‘It was just The Haunting of Hill House,’ Megan said, with a discernible sigh, as if he was making a fuss about nothing. ‘My little brother watches it.’

‘I don’t care what it was!’ Jason lost it. ‘She’ll be haunted. She probably won’t sleep for weeks. There is no way you should have…’ He stopped and took a breath. ‘Look, forget it, Megan. It’s probably best if you just go.’

Megan glanced down at her phone and guiltily back up. ‘Do you still want me next week?’ she ventured, as he pulled the money from his wallet and handed it to her. ‘It’s just that Karla said you might be going out.’

Dammit. He’d forgotten. It was supposed to be just the two of them, an attempt to make more time for each other, which they badly needed to do, since they seemed to be at loggerheads lately. He’d hoped they might be able to talk, properly. Not just about the suggestion that he approach her father for money – something, quite frankly, Jason would rather die before doing – but about the man constantly interfering in their lives. He needed her to understand, to at least acknowledge she was hearing him. He honestly wasn’t sure how he would react if she mentioned the damn loan again. He’d have to think of something. Hopefully, Karla’s mum could have the kids. Maybe he was overreacting, but he wouldn’t call on Megan again in a hurry. Allowing his eleven-year-old daughter to watch horror stuff – whoever else watched it – simply wasn’t on.

‘We’ll have to talk about it,’ he said, his look hopefully telling her she shouldn’t count on it. ‘We’ll let you know.’

Nodding, Megan shrank past him.

‘I’ll walk her home,’ Karla said, from where she’d appeared at the lounge door.

‘It’s only half a street away,’ Jason pointed out.

‘Too far away at this time of night.’ Karla gave him a look.

Jason felt a pang of guilt. She was right. He should have offered, but then he doubted Megan would have wanted him to walk her.

‘Be careful,’ he said, glad Karla had pulled her coat on over the short dress she was wearing.

‘I’ll be two minutes,’ Karla said, her gaze lingering – and not in a good way. Was he missing something here, or was she looking at him as if he were in the wrong?

‘I’ll go check on Josh then,’ he offered. And make sure he hasn’t been allowed use of his iPad in bed, he thought despairingly, in which case he’d be busy gaming under the duvet and undoubtedly wouldn’t be sleeping much tonight either.

‘I’ve checked,’ Karla called back from the hall. ‘He’s dead to the world.’