed at 11:30. Based on past experience, she'd be no worse for wear in the morning. The world of student advice would still be safe. For a while yet.
    As Craig headed for his room, Julie tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned to face her, she was frowning.
    “Look,” she said. “I know you and Maddy think I can sometimes be the bitch queen of Crouch End, but if you wanted someone who won't take any crap to come with you tomorrow, I'm happy to be that person. Work can cope without me for once.”
    In the gloom of the landing light, Craig smiled. Without her, he was convinced the museum would fall apart. If anyone was destined for greatness and the Women's Institute circuit, it was surely Julie. Even though her offer had touched him, he shook his head.
    “Thank you,” he said. “That's kind of you, but I think I need to do this alone. And, really, you're no bitch queen.”
    She removed her hand, still resting on his shoulder, and stepped away. “Thanks, but to my mind going back is always scary. And I should know—it's something I do as little as possible. But if you want to keep things distant from the people you live with, why don't you take Paul? He might come in useful. Investigations are his job after all.”
    For a moment, Craig almost laughed. What she said seemed ridiculous. He'd only just met the bloke. Properly. Why put him off even more than he already had by taking him on some wild goose chase to where he'd grown up?
    But, a moment later, the idea didn't seem quite so crazy after all.
    [Back to Table of Contents]
----

    Chapter Four
    He rang Paul first thing that morning, skulking in the corner of his room with