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Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Contents
  3. Copyright
  4. Praise for Caroline Mitchell
  5. Also by Caroline Mitchell
  6. Dedication
  7. Epigraph
  8. Prologue
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. About Caroline Mitchell
  70. About Embla Books

‘The game doesn’t stop until the Midnight Man says so,’ Sarah thought aloud. The image of the players floated into her mind. The twins, each holding a candle. Angelica exploring Blackhall Manor, treating it all like a joke. Libby and Jahmelia, peer-pressured and putting on a brave face. What on earth had possessed them to play the Midnight Game? As Sarah looked at Gabby’s face, her expression relayed that she was also deep in thought. They sat, allowing the cello music to wash over them from the other side of the wall. It was the saddest, most expressive piece of music Sarah had ever heard.

‘Beautiful, isn’t it?’ Gabby said, her eyes heavy with unshed tears. ‘He’s very gifted.’

‘He is.’ Sarah held her gaze for a moment before looking away. It was hard to see so much pain. ‘Do you need a hand unpacking?’ She sipped the last of her tea. She could spare a bit of time to help out.

Gabby snorted. ‘I’ve been here months, Sarah. If I had any intention of unpacking, I would have done it by now.’

‘Right. Of course. Well, in that case, I’d best be getting off.’

Gabby tilted her head to one side, as if struck by a sudden thought. ‘Don’t you think it was odd, Irving turning up at the town meeting like that?’

‘All in the name of Mammonism.’ Sarah’s voice was cynical and she took in Gabby’s questioning look. ‘The greedy pursuit of riches tantamount to devotion.’ Her eyes fell on an old Missing poster of Angelica which was lying on the rug at her feet. ‘I feel for him, I do. But there’s a time and a place for talking business and that wasn’t it.’

‘Your English teachers must have loved you.’ A sad smile rose to Gabby’s face.

‘Not when I was the one correcting them.’ Sarah chuckled.

‘Right, well, I’m going to do a lap around Blackhall Woods. Where did I leave my trainers?’ Gabby bent to look beneath the sofa.

‘And I’d better get going.’ Sarah picked up her bag from the floor.

‘Before you go,’ Gabby rose, ‘I know I read you the riot act when you came to me about Elliott.’ A pause. ‘I stand by my guns. But …’ She rubbed the back of her neck. ‘Thanks for speaking to him.’

‘No problem,’ Sarah said, sweeping her fringe out of her eyes. ‘Anything you need, just ask.’

As she opened her car door, she felt Gabby’s gaze on her as she stared out the window of her flat. She was a picture of isolation. Why wasn’t she with her daughter? Why was she living alone? Sarah vowed anew to do what she could to help Gabby find her granddaughter. But it wasn’t Elliott she needed to talk to. It was the Midnight Man.

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