Tyler shakes his head. “Actually, I think my father let me down in quite a big way.”

Doggett snorts but doesn’t argue. Then he says, “Take a few weeks, then come find me. There are things we need to talk about.”

“What things?” When he gets no reply, Tyler looks up to see Doggett walking away across the driveway.

“What things?” he shouts after him, but the DI simply waves a hand behind him.

The rain grows heavier and pelts down on the final remains of the Old Vicarage, dampening the last of the flames.

Tyler sits on the incident-room step and watches.

Acknowledgments

First, a big thank-you to the staff and students of Sheffield Hallam University’s graduate writing program. Many people helped get this project under way, but particular thanks to Daniel Blythe, for encouragement when I was at a low ebb; to Mike Harris, for teaching me how stories should work; and to Lesley Glaister, for encouraging me to find a story in the first place (and teaching me the expression “lying fallow”). A big thank-you, too, to the Dark Horseys—Kate Hainsworth, Len Horsey, and Helen Meller. Long may they ride!

Thanks to various coffee shops, pubs, and libraries, and to John Hunter for accompanying me to them. Special thanks to the Red Deer for giving both Adam and me a place to relax after work, and for putting up with me celebrating and drowning my sorrows (I’m not sure which is worse). Extra-special thanks to the booksellers and patrons of Waterstones Sheffield Orchard Square, Meadowhall, Derby, Doncaster, and Chesterfield. You’ve had to spend fifteen years listening to me talk about my book more than anybody else’s.

Thank you to the wonderful writers I’ve met on this journey for all you have taught me, but especially to the Hallam Writers for their critiques of early drafts. Also a big thank-you to Bernardine Evaristo, Jacob Ross, and my fellow attendees of an Arvon course entitled “Making Your Writing Sing.” I’m not sure if I achieved that goal but you made me believe that one day I might. And to all the students I’ve taught over the past few years: my big secret is . . . you’ve all taught me stuff too!

The more recent drafts of this work would just not have happened without the unparalleled support, constant reassurance, gentle nagging, and endless supplying of wine that came from my good friends Susan Elliot Wright and Marion Dillon.

A big thank-you to Anna Jarowicki and to Kevin Robinson for ideas and thoughts surrounding police investigation. Check out Kev’s indispensable resource: www.crimewritingsolutions.wordpress.com. All the bits I got right came from them; all the mistakes are mine alone.

I’ve had three editors work on this book: Anne Perry, Sara Minnich, and Jo Dickinson. I am beyond lucky fate conspired to arrange this for me; I couldn’t have asked for more helpful insight. And thank you, too, to the fabulous teams at Simon & Schuster in the UK, and G. P. Putnam’s Sons in the US.