A little before five, Con at last came in holding my car keys. I snatched them from him and followed him to the counter. He took an age writing out the invoice. I expected him to charge an exorbitant amount, but the price seemed fair and I was in no mood to haggle. I paid and went back to my table.
Seeing Emily emerge from the toilet block, I left the children to finish the last of the chips and dashed outside, accosting her on the forecourt. She put down her mop and bucket with reluctance when she saw I wasn’t about to let her go by.
I’d never negotiated a matter so fast. It was as though I was back at my desk, issuing directives to inexperienced staff. I told her she was not only to get on the next coach out of town, but she would be taking those two girls with her.
‘I can’t,’ she sai
