Luckily, he reads her signal well and pushes himself to standing. ‘No problem. The inquest will be formally opened this morning, but the main hearing won’t be for months. And I doubt you’ll be called anyway. There’s a backlog so they’re trying to keep them as short as possible. I imagine it’ll just be us lot and the ambulance service asked to attend.’

The news keeps getting better; it really is all over. Beth feels an urge to punch the air, but she smiles warmly instead. ‘Of course if I can help in any way, I’m happy to.’

DC Stone nods and mumbles his thanks. As he turns towards the hallway, he notices Luna, still half covered in mud, staring at him through the glass doors. ‘I’ll leave you to the dirty hound then.’ He chuckles, then saunters towards the front door without waiting for an answer. But instead of reaching for the latch, he laughs again and bends down towards the doormat.

Beth frowns. His actions feel overfamiliar somehow. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘I think your prayers have been answered,’ he says, handing her a leaflet. ‘Either that or Big Brother really is watching.’ Then he reaches for the latch, pulls open the door and disappears down the steps. As soon as she’s sure he’s out of view and she can peel the smile off her face, Beth looks down at the shiny piece of paper in her hand. Groom & Bloom: pet boutique and grooming salon is printed at the top. And there’s a handwritten note underneath the title: 20% discount with this leaflet. She looks at the pitter-patter of mud prints on the floor, the tangle of cockapoo staring at her through the glass, and smiles. She’s not a fan of surveillance, but serendipity is a different matter.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Mark

Mark stares at the imposing Georgian townhouse and hesitates. It seemed like such a good idea on Saturday night, a few cans in, and egged on by the others on the common. But now he’s sober, he’s not so sure. What even happens at an inquest? Ted is another regular rough sleeper, and he acted the know-all, shouting that it’s a public building, and that Mark can just stroll inside. But the blood-red, two-metre-high, wrought-iron railings surrounding the building are giving him different vibes.