Not only did he have the chance to pore over Beth’s notebook in private, but he’d a new mate who seemed to like him enough to lend it. This time when he tried his back door, it opened, which made him hope Mum or Dad might be in the kitchen, their spat over. But only Jenny was there, strapped into her car seat on the floor. From the sitting room Pete’s parents’ voices carried, raised in argument again. This time it seemed to be about why Dad had told Mr Milligan to call him into the office any time, so Mum never knew when she’d have a chance to use the car… or something stupid and grown-up like that. Pete sighed. He hunkered down to Jenny and stroked her cheek. “Want to see Beth’s diary?” Pete unclipped his sister. “Don’t cry then. Come on,” he whispered and tiptoed upstairs. He propped her beside him on a pillow on the floor so she could play with his fingers while he read back over the notebook. To keep Jenny cooing and gurgling, Pete hummed ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ over and over under his breath.
