‘Isn’t that the truth,’ I mutter, but then catch myself. I spoke too loudly; I open my eyes to check where he is. He moves forwards, closer to me and the burning bin, so I step to the side to obscure his view of its content.

‘Can’t burn a guilty conscience, though. Some things can’t be destroyed by fire. We have to carry them to our graves. Unless, of course, we feel the need to unburden ourselves before meeting our maker.’

‘Sorry, have we met?’ I ask without turning to look at him again. I don’t want him to see what’s in my eyes. Who the hell is he? And why is he speaking this way?

‘Don’t you remember me, Barbara?’

My blood runs cold.

It suddenly hits me.

I realise now why he looks so familiar.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Amber

The question of what to do about my suspicion clouds my mind, making my head light and foggy. I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience as I wait for Leo and Finley to emerge from the school. I can hear voices, conversations going on all around me, but it’s like I’ve got my ears filled with cotton wool and everything is muffled. A tap on my shoulder snaps me out of it.

‘You hear about Paula?’ Yolande widens her eyes at me, awaiting my answer even though it was clearly rhetorical. What gossip has poor Miss Emery caused now?

‘No. But you’re obviously going to enlighten me.’

‘Gone,’ Yolande says with a dramatic wave of her hand.

‘What do you mean, gone?’

‘Literally gone. Vamoosh! Left without even telling the school.’

‘Really? How do you know?’

She puts her fingers to her mouth and pulls them across her lips in a zipping motion. I groan. ‘Well, how do we know she’s all right? Something could’ve happened to her – people do disappear. Has she been reported as missing?’

‘Oh, do calm down. You’re being rather dramatic, Amber.’ Yolande lifts her head and laughs. I have a strong urge to slap her. ‘She sent a text to her family saying she was taking some time out.’

‘That sounds very worrying. Aren’t her family concerned for her wellbeing?’

‘I assume not.’ Yolande shrugs. ‘Anyway, thought you should hear it from me, you know, after our discussion the other day. I’m sorry it’ll mean Leo having to get used to a new teacher.’