‘Anyone who would do what you’ve done, sacrifice as you have, endured what you’ve endured – I already know everything I need to know about you. I loved you the moment we first met,’ Harri said. ‘Someone once told me something beautiful: “You are my star. You light up the darkest day.” Now I understand what it means. You are my star and you do light up the darkest day.’

Harri pulled him in for another kiss. When they parted, they were both beaming.

They could hardly contain their happiness as they walked into the Elsewhere House together.

Dear Dad,

I sit here writing this letter with so much behind me, and very little in front. I remember the day when Harri and I met outside the Elsewhere House, when we saw each other for who we really were and understood the truth for the very first time. That’s when she fell in love with me again. We spent that night in the bed we would share for many years, and for the first time since the time in Oxford when Jessica Sealey invited me to her room, I felt wanted.

I was loved.

I woke the next morning. We’d forgotten to close the shutters, so the sunlight roused me soon after dawn. She was already awake and had been watching me and playing with my hair.

‘You know the most infuriating thing about this?’ she said. ‘We’ve wasted so much time. I wanted you from the moment I met you.’

She kissed me, and it felt as good as it had the previous night.

‘Why did you ask me out?’ she said.

‘I had to,’ I replied. ‘I knew it had to happen because Ben, the older me, always talked about it when I was a child. And I knew from when I was older and we watched the video together in the cave. I knew it had to happen. And part of me was intrigued. I wanted to see what you were really like.’

‘So why did you break up with me?’ She was unable to hide her hurt.

‘I couldn’t face it,’ I responded. ‘Knowing what was to come. I was falling for you, and the pain of what was to happen – Sabih’s death, prison, losing Elliot – it would have all cut that much deeper if I’d loved you and lost you too. We always only ever had three dates. We always only ever have three dates. If we’d had more, or I’d explained why it was over, would you have pursued the investigation so tenaciously? Your investigation tied up all the loose ends. It was necessary to protect the secret.’

I’m not sure she ever fully understood how to think in four dimensions, the idea that what happens had to have happened, but she smiled sympathetically and kissed me again.

‘The video of the arrest?’ Harri asked. ‘The one that got me reinstated. Was that you?’

‘No,’ I replied. ‘I don’t know who that was.’