“Not for sure, no,” Happy had to admit. “I have asked any number of ghosts and demons and otherworldly things; but I’ve yet to receive an answer I trust. The dead always have their own agenda. Still, look on the bright side. It can’t be that bad; no-one ever comes back to complain.”

“Then I think I’ll pass on your kind offer,” said Kim, very firmly. “I want to stay in this world, with JC.”

“And I want you to stay with me,” said JC.

Happy glared at him. “I’ve told you before about sneaking up on me.”

But Kim was smiling at JC, and he was smiling at her, and there, beating on the air between them, was all the love in the world. Happy sighed quietly. He had a great deal more he thought he ought to say, about how the living and the dead should never get emotionally involved because it’s always going to end badly . . . but he didn’t. Because he knew nothing he could say would make any difference whatsoever.

Of course, that didn’t stop Melody from striding over to stick her oar in. Melody had always been a great believer in getting involved. “Are you crazy, JC? You can’t live in sin with a ghost! What are you going to do? Shut her in the attic when the neighbours come round? You are not compatible; and I am not talking about race, creed, colour, or star signs! You are flesh and blood, and she’s not!”

“Love conquers all,” said JC.

“Love finds a way,” said Kim.

“Putting logic aside, for a moment,” said Happy, “I feel I should point out that the Boss is not going to like this.”

“The Boss never likes anything we do,” said JC.

“True,” said Happy. He grinned suddenly. “I can’t wait to see her face when she finds out . . . Can I be the one to tell her? Oh please, let me be the one to tell her!”

“Is that it?” said Melody, switching her glare from JC to Happy. “Is that all you’ve got to say? You’re actually ready to go along with this?”

“Why not?” Happy said reasonably. “We’ve done weirder things in our time.”

“Well, yes, but . . . That isn’t the point!” Melody sputtered for a moment, tried waving her arms about to see if that would help, then gave up. “It’ll all end in tears. I just know it. And I’ll end up with Kim round at my place sobbing ectoplasm all over my shoulder. But I’ll go along. For now.”

“You both did very well against the Wolf,” said JC. “I am so proud of both of you.”

“Sweet talk will get you everywhere,” sniffed Melody.

JC looked at Happy. “And look how well you did at the end, without a single pill in you. I told you; you’re stronger than you think.”