Free Bad For Me by J. B. Leigh

rushed across the room, and threw herself at me. I only just managed to stop myself from falling onto the bed.
     
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    JJ and Julie didn't intend to give me the chance to change my mind. No sooner had I said 'yes', than they were packing me into JJ's car. Marge and I both cried as we said our goodbyes; I promised I would keep in touch. She was worried that I’d be mad because she'd contacted JJ, but how could I, when she'd been like a mother to me for the last few months?
    JJ was driving. Julie was in the back with me. We didn't talk much on the drive back. There were things I wanted to tell and ask Julie, but not in front of JJ. The events of the week must have caught up with me because I’d fallen asleep, and the next thing I knew we were almost home.
     
    JJ carried my luggage inside, but then made his excuses and left. It felt weird to be back. Weird, but nice. Marge had been great to me, but the room above the cafe wasn't a patch on my own.
    “Marge told us about what’s-his-name,” Julie said. “The married guy.”
    “Mike.”
    “What a bastard.”
    “It's my own fault. The signs were all there. How did Marge manage to get hold of you?”
    “She'd kept JJ's card from when we came to look for you.”
    “Why didn't you let my room go?”
    “To be honest, I wanted to—I needed the cash, but JJ wouldn't let me. He’s been paying the rent.”
    Great! Yet another thing for me to feel in debt to JJ for.
    “I’m not sure if I should take the job at DraxSoft.”
    “Why not? JJ might have a soft spot for you, but he wouldn’t create a full-time job just to make you happy.”
    “It’s not just that.”
    “What then?”
    “I’m not sure if my working with JJ would be a good idea. I don’t want to give him false hope.”
    “Look—whether you take the job or not won’t change the fact that he’s absolutely besotted with you—God knows why... ” She laughed.
“Cheeky sod!” I playfully slapped Julie’s arm.
    “When we came to see you the first time, he was devastated when he found out about Mike. He’s just glad to have you back. I don't think he will make a move unless you give him the green light—he’s worried that he might scare you away again. Why do you think he left as soon as we got back?”

Chapter 17
     
    From the outside, at least, the house looked better than on my last visit. It had been given a fresh coat of paint, and the garden had been tidied. Even though I still had a key, I didn’t like to let myself in. I knocked and waited—and hoped.
    “Yes?”
    I didn’t recognise the woman who answered the door.  Before I could speak, a small boy aged probably no more than six, appeared at her side.
    “Who’s that Mummy?”
    His mother ignored him.
    “Is Billy in?” I asked.
    “There's no Billy here.”
    “He’s my brother.”
    “He still doesn’t live here. The previous tenant moved out about four months ago. We’ve been here ever since.”
    “Do you know where he’s gone?”
    She shook her head. “He left the place in one hell of a state. The council threw him out. At least that’s what I heard. They had to get professional cleaners in before we could move in.”
    “And you don’t have any idea where he might have gone?”
    “Sorry, love. Not a clue. You could try down the council—they might have rehoused him, although I doubt it after the way he treated this place.”
    “Okay, thanks.”
    I should have realised it was too much to expect that Billy might have changed his ways. I should never have left him. With Mum and me gone, he didn’t stand a chance.
     
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    “Why can’t you tell me?”
    I'd been waiting for almost an hour to see someone at the council offices. Now, this ‘job’s worth’ was telling me that he couldn’t give me any information about Billy.
    “Data Protection,” he said.
    I wanted to slap his stupid face.
    “I’m his sister.”
    “It doesn’t matter. The information is