Red by Libby Gleeson

the number is 696 4001.’
    â€˜Hang on a minute.’ He left through a door at the back of the room.
    â€˜How did you get that?’ Jazz looked at Red, wideeyed.
    â€˜Kate gave it to me on the train. If they let Peri out, maybe we should ring Kate and sleep there. Or she might tell us where the truck place is.’
    The minutes ticked by. A phone rang and went unanswered. Red slumped onto one of the plastic seats. The hard frame dug into her back and the underside of her legs. A different policeman, huge and fatherlylooking, came through a rear door and noticed Red and Jazz. ‘You two young ladies need any help?’
    â€˜We’re OK,’ said Jazz. ‘Another man is looking after us.’
    More minutes ticked by.
    Finally the first policeman came back, not through the door that he’d left by but through another door on the same side of the counter as Red and Jazz. With him was Peri. His face was washed, one arm was bandaged and he had on a different T-shirt.
    â€˜OK,’ said the policeman. ‘I should probably lock this young fella up for the night. I’m not happy with you city kids hanging out in the streets round here, but if Mrs Michaels will come and pick you up, and if she’ll guarantee to keep you out of trouble, then you can go without any charge.’ He waved to a phone on the wall at the end of the counter. Red took the scrap of paper and dialled the number. How could she speak so the man didn’t hear?
    As the dial tone rang she watched him go back to the other side of the desk and sit at his computer.
    â€˜Hello?’
    â€˜Hello, is that Kate?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜It’s Red.’
    â€˜Red? From the train?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Where are you? Are you all right? What’s happened?’
    â€˜It’s a long story. We’ve ended up in a bit of trouble and we’re at the police station and they want your mum to come and pick us up.’
    â€˜My mum? Why her? OK. Hang on … ’
    Red heard muffled words in the background.
    â€˜OK. I’m going to come in and get you. I’ll be about fifteen minutes.’
    â€˜Thanks. And Kate, I’m really sorry.’
    The policeman left them then to wait.
    They settled on one of the seats as far from the desk as possible.
    â€˜What was that all about?’ Peri spoke as softly as he could.
    Red explained. ‘And I thought they were going to ask me your name and I didn’t know what you’d said that was.’
    He grinned at her. ‘I told them my name was Dominic. Dominic Walker. I got that bit from that woman on the poster.’
    Red and Jazz burst out laughing.
    â€˜What’s so funny?’
    â€˜She did the same,’ said Jazz. ‘She’s Rose Walker!’
    â€˜I knew we were related,’ said Peri.
    â€¢ • • • •
    Kate arrived and went straight to the desk.
    â€˜You happy to look after this lot?’ The policeman came towards her. ‘Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere? School? Back around 2000?’
    Kate nodded.
    â€˜Thought I recognised the name.’
    â€˜Well, I’d better take these kids home and get them fed. See you.’
    â€˜Yeah. See you.’
    They followed her out to a four-wheel drive parked under the trees.
    â€˜I’m so glad you gave me that number,’ said Red.
    â€˜ ’S all right. I thought you might need me.’
    â€¢ • • • •
    They drove through the empty streets past tidy houses lit only by the flickering light of television.
    â€˜Is your mum OK about this?’ said Peri.
    â€˜She’s a bit confused. We’re both a bit confused. I told her I met you on the train and you were running from all the chaos in Sydney and she said you were welcome to a feed and a warm bed and then some help to get where you’re going. Your uncle’s, wasn’t it? In Melbourne?’
    â€˜That’s right.’
    â€˜But