32|The Golden-Haired Boy

As soon as Principal Smith adjourned the weekly status update meeting, Marybeth shot out of the staff room, dashed to her car and sped down the road for her midday rendezvous with her ex.

She struggled to find a free parking spot, finally squeezing her Picanto between a Sea Point Metro Police Golf 7 GTI and a shiny BMW M3, when a sedan pulled away and took a left turn, disappearing from view.

She grabbed her purse and phone, locked her doors, and walked across the road to Jimmy's.

The place was more a fish and chips joint than a coffee shop. But it was a firm favourite with nurses, teachers and cops alike, since it was conveniently located in the middle of the inner city triangle bordered by Sea Point Primary, the police station and the public hospital.

The familiar aroma of reheated cooking oil, deep-fried hake and slap chips greeted Marybeth as soon as she strolled through the doors.

She scanned the place, her eyes lighting up when golden-haired boy Elijah Boshoff raised his hand an