‘Of course I don’t know anything about it!’ her voice rang out in the stillness. ‘There must be some kind of mistake. Are you really sure that it’s … I mean … after all this time, could you really tell?’

Seconds passed and then they heard another cry from Willow. Then: ‘Lucy, are you still there? Lucy?’

‘What was that all about?’ asked Rick when Willow rejoined them on the verandah and sat down again.

Even in the candlelight Ellis could see the paleness of her face. She looked like she had just received the worst of news.

When she didn’t answer Rick, Naomi said, ‘Willow, what is it? What’s wrong? What did Lucy say to you?’

Willow fiddled with the mobile in her hands, then held it up and showed the screen to Rick. ‘Look,’ she said, a tremble to her voice. ‘It’s Cedric. Or what was Cedric.’

Whoever Cedric was, and whatever Willow was showing him, caused Rick to flinch. ‘That’s gross,’ he said. ‘Did Lucy send that photo to you?’

‘Yes.’

‘What, as some kind of sick joke?’

‘It’s hardly a joke,’ Willow said. She was plainly upset and on the verge of tears. Ellis exchanged a look with Naomi. She appeared to be as puzzled and as concerned as he was.

‘What’s it a photo of, Willow?’ she asked.

‘You don’t want to see, Mum, it’s too awful.’

‘If Rick can stomach it, I’m sure we can,’ said Martha. Willow shook her head. ‘I’m not showing it to you.’ ‘Please,’ said Naomi, ‘just tell us what’s upset you so much.’ Before Willow could reply, Rick said, ‘I think you should put your phone away, sweetheart and calm down.’

‘I’m perfectly calm,’ she told him, sounding anything but calm as her voice rose. To the rest of them, and after taking a deep steadying breath, she said, ‘Lucy and Simon decided to create a vegetable patch in their garden and after pulling down the old shed, they found the buried body of their cat, Cedric.’

‘The one that disappeared while you were housesitting?’ asked Martha.

Willow nodded.

‘But how did it end up buried in the garden?’ This was from Tom. ‘And how do they know for sure that it is Cedric?’

‘Because they took the body to the vet who’d put the identity chip in, and that confirmed it was Cedric,’ answered Willow. ‘And anyway, it’s obviously him, you can see his collar around his poor little neck in the photo. It’s decorated with diamanté, so there’s no mistaking it.’ She wiped away the tears that had now spilled over from her eyes. ‘And his fur is still visible and—’

‘Enough!’ interrupted Rick, snapping forward in his seat. ‘No more, Willow. This has gone on quite enough. You’re working yourself up into an unnecessary state. Lucy was totally out of order sending you that picture. I’ve a good mind to ring her back and tell her so. Give me your phone.’ He held out his hand, but the normally compliant Willow shook her head.