He shook his head and brought himself back to the present.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ he said to De Corrado. ‘I want to answer every question you have, but there are promises I have to keep.’

‘Then I can’t get you access to Forest. I’m a woman of my word.’

‘I’ll find another way,’ said Ahab.

‘I’m sure you will . . . Can you make me a promise, then? Answer the questions you can, and tell me before you start lying to me? It’ll make my job easier.’

They held each other’s eyes for a moment too long.

‘I promise,’ said Ahab eventually.

He doused the oil lamp.

‘Right. Time for bed. Big day tomorrow.’

‘You really believe you’re cursed?’ said De Corrado into the sudden dim.

‘I know I am,’ said Ahab. ‘And so is that boy in the hospital.’

CHAPTER 10

MACKEREL

Mackerel turned over, the sound of buzzing by his bedside. A phone call.

‘Shelby?’ he croaked, bringing the phone to his ear. ‘What time is it?’

Her voice was hushed. ‘Mackerel . . . There was someone in the roof.’

Mackerel sat bolt upright, and smashed his head on the bunk above. He swore, dropping the phone, then scrambled for it.

‘Mackerel? Are you there? The police were patrolling, and they’re getting more officers down here, but . . . can you come out?’ said Shelby. ‘Please . . .’

‘Shelby, I’m on curfew . . . if the cops see me they’ll put me back in prison.’

‘Surely they’d understand,’ said Shelby. Her voice was trembling.

‘I’m not the man you need . . . you should call Ahab.’

‘But the intruder . . . he said something about . . .’

Mackerel hit his head on the underside of the bunk again. Wincing, he said, ‘Wait, you saw the intruder? It wasn’t Davey?’

‘No, of course it wasn’t! I told you. There was someone in the ceiling!’ she said. ‘Mack, are you drunk?’

‘No,’ he said, heart pounding again. ‘Who was it? Who was in your roof?’

‘Don’t worry about it, the cops want to talk to me now.’ Her voice was frosty. ‘But you’re right, I’ll call Ahab instead.’

She hung up the phone.

Mackerel dressed himself and ran to the door. He was grateful he hadn’t drunk as much as Big Mane had intended them to. He’d been so tired he’d crashed out early and gone to bed.

He opened the door and . . . hesitated. Should he risk it?

Here it was. What kind of man did he want to be? He stood there, the Black Wind around him.

He could easily be back in prison by morning.

He could get bashed for being on Davey’s property without his permission.

Or . . . he could help Shelby.

Shivering, he scrambled to his car.

CHAPTER 11

AHAB

Ahab had not expected the phone call from Shelby Dempsey in the middle of the night – why would he? – but with De Corrado in tow, he’d driven straight to Homeward.