Just as she was returning to the living room, just as Maude hit the volume button on the TV remote, Kym could have sworn she heard a door thudding shut; someone walking lightly along the landing. She paused at the foot of the stairs, looking up. He couldn’t have got inside, could he?

Maybe she should go and check.

The light in the hall seemed to waver. For a moment she thought she could smell burning wire. Something felt – wrong. She couldn’t move, didn’t want to move. Tears pricked at her eyes and she grabbed hold of the banister, trying to steady herself.

‘Kym?’ Maude was beginning to sound anxious again. Ty and his stupid game had obviously bothered her more than she was willing to let on.

And it had been him. Almost definitely it had been him.

She shouldn’t have left Maude like that, running off into the dark. And for the first time, she began to wonder how he’d managed to get up to the house, to hammer on the door and get away again, without being seen.

‘I’m here,’ said Kym, squashing the little flicker of fear before it could take hold, ‘don’t worry.’

*

The night was dark and still, the street empty as she picked her way carefully over the cobbles; this, Nell recalled, had always been the trouble with high heels in this town.

She had stayed for the cutting of the cake and the surprisingly heartfelt speeches. Then as the music started up again, distinctly louder, and as more people had taken to the dance floor, she had found David and Jenny and said her goodbyes. Nell had been surprised how quickly time had passed and how pleasant it had been in the end. It had been worth making the effort after all, and she was only sorry that Chris couldn’t have been there too.

When she got to the yard entrance, the new gate was hanging defiantly open. She walked slowly up the steps, feeling around in her bag for the key. The light shining out from the living room should have been comforting, but the nearer she got, the more the warmth, the goodwill generated by the party, began to fade.

Rather you than me.

She took a deep breath, unlocked the door and let herself in.

Chapter 15

15

Nell made sure to lock the door behind Kym, before kicking off her shoes and going through the ground floor, checking the windows and switching off the lights. In the living room, she thought she could detect an unfamiliar scent, and it occurred to her that maybe Kym had been smoking in the house and if she had, then she’d need to have a word with her.

The smell was worse in the hall. Stale. As if the whole house needed airing.

The front door rattled gently on its hinges and something – the wind, surely – nudged against it.