“Why the fuck would you need to tell Natty that?” Nipper Will muttered. “He’s got eyes.” He held Mum gently by the elbow and walked inside with her.
Button John saluted the back of his head, and then turned back to me and shrugged. “Nipper Will seems as cheery as usual.”
“You didn’t have to make a big deal about the copper, you dickhead. You could have just kept your mouth shut.”
“I could have.” Button John slung an arm around my shoulders. “But I’ve already had two rums.”
That certainly explained it. I rolled my eyes, and we went inside. I tried to pretend I wasn’t looking around for Dominic as I said hello to, well, pretty much everyone. The church was packed with people lining up with plates in hand. A couple of little kids were already crashed out under the altar. The rest of them were outside, playing tag around the old headstones. There were some dogs running around with them. There were adults out there too—the church itself was too small to hold everyone at once, and sooner or later everyone would end up outside in the fresh air.
I turned to squeeze between Yellow Sarah Hooper and her husband Round Robbie Hooper, who were talking to Fisher Harry Finch.
“Ah! Boys!” Fisher Harry exclaimed. He was a big man—taller even than Red Joe, and at least twice as broad. He clapped Button John on the back. “What are you up to? Have you seen Little Harry?”
Fisher Harry’s son Little Harry was going out with my cousin Emily. They were usually together.
“Not yet,” Button John said. “If I see him, I’ll tell him to get his pants back on and send him your way!”
Fisher Harry boomed out a laugh, and I looked around to check Big Johnny and Aunt Jane weren’t standing anywhere nearby, because they’d clip Button John around the ear if they heard him talking about his sister like that. And if Emily heard it she’d kick him in the balls.
“Hey!” Button John said. “There’s the copper!”
And before I knew it, he’d caught me by the hand and was dragging me through the press of people towards Dominic.
Dominic wasn’t wearing his uniform. He was wearing faded jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt. He looked like a regular guy, not a copper. He looked hot. He was standing with Red Joe and Eddie and Tall Tom. Tall Tom, his gnarled hands curled around the knob on top of his walking stick, was in the middle of talking about something. As we drew closer, he drew a rasping breath, sucked on his gums for a moment, and then said, “Well, of course there was one near the radar station, since they wouldn’t have wanted that bombed, but yes, I think there were at least two on the northern side of the island.”
Eddie’s face lit up. “Mayfair Bay, yes?”
Tall Tom hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, I think it was.”
“What’s in Mayfair Bay?” Button John asked.
“Anti-aircraft gun stations!” Eddie exclaimed. “I want to do an exhibit on Dauntless during the Second World War, if I can get the funding. I’d love to be able to pinpoint where the gun stations were.” He was flushed with excitement, and also possibly rum. “Dominic’s promised to have a look for me, haven’t you, Dominic?”
“I’ve already had a quick look,” Dominic said. “Do seals bite?”
“Like bastards,” Red Joe said.
I exchanged a look with Button John. Dominic was poking his nose in up around Mayfair Bay? My gut clenched. What if he found out about the cave and decided to check it out? Me and Button John and Young Harry Barnes would all be in the shit then.
Button John opened his mouth.
Cool!” I exclaimed, before he could say anything. “That’s really cool, isn’t it, Button John?” I elbowed him.
“Yep!” He blinked rapidly. “History and... stuff.”
Dominic gave us a suspicious look. So did Red Joe and Eddie. Even Tall Tom did.
“What are you two up to?” Red Joe asked.
“Why does everyone ask that?” Button John asked. “Shouldn’t you be—” He glared at Dominic. “Shouldn’t you be arresting everyone for all this moonshine?”
Dominic raised his cup. “Nobody’s selling it, so it’s none of my business.”
“Oh,” Button John said. “Really? It’s not illegal?”
“I think you technically need a licence to make spirits,” Dominic said with a shrug. “But that’s not my department.”
He caught my gaze and smiled slightly, and warmth bloomed in my chest at the realisation he didn’t hate me. Then a wave of guilt hit me, because his smile was tinged with regret, and that was my fault. Dominic was here, in the middle of a crowd of Dauntless Islanders; he’d complained so much about being frozen out that this should have been a huge deal for him, a moment of triumph, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t, because I’d ruined it. And I’d ruined it for nothing, because if he was going looking around Mayfair Bay anyway, he’d discover everything.
