‘An explosion?’ Goosebumps rose on my arms. ‘Wow. That doesn’t sound like something anyone would survive, but the timing is interesting. Stacy’s father, presumed dead, never returns home and then a man turns up in Ragged Point a couple of years later with a very similar name. If they are one and the same, what was Bill doing in those in-between years? What brought him to Australia and how did he get here?’

‘Who knows,’ Dan said, clearly as baffled as me. ‘And, if he survived the explosion, why didn’t he return to his wife? This makes it look like he used it as an opportunity to fake his own death, but that sounds like some kind of crazy film plot.’

‘It sure does. Have you replied to Stacy?’

‘Not yet. I have no idea what to say. She thinks her father died, but if we find out we’re siblings, then that will confirm that Bill is my dad and therefore hers did not die in the war like a hero as she’d always believed.’ Dan sighed long and loud. ‘And if that’s the case, the knowledge that he may have willingly abandoned her mother might be upsetting. I don’t want to cause any more hurt to Stacy or her mum.’

I loved that he cared about two people he’d never even met, but was about to say he’d already opened Pandora’s box when Payton burst into my bedroom, her hair standing up at all angles.

‘I can’t find my sports T-shirt!’

I held the phone against my chest. ‘I’m sure there’s one in your wardrobe. All the washing’s been put away.’

She narrowed her eyes at my phone. ‘Who are you talking to?’

‘Jedda,’ I lied, not ready to confess my relationship with Dan. ‘I’ll come look in a moment. Go brush your hair while you’re waiting.’

As she flounced off, I lifted the phone back to my ear. ‘Sorry,’ I whispered, ‘I’ve got to go, but try not to stress too much. It’s been a long time since William apparently died in the war. It might hurt Stacy, but if it is him, she might be interested to hear about his life in Australia.’

‘That’s true.’ Dan sighed again. ‘The police would at least be happy to be able to close his case.’

‘Yes.’ Although I cared much less about this than I did about how the mystery was affecting him. ‘But you’ve got to do what feels right for you. I’ve got to get the kids off to school and then I’m meeting Hayley, but I’ll call you later and we can talk more if you want.’

‘Thanks.’