‘Because, Kate,’ he said slowly, ‘it wasn’t an accident. Our daughter asked him to do it.’

Chapter 77

77

Daniel

Daniel couldn’t remember the last time it had happened: a text from his sister. Maybe never. Back in England, most of the time she barely even noticed he was there, let alone spoke to him. Let alone text him. But out here at the holiday house it was different. He’d given her those sweets last night and they’d had a nice chat, like a proper talk, about all sorts of things. Daniel loved proper talks with her. It was true that he enjoyed winding her up, but he also looked up to her and was proud of her in a way that he couldn’t quite explain, and when she was nice she was so nice, so thoughtful and sweet and kind to him, that he wondered where that nice sister went the rest of the time.

He’d bought more sweets in the village today so maybe they could have another chat, and he really wanted to talk to her now after what had happened at the gorge. There was a funny, hard lump in his throat whenever he thought about Izzy. His eyes got twitchy, like he might cry again. She had fallen into the gorge and banged her head and now she was . . .

He didn’t want to think about it on his own any more.

What he wanted to do was talk to his sister. He clutched his mobile, the old iPhone with the cracked screen that he’d begged to inherit when his dad had last upgraded.

And then, like magic, it pinged with a text.

You OK? Got something to cheer you up, little bro. X

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Daniel grinned and texted back three smiley face emojis and three kisses. He bounded across the corridor to her room, knocking lightly on the door, but she wasn’t there. Her room was empty. He texted her back.

Where are you? x

Lucy’s reply dropped in immediately. He read it and frowned, replying as fast as he could type.

Are we allowed? x

Of course, little bro x

He smiled again. He couldn’t ever remember her getting him a present. Maybe when he was small, like a baby or something, but not that he could actually remember. The idea that she had gone out and spent her own money on a treat gave him a funny warm feeling inside; it made him a bit happier just thinking about it.

Something to cheer you up, she’d said.

Daniel wondered what she’d got him. Sweets, hopefully. Maybe an inflatable for the pool, or a frisbee for the beach. He was good at frisbee.