Even without the extortionate transport costs, this little operation is costing a bomb and may yet be a total waste of time. We don’t even know if the small forensic team found anything useful in their search other than some hairs. Things in the Caribbean happen slowly and it’s not easy to stay in the loop when you’re literally out at sea.

But if Nico and Heracles want to spend their money this way, then who I am to question it?

I get back to my paperwork.

45

July 2013

Scottish Highlands

I knew it was a huge risk, but I needed to see Fred. It had been too long. Much too long. It had helped a bit, being able to text and have whispered conversations under the covers late at night. But it was never going to be as good as seeing him in real life.

So even though I was barely able to sit still all day, I tried to at least give the impression of concentrating hard on my lessons. I washed up after lunch and dinner and generally behaved like the dutiful daughter that I am the vast majority of the time. I didn’t want to give Dad any reason to think he needed to check on me once I’d gone to bed – as far as I knew, he hadn’t done so for ages.

We watched a film together, one we’d already seen countless times, and then I went up to my room. I played my guitar for a while so that Dad could hear I was there. I practised the song I wrote for Fred over and over, and then got into bed fully clothed and switched off the light so that if Dad looked in he would think I was asleep.

Can’t wait 4 later xx I texted

My phone beeped Me 2

I started to wish I’d arranged our meeting for earlier – waiting, especially in the dark, staring at the ceiling, was torture. An hour after I’d turned out my light I heard Dad go to bed and at 11.50 p.m., after a quick check in the mirror, I climbed out of the window and ran silently down to our usual place. To my delight, Fred was already there. My stomach flipped over as his face broke into a grin and I ran towards him, into his arms and we kissed hungrily.

‘How much time have we got?’ he asked, already pulling my T-shirt up over my head.

I shrugged. ‘Don’t know. Probably best not to be too long. Dad’s started to relax a bit about me but he’s still kind of keeping an eye. But I couldn’t wait any longer to see you …’

To my surprise my voice caught in my throat and tears sprang up in my eyes. Fred pulled me towards him. ‘Hey. Don’t cry. Come on, no time to waste.’