With difficulty he forced his way into the yard, then realised there was an old clothes mangle with seized-up rollers behind the gate, preventing it from fully opening. Rusty bike frames, broken furniture and rubbish filled the yard. Children of all ages, the youngest half- n***d, wandered in and out of the rundown house.
He leaned his bike against the mangle and wondered if he was doing the right thing. They would have a much more relaxed day without Raggy, as they would have to keep an eye on him all the time, in case he did something stupid. But Mouth wanted him so he could boss him about. And he wanted Brock too, Red knew, so he could taunt him. Mouth had to have folk around him to dominate and annoy.
Before he could even reach the back door nine-year-old Billy, in a torn and grimy s
