‘Can you tell Mum and Dad I had to go?’ She didn’t wait around for his answer, slipping out the front door while her parents were in discussion with the solicitor. She wasn’t up to conversation right now. Her hands shook as she inserted her key into the ignition and drove home to get ready for work. She wished she’d called in sick earlier, but there hadn’t been time.

Maybe she wasn’t losing her mind after all. That would be a relief …

I hope you’re heading for the travel agent, Gran said, and Elle swerved, swearing loudly as she quickly corrected the car.

Language, dear.

‘Gran! I could have killed us!’ Elle yelled.

Well, technically, I’m already dead, so don’t worry about me.

‘That is not at all comforting,’ she managed, once she was driving straight, on the correct side of the road again.

The ticket? Gran prompted impatiently.

‘Gran, I told you, this is ridiculous. I can’t just up and go to Scotland right now,’ she snapped, checking her rear-view mirror conspicuously for any sign of someone in the back of her car and finding it empty.

Yes, you can. You have the money. You don’t have to work. There’s nothing stopping you.

‘I do have to work … I still have three weeks, and then I need to find another job.’

Not straightaway. You have ten thousand dollars, Gran reminded her cheerfully.

This was absurd. She was arguing with a ghost. A ghost that actually had a point. No. That was silly. She was supposed to be proving to her parents she was responsible. Using her gran’s inheritance to fly off to the other side of the world was the opposite of responsible.

Technically, dear, you’re not using your inheritance. That money in the envelope is to reimburse you for following through on the promise you made.

‘What, you can read my mind too?’ she asked nervously. This was going to get very awkward.

I don’t have to. I know you too well.

Well, that was a relief. ‘Hang on, does that mean you can’t or that you just didn’t need to?’ Elle asked suspiciously.

Look, there’s a carpark, right in front of the travel agent. How lucky is that? I think it’s definitely a sign. Gran pointed excitedly. Pull in.

‘Did you do that?’ Elle asked as she found herself parking. ‘Magically make a park appear?’

I’m a ghost, not a magician, dear, she said drolly.

‘Of course. Silly me,’ Elle muttered.

Well? What are you waiting for? Let’s go in.

‘Gran, would you stop. Geez. You were never this pushy before.’

Well, I should have been. If I’d pushed harder maybe we would have gone on that trip together while I was still here, she said.