“Feel what?” I asked.

“How cold it suddenly is.”

“It’s winter,” I retorted. “What did you expect?” I wanted him to leave. Much as I liked looking upon the extreme coolness that was Peter Cho, if he wasn’t going to help me, he could just go.

“I’m serious, Charlene,” he said. “It’s not cold. It’s freezing.”

Then I felt it too. Cold winding around my ankles, slipping like an icy scarf around my neck.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Peter said.

My eyes stretched wider than my face. “I think so,” I whispered.

Peter sighed. “What do you want me to do?” he asked.

“I think Mr Cupido’s son, Selvin, is up to something. He lives like a vampire. Sometimes he’s out all night.”

“He could just work late. You know, night shift or whatever.”

“Peter, he’s a councillor. As far as I know that’s pretty much a day-time job. Do me a favour, just come with me.”

Maybe it was because we were moving again, but the moment we started walking it felt as if the cold loosed its grip on us.

*****

So there we were, a couple of minutes later, sitting on Melissa’s bench in our yard. In silence. Again.

“Look,” I said, staring at the Cupido’s house. “You don’t have to do this.”

Peter laughed. “I don’t think I have a choice,” he said. “It’s this, or live in deep-freeze forever.”

“Ja, but I don’t want you to feel forced into it,” I said.

I felt miserable. As if someone had reached into my belly and was squeezing tight. I knew something was up. I knew I had to figure out a way of learning more. But the last thing I wanted was a reluctant partner. Someone who felt he had to be there.

This time it was me who sighed. The Cupidos had something to do with Melissa’s disappearance. I knew it. I could feel it in my bones, in that part of you that instinctively feels the truth. And now that I had taken to watching him more closely, there was definitely something strange about Selvin Cupido. But was it fair to pull Peter into all of this?

And then I saw it. Over at the Cupido house. A curtain in the back room moving. A fist flashing above the window sill. It opened like a starfish then vanished.

“Did you see that?” I jabbed Peter in the ribs and he winced. He looked at me as if I was insane.

“The curtain, Peter, next door. Back window. Look!”

He stared in the same direction. “There’s nothing there, Charlene. You’ve got ghosts on the brain.”

“Peter Cho, as God is my witness, cross my heart and hope to die, I swear I saw something there.”

Just then Selvin Cupido pulled in. He opened the car door and heaved himself out.

“That’s your suspect?” Peter looked amazed. “That chubby little bra? He couldn’t hurt a fly.”

Mr Cupido waddled up the driveway and glanced over at us.

“Hello Charlene,” he called.

“Hi, Selvin,” I called back. Was it my imagination, or did his eyes crawl over my body?

I turned to Peter. “Do something,” I hissed.

“What?” He looked confused.

“He can’t suspect us.” I was getting tired of the hissing thing but I had to keep my voice at a whisper.

“But he’s a good ou, your grandfather said so.”

“Peter. I swear to God –” I leaned over and kissed him on the lips and then leaned a bit closer. “He can’t suspect us at all. As far as he’s concerned, you’re my new boyfriend. OK?” I lifted my face to his and Peter Cho bent his head.

“Really?”

“Best I can think of,” I murmured.

“OK.” A small smile lurked on his mouth. “I take it we’ll discuss plans soon?” His breath was warm on my face.

“In a while.” My lips parted and I pulled his head closer. “But first let’s make this look convincing.”

So…Peter Cho. Tall, good looking, geeky-bright – and an amazing kisser.

***

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