Amber squints and then moves so she’s standing in front of it. ‘I’m not sure where it came from, actually – it was just here one day. Leaning up against the back door. I assumed one of the boys had been rummaging in the old shed …’

‘I thought Nick always kept it padlocked?’

‘Yeah, well … like I say, I’m not sure. But I liked it, it reminded me of Finley a bit, so I thought I’d hang it up. The original glass was cracked, so I had to replace that, but the frame was sturdy enough; I painted it, so it matched the others.’

‘Right …’ I say. It is mine, then.

I’m going to have to find a way to get rid of that.

Again.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Amber

I haven’t stopped thinking about the boy-and-kitten picture since finding Barb in my bedroom staring at it and then having the gall to question me about how I got it. After my initial annoyance at her walking into my room, I must admit, the picture also bothered me because when I thought about it, it was weird how it just seemed to appear inside the house. I’d asked the boys at the time and have a blurry memory of them saying they’d found it in the shed. But I’m not so sure that was the case. Barb’s right: the shed is padlocked. And I checked it as soon as she left. It’s intact.

My mind is still filled with doubt as I walk Finley and Leo to school.

‘Do you know the picture of the boy and kitten in Mummy’s bedroom?’ I ask them.

‘My picture?’ Finley asks.

‘The one I say looks like you, yes. Well, I can’t remember where you found it. Can you?’

Finley shrugs.

‘It was in the kitchen, behind the door,’ Leo says.

‘Yes, that’s where you put it. But where did you get it from?’

He frowns and stops walking, putting his thumb and finger to his chin. ‘Let me think,’ he says. I laugh; he’s such a funny little character. Then, he shakes his head and walks on. ‘I can’t think. Finley must’ve found it.’

‘No, I didn’t!’

‘Oh, don’t worry. I was only curious – it’s not a big deal. I hoped you’d remember, that’s all,’ I say, taking Leo’s hand and squeezing it. ‘It was almost a year ago – I can’t expect you to remember that far back when I can barely remember yesterday.’

Leo and Finley nod their agreement. We walk on in silence.

‘Maybe Nanna put it there?’ Finley says as we reach the school gate.

‘I don’t think so, darling. She was the one who asked me about it. She said it used to be hers and she’d put it in the shed before we moved in.’