Emma stares at me blankly, chewing the inside of her mouth. ‘It’s not too great any more,’ she says finally.

‘No.’

‘Oh, of course,’ she says suddenly, throwing a hand to her mouth. ‘It’s where you lived. The body – I mean, it was in your old garden.’ Her face has gone a shade paler; it looks as if it’s been washed white.

I don’t bother protesting it was just outside it, fearing this is the reaction I’ll get from everyone. In contrast to Emma’s, my cheeks are burning.

‘No one knows who it is,’ she blurts.

I lean forward in my chair. All of a sudden she looks very ill. ‘Emma? Are you okay?’

‘No, of course I’m not okay.’ She laughs nervously, her eyes widening as if I just asked her the most ludicrous question. ‘A body’s been found on our island.’ Her fingers continue to play in her lap, catching my attention, and I realise it looks like she’s counting on them.

‘It’s a dreadful shock,’ I say. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I saw it on the news.’

‘Is it why you’re back?’ she asks, eyeing me carefully. She leans closer as she says, ‘If I were you I wouldn’t have come anywhere near.’

I bow my head, inclined to agree with her the more hours that pass. ‘My sister and I were saying we can’t believe none of us know of anyone who went missing,’ I say. I ache to show her we’re on the same side, that I’m not someone to fear. I want her to realise I have a right to be back, even though it’s becoming apparent no one else agrees. Maybe I should tell her the police have asked for my help. That possibly we could work out between us what link they have found between my bracelets and the body. But for now I say, ‘I’m sure the police will find out who the body belongs to soon. Then people might feel a bit better about it …’ I drift off when I notice her gawping.

‘This isn’t a TV drama,’ she says. ‘How the hell do you think we’ll all feel better when we know who it is? There aren’t going to be less questions then, they’ll just be different ones.’

‘I’m sorry, I only thought—’

‘You don’t live here,’ she snaps. ‘So don’t pretend to understand.’ Her eyes drift over me again and out to the window.

My body is burning. I want to scream at her that of course I understand, but I bite my lip as I turn to see what’s caught her attention. There’s no one there and when I look back she focuses her gaze on me again.