Any potential awkward silence was negated by Sid and Trev, who tore through the middle of us and jumped straight into the bush behind Chrissie. They were immediately followed by two policemen who stopped just behind Denzil, both clearly out breath.

"Where are they?" one of them demanded of Jimmy.

"Who?" Jimmy replied nonchalantly.

"You know who," the policeman shot back, glaring at Jimmy as if he could stare the information out of him.

"We've not seen anyone officer," Chrissie joined in, drawing the policeman's attention from Jimmy, "but if there's anything else I can do for you...?"

The policeman, who was the older of the two, obviously recognised Chrissie and blushed wildly.

"I...err...no thank you. We'll be on our way. Just behave yourselves, ok?" he stumbled before turning away and bundling the other, younger, policeman off down the path.

"What we giving up for?" I could hear the younger one complaining, "We nearly had them then!"

Sid and Trev emerged from the bush and sat cross-legged on the floor, making our little group a circle once more.

"Cheers Chris," they said in unison.

"That's alright lads. Don't make a habit of it though, will ya? What you been up to anyway? Not thieving again?"

"No," they both replied,"Look - here's Jimmy's pasty all paid for and everything." Sid threw a paper bag into Jimmy's lap. He took out the pasty, tore it in two and gave me the smaller bit. Trev took a plastic bag from his pocket and took out four nail varnish pots, lining them up neatly infront of him, "It just meant that we couldn't afford these then," he said with a smile. Chrissie shook her head.

"What's the deal with that copper then?" Jimmy's mind had obviously been on other things, "Cos he took off quicker than Denz would if you showed him a bar of soap."