Free Fighting for Survival (The Estate, Book 3) by Mel Sherratt

said Rachel.
    Gina gave them a weak smile. It would get better in time – or by downing a bottle of whisky in the interim.
     ‘I think I need a drink.’ Gina looked at them both before shuffling to sit at the edge of the bed. ‘If you can sneak the bottle past your dad, I’ll let you off about why you weren’t at school this afternoon.’
    Claire and Rachel shared a look: how did she know?
    ‘I saw you running for the bus.’
    ‘I’ll get the bottle.’ Rachel got up quickly, followed by her sister, just as eager not to be told off.
    With a huge sigh, Gina dared to face the mirror. She stared at herself for a moment before starting to tug at the short strands. They were far too short for the shape of her face: she did look like a tomato, an overripe one at that. Tracy had cut a fringe into the so-called style and her ears were on show. She tried to smile and look on the bright side; at least she could wear earrings now.
    But the smile faded as quickly as it had arrived. All she’d wanted to do was to look a little smarter, make an effort for a change but she’d got it wrong again. Maybe it wasn’t worth the effort anyway, she mused. Maybe she was destined to be fat and ugly with a man’s hairstyle for the rest of her days. Maybe in a cruel twist of fate her hair would never grow again and she’d have to change her name to Gerry.
     
    ‘Here.’ Rachel passed Claire a small bottle.
    Claire sniffed. ‘Mum’s whisky! How did you manage that?’ she asked before taking a sip.
    ‘It was easy; I took it into our room before giving it to her.’ Rachel snatched the bottle back from Claire. ‘She won’t notice that some of it’s missing.’
    The girls were on their way to the shops to meet up with the rest of the gang. Rachel was looking forward to it immensely. Tonight they had another initiation test. Leanne Bailey wanted to join the Mitchell Mob and Rachel had lined her up with something special, providing her timing went to plan.
    ‘I bet Mum’s still pissed off,’ said Claire. ‘Her hair looks a mess, doesn’t it?’
    Rachel nodded, throwing the now empty bottle over the hedge of a garden they were walking past. ‘She should be taught a lesson, that Tracy. Maybe there’s something we can do to get her back.’
    ‘Like what?’
    ‘I’m not sure; we’ll have to think about it. But first, some fun.’ Rachel turned to Claire. ‘Let’s do over Archie Meredith.’
    Claire stopped. ‘No, Rach, you can’t do anything to him. We’ll be in big trouble if we –’
    Rachel sighed. ‘You’re whining again, Claire.’
    ‘No, I’m not, I’m just saying –’
    ‘We won’t be doing anything – Leanne will – so chill out!’
    ‘What will she have to do?’
    ‘That depends. If Archie comes to the shops like he usually does, then she can wreck his car.’
    Despite her misgivings, Claire felt her insides do an excited somersault.
    ‘If he doesn’t come to the shops, then we’re gonna go to his house.’
    ‘And do what?’
    ‘We’re gonna throw a brick through his front window.’
    ‘Now who’s being stupid,’ said Claire.
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘All Mitchell Housing Association’s properties have UPVC windows.’
    Rachel sighed impatiently. ‘So?’
    ‘So, they’re all fitted with double-glazing. The brick might break one glass pane but it probably won’t go through two.’
    ‘How do you know?’
    ‘Danny told me. Completely fooled him once; he thought it would go right through. Problem was, he was trying to smash his way out of the factory he was nicking from so he got caught by the pigs.’
    Rachel snarled before walking on. ‘I didn’t know that!’
    ‘But at least you know now! And it’ll stop us looking like idiots.’ Claire ran to catch her up.
    They were nearing the shops now. Rachel could see the gang up ahead waiting for them to arrive. It was going dark; even so the car park on the square was fully lit. CCTV cameras were in operation but there were certain places