Mackerel wished she hadn’t said that in front of the neighbours. He was sure he was being added to the story being spun even as they walked back down the drive.

‘You know I have to report any breach of your curfew,’ Linda told him.

‘Yeah, but . . . Shelby called me . . . I thought I could help.’

‘I find that hard to believe.’ Constable Linda had never been friendly with him, exactly, but finding him here had changed something in her tone. She stood there appraising him. ‘You know, your brother hasn’t come home all night.’

The accusation was clear in her voice. After all, the whole town thought Mackerel was jealous of his brother.

‘I didn’t do anything,’ he said. ‘I haven’t seen him.’

‘Your brother disappears, Shelby reports someone in the roof of their house, and now you’re here . . .’ She took a step towards him.

‘I saw him show up, Linda,’ came Ahab’s voice. He approached and stood between the two of them. ‘I can vouch for him.’

Linda nodded to Ahab. ‘Right you are.’ She turned to Mackerel. ‘You’re on thin ice, Mackerel. Don’t blow it.’

‘How about you leave seeing Mackerel out of your report, lass,’ said Ahab. ‘For me?’

‘Don’t call me lass,’ said Linda. ‘And if I do that, you owe me free drinks for a week.’

Once she’d left to continue her duties, Ahab gripped his shoulders. ‘Are you okay?’

Ahab wasn’t part of Mackerel’s life anymore. He used to be, but Mackerel had to side with Davey when Ahab turned.

Truth was, Mackerel was proud of being related to Ahab. His cousin was fiercely respected by everyone in town but, more than that, he’d been deeply involved in the Business and yet had managed to get out. If Mackerel could’ve been like anyone, he’d want to be like Ahab.

‘A lot has happened,’ said Ahab, ice-blue eyes locked on him. ‘I’m trying to help, Mackenzie. I have to understand what happened to Forest. Can you help me?’

‘Ivy wouldn’t —’

‘Mackenzie,’ said Ahab firmly. ‘Look around you. Look, man.’

Mack dropped his eyes. He wondered how he must appear to Ahab right now, failure of a man that he was. Did Ahab think back to the chubby teenager he’d taught to scuba-dive, or taken camping, or given his first rifle? Did he regret wasting that time on him?

‘Something is going on here,’ said Ahab. ‘Forest has returned, Davey is missing, there’s an intruder in the house. If you hear anything about Forest – if he says anything to you – you have to tell me.’

‘Okay. I will. I promise.’

‘Good. You’d better get out of here, before Linda changes her mind.’

Ahab turned and walked away.

Mackerel watched him go, filled with a desire to chase after him and tell him about Blackbeard. But he stopped himself.