‘Sam, I’m not sure you can,’ said the harbourmaster. ‘Not until we’ve looked into this properly and Ryan can prove he wasn’t involved. He does have history.’

‘I don’t care. We’re leaving.’

‘Sam …’ Gabe touched her arm. ‘Hang on. Let me help.’

‘Looks like you’ve helped enough already. I want you both to come home and tell me what the hell’s been going on.’

Sam was sure she would have dragged her brother out of the office kicking and screaming had Bryony not walked in. Sacha was with her, but more subdued than usual. Oh God, thought Sam, that’s all we need.

Bryony stared at Ryan. For once she was momentarily speechless.

‘Hi Bryony,’ Ryan said as jauntily as if he’d bumped into Bryony in the post office. Sam could have hit him.

‘Bryony, this isn’t the time, maid,’ Troy began.

Finding her voice at last, Bryony ignored him. ‘I heard you were looking for a thief and that you’d been after Ryan Lovell. Well, Ryan didn’t take the money. I did.’

Ryan folded his arms. ‘Told you.’

‘What?’ asked Sam, Gabe and Troy together.

‘Harry Seddon asked me to take it home for safekeeping. It’s in the safe at the grooming parlour.’

‘Harry? The bugger never told me!’ said the fisherman. ‘Why you?’

Bryony lifted her chin. ‘Because he’s a good friend of mine.’

The fisherman blew out a whistle. ‘A good friend. You mean, you and Harry are … you know?’ He winked.

‘That’s none of your business,’ said Bryony, and for once Sam agreed with her. ‘Anyway, now that’s all sorted, Sacha needs his dinner so we’re going home,’ she added and marched off with her dog as if nothing had happened.

‘That’s OK then.’ Sam glared at the other men in the room. ‘Come on, we can go home too now it’s all been cleared up,’ she said to Ryan and Gabe.

‘All’s well that ends well,’ said Troy.

Sam felt a wave of guilt for refusing to believe Troy and Evie when they said they’d seen Ryan. She turned to him. ‘I’m sorry, to you and to Evie for doubting you’d seen Ryan. Thanks for not getting the police involved.’

Troy patted her arm. ‘No matter, my maid. You should go. I reckon you all have a lot to talk about.’

Sam hugged Troy and murmured, ‘Thank you,’ in his ear before following Ryan and Gabe out of the office. However, she spotted Bryony a little way along the harbour, pouring Sacha a drink of water from a bottle into his bowl.

‘I won’t be a minute,’ she told Gabe and Ryan, then added, ‘Don’t go anywhere without me.’

Gabe nodded and Sam hurried over to Bryony outside the office. ‘Bryony! Can I have a word, please?’