Jam by Jake Wallis Simons Read Free Book Online

fringe back, briefly, with his hand.
    â€˜Not tobacco, anyway,’ said Stevie, and they both laughed. And Jim recognised the smell.
    â€˜I’ll try one,’ said the girl.
    â€˜She’s up for anything, she is,’ said Stevie.
    Natalie leaned into the cab to receive the cigar, and Jim lit it for her.
    â€˜Don’t inhale, love,’ he said.
    â€˜Don’t inhale?’ she said. ‘What’s, like, the point in that?’ Behind her, Stevie was making little mocking noises.
    â€˜If you inhale, you’ll know about it,’ said Jim. ‘Just hold it in your mouth, like, and just puff it out.’
    They caught each other’s eyes for a brief moment.
    â€˜You all right, love?’ said Jim.
    She nodded and stood back. ‘It’s like . . . it’s like burnt chocolate?’
    Stevie made a grunting noise that seemed to embarrass her, and fell about laughing. Dave joined in, uncertainly.
    â€˜Talking of that,’ said Stevie, ‘we were wondering. You’re a delivery van, right? For Waitrose. Waitrose.’
    â€˜That’s right,’ said Jim, pulling on his cigar.
    â€˜Is that cigar thing from Waitrose?’
    â€˜Yeah.’
    â€˜What about them crisps and shit?’
    â€˜What crisps?’
    â€˜Over there.’
    â€˜Where, here? Oh, they’re just empty packets, like.’
    â€˜But they’re from Waitrose, are they?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜I suppose you get all free shit from Waitrose, eh?’
    â€˜Sometimes.’
    â€˜OK, cool. Christ, I’ve got terrible munchies.’
    Before Jim could reply, his attention was stolen by another figure appearing out of the gloom.
    â€˜Sorry,’ said Max.
    â€˜That was quick,’ said Jim.
    â€˜Yeah. The missus has conked out now – she gets terrible insomnia, so it’s best to let her sleep when she can – and I couldn’t facesitting in that car any longer. I saw these guys here, and I thought I might ask them . . .’
    â€˜Ask us what?’ said Stevie.
    Max avoided their eyes. ‘It’s just,’ he began, ‘Christ, this doesn’t get any easier. Look, I’ve got someone else’s kid in the car.’
    â€˜A kid?’ said Stevie.
    â€˜She’s a friend of my daughter. Look, it’s all totally above board.’
    â€˜I thought you meant a goat and shit,’ said Stevie, and laughed.
    â€˜So what I really need to do is call her parents and let them know she’s safe. Right? Only my phone has bugger-all signal. Fucking piece of shit.’
    There was a pause while everyone waited for somebody else to fill the silence. In the end, Max passed a hand across his face and, though he knew there was no hope, took the plunge. ‘OK, can I borrow someone’s phone? I’ll give you some money for the call.’ He looked from one to the other.
    â€˜Not mine,’ said Stevie cheerfully, with a strange contortion of his gangly frame. ‘Mine’s in the car. Probably got no signal, either,’ he added. ‘Black spot.’
    Jim glanced warily at Max.
    Dave shrugged. ‘Likewise,’ he said. ‘Plus my battery’s dead.’
    Natalie rummaged in her pockets and pulled out a battered phone with a crack across the screen. She turned it on, and her face was up-lit by a white glow. Then it went dark again.
    â€˜Sorry, mate,’ she said. ‘Nothing.’
    â€˜Are you all right?’ said Max. ‘You’re shivering.’
    â€˜It’s nothing,’ she replied. ‘I just, like, feel the cold.’
    Max felt that odd pang of identification. He never normally felt black. Not with a capital B, anyway. ‘Would you like my jacket?’ he offered.
    â€˜No, no, I’m all right.’
    â€˜You’re shivering. Here.’
    He glanced back at his car – Ursula could just be seen in the passenger seat, still asleep – and swung his