‘Not yet.’ Huck pounded the side of the shed. Forest hoped the sound didn’t carry. ‘How long do you think you can keep this charade up?’

‘Forever, Huck. You said you trusted me.’ Forest rolled up his sleeve, showing a raised scar. ‘Under the full moon.’

Huck rubbed his own forearm, then pounded the wall again, harder than before. ‘I know you. You don’t give a shit about money. Why are you doing this?’

‘Everyone gives a shit about money, Huck,’ said Forest. Sometimes he wondered how the older boy survived out here on his own – even though they’d both come from the same world, Huck’s sense of right and wrong were like a small child’s.

‘Answer my question,’ said Huck.

‘You answered it yourself: I swore an oath. Huck, you’re the only friend I ever had who I trusted. You and me against the world —’

‘This isn’t one of your books! This is real life!’

‘Huck, you deserve better. We both do. And I’m gonna make it happen.’

‘And what about Forest’s family? What are you doing to them?’

Forest’s mouth twisted, his heart sinking. But . . . sometimes you had to make tough calls. The real world was full of tough calls, and you had to choose what mattered most. And Huck was what mattered most.

‘We . . . we can’t focus on that, Huck. What you deserve matters more than . . . it just matters more, okay! You should see them. You should see how happy they are —’

‘No, don’t. Don’t act like you’re being noble. None of this is even real!’

‘They’re happy!’ Forest showed him the credit card again. ‘I’m happy! You can be happy! I’m trying my best, okay? I’m fucking trying, Huck!’

Huck was silent for a few moments, pretending not to see Forest wiping his eyes. ‘I can’t be happy with this. What I want is to let the ghosts of the past rest. Not for you to wake them all up and call them down our heads.’

‘You’re right, Huck . . . Forest’s ghost needs to be laid to rest.’

‘Don’t do that. Don’t talk down to me. You haven’t seen the shit I’ve seen —’

‘I’m doing this so you can be happy. You can have your life back and we can finally put Forest’s ghost to rest.’

Huck, as he’d hoped, hesitated at that. ‘What do you mean, put his ghost to rest?’

‘Yeah,’ said Forest, ‘now I’ve got your attention, don’t I? Listen to me. As Forest Dempsey, I’ve got access to everything. The family, the abalone company, his old house, the police . . . I can find out what happened to him. And then,’ he prodded Huck in the chest, ‘Forest’s ghost won’t haunt you no more.’

Huck grimaced, then sat down against the wall, folding his legs.