He yelped – a ghostly face leered back at him.

Forest Dempsey.

It took him a moment to make sense of what was happening, and then he was pulling his clothes on and heading for the door.

‘What the hell are you doing out here alone?’ whispered Mackerel once he was outside, his hand still on the doorknob, easing the front door closed.

‘We found your brother. He’s at the Mermaid’s Darling right now.’

‘Davey?’ His hand fell off the doorknob. ‘Wait, who’s “we”?’

‘Me and Ahab,’ said Forest.

Mackerel felt dizzy.

‘Listen, Davey has a plan,’ said Forest. ‘Your brother needs you – he just doesn’t know it yet. Will you come?’

Mackerel looked up towards Shelby’s room. This was perfect – if Ahab had a plan, Shelby might not feel the need to cook ice after all.

‘I better tell Shelby,’ he said.

Forest gave a small smile, with a knowing look in his eyes. ‘Good.’

Mackerel, Shelby and Forest drove into town, towards the Mermaid’s Darling. Fiona had agreed to come and sleep in the house, in case Kane woke up. She understood that Shelby couldn’t wait until morning to see her husband.

‘Of course Davey is staying at Ahab’s inn!’ Shelby was ranting. ‘Why didn’t I think of that sooner? Every Shacktown citizen with a pair of testicles hero-worships that man.’

‘Actually, he’s only just —’ began Forest.

‘Not now, Forest.’ Shelby turned a corner too tight and too fast, pushing Mackerel up against the door. ‘Adults are talking.’

Mackerel had been worried about the change in Shelby, but this was something else – she was a force of nature, animalistic. The thought of seeing Davey inspired a ferocity in her that he’d never seen before in his whole life.

When they arrived at Ahab’s place, Forest glanced back at Shelby before heading up the stairs. ‘You should know that Ahab’s not expecting you, Shelby. Nor is Davey.’ The thought seemed to give him pleasure.

‘Take me to my husband,’ was all she said.

Forest led on.

When Ahab opened the door to his room, he immediately zeroed in on Shelby.

‘You brought a woman into this?’ he said angrily to Mackerel.

‘The woman brought herself into this,’ retorted Shelby, shoving past him. ‘You’re not keeping me from my husband!’

Mackerel followed sheepishly.

Davey sat hunched on a stool, a beer in his hand. He wore some of Ahab’s clothes, hair lank from a recent shower, dark circles under his eyes. He looked nothing like the bold leader Mackerel had known him to be.

He stood up, spilling his beer. ‘Shelbs?’ he said in a strangled voice.

She walked right up to him and punched him in the gut. Then she grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a kiss.