He’d almost finished his coffee when his phone beeped, signalling the arrival of the text message he’d been waiting for from Katri. He slugged back the dregs, put Pip back in her box and left the coffee shop, walking the short distance to the cemetery on the edge of the park.

It was picturesque, as cemeteries go, full of old gnarled trees and lichen-covered headstones. He followed the path around to a particularly pretty part of the gardens, where the graves were smaller, where there were more flowers and photographs and teddy bears. Brody lifted a bunch of yellow and white daisies from his bag and placed them at the foot of a small white marble headstone.

Sorry it’s been a while, girl. Sorry I haven’t been to see you. I did my best, but it wasn’t enough, I know that. All I can say is that I’m here now.

He stood there, saying nothing, doing nothing, as the rain began to fall harder. He listened to the drops hit the leaves above his head, drowned out occasionally by the pitiful barking of a dog somewhere in the distance. When he was ready, he got the figure of Pip out of the box and laid it down beside the flowers. She would have a friend here now. Someone to keep her company.

Brody stood again. There was no happiness here, no joy to be found. He doubted he’d ever feel complete peace about what happened, but something was shifting, releasing. In that imaginary place he’d avoided for so long – his woodland glade with the pond – a tiny single shoot began to poke through the scorched earth. He took one last look at the words on the headstone, heaved a sigh, and walked away. He had one more appointment in London before he headed home, something he knew he needed to do, but really wasn’t looking forward to.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

ANNA FINISHED THE vegetable chilli she’d made for herself, setting her plate down on the coffee table in front of her. It hadn’t tasted as good as she’d wanted it to. But that had been the theme of the day, she supposed. She’d also had a big meeting at BlockTime, something she’d been looking forward to all over Christmas. It was really going to happen. She’d given in her notice at Sundridge Plumbing and Heating to go to work for them, to oversee both the office and the development of her app. And for almost double her current salary. It was all a bit mind-boggling.

Even though Anna knew this was really huge, that this was a massive step forward, she couldn’t quite seem to get excited about it in the way she wanted to. For the last two weeks, ever since New Year’s Eve, it had felt as if something was dragging her down, making her heavy and listless.

She had just got up to go and deliver her plate to the dishwasher when her phone rang. It was Gabi. ‘You must promise not to judge me…’ she began.