‘Did Dr Nathan say what we should do with it?’ said Nell. ‘Does she want to take a closer look at it?’

‘Not really. They’re not uncommon, you see. You should let the owners know, obviously,’ said Gina. ‘If it were up to me though, I’d just put it back quietly – privately – where it belongs. It’s been doing its job all these years,’ she went on. ‘And I’d leave it well enough alone.’

‘Really?’ said Nell.

‘Someone put that shoe there for a reason. Think of it as making a commitment; striking a bargain – and I think we should honour that.’

‘So we definitely can’t keep it, then?’ said Maude.

‘I’m afraid not. Have you heard from your dad?’ asked Gina. ‘Is he on his way back?’

‘Not yet,’ said Nell, trying to smile.

‘Work,’ said Maude, continuing her inspection of the shop. ‘And it’s so boring here without him.’ She picked up a necklace, a long silver chain with an amethyst pendant, it spun lazily, catching the light. The shop bell jingled and a young couple entered.

‘We should let you get on,’ said Nell.

Maude carefully draped the necklace back onto the shelf.

‘Call back any time,’ Gina said. ‘Here or the cottage, if you feel like some company.’

*

The church clock was striking the quarter hour as Evie walked up the yard. Thinking about Kym and the marks inside Elder House, and glancing in the windows of Spinnaker Cottage, it occurred to her that she didn’t actually have to go straight home.

And Elder House was empty, as far as she could tell.

‘Come on, Floss.’ She tugged on the lead and carried on up the steps, if anyone challenged her, if her mother suddenly appeared, she’d say – that she wanted to visit Nell, to ask her . . . she wasn’t sure what. That she needed an excuse at all irritated her. She’d worry about that if it happened.

The kitchen door was closed, the house was dark and still; and beyond it stood the drying ground.

If Tyler hadn’t gone running down the steps and out of the yard, then he could have hidden here, in the shadows, against the cliff. There wasn’t that much cover in the long grass, but in the dark, with everyone looking the wrong way, maybe he had made fools of them all.

She stepped off the path, the damp seeping into her shoes, there was a smell too, sour and—

‘Flossie?’ She looked down.

The dog wouldn’t move.

‘Come on.’ Evie tugged gently on the lead. ‘Come on, Floss.’

The dog dropped to the ground, and looking beyond Evie, at the bankside, she began to growl softly.

Evie tried again, less gently, then as Flossie continued to resist, she dropped the lead, ‘Right. Fine.’