‘So why did you end it?’ you asked.

‘It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,’ I replied. ‘But it had to be that way. There’s no point dwelling on the past. I only hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me.’

Chapter 25

Harri tried to make sense of the strange man who had so infuriated her. How dare he touch her? And why was he playing with her emotions? How could she ever forgive him for breaking her heart?

There were no answers to be found in the breeze that swept over the top of the ridge. She watched Ben walk down the slope to the cottage and waited until he had gone inside. Sabih glanced up with what might have been a sheepish look, but she was too far away to see him properly. When he went inside, Harri headed down the slope.

She stepped into the utility room and shut the back door behind her. There was no one in the kitchen, so she walked along the hallway, but the house felt empty. There were no conversations, just a rhythmic tapping that seemed to be coming from the living room.

Harri edged forward, afraid of what she might find. The taps sounded like a metronome.

Beating a countdown to your doom, she thought darkly.

She told herself not to be ridiculous, the house was brimming with social workers and a police officer. Nothing bad could happen to her.

But where are they? her fearful inner voice asked.

She ignored the question and inched closer to the door, which was ajar. She peered round – tap, tap, tap – Elliot was lying on the rug, headphones on, hitting a pencil against a floorboard.

Harri felt foolish and walked inside with a sense of relief. Elliot turned and removed his headphones.

‘They’re not going to help,’ he remarked.

‘Excuse me?’ Harri replied. She didn’t have much experience around children, but she was pretty sure they weren’t supposed to speak the way this one did.

‘I know why you’re here.’

‘Why don’t you tell me?’ she asked.

‘You want our secret,’ Elliot said.

‘So you know it too?’ Harriet responded, trying to bluff the child into disclosing what it was. ‘I bet you want to tell someone.’

Elliot looked thoughtful and for an instant Harri believed he might open up, but his face quickly bunched into a scowl.

‘You’re so wrong. About everything. And if people know the secret, it won’t be special any more. The magic won’t work.’

‘What magic?’ Harri asked, suddenly worried for the boy.

Elliot eyed Harri with suspicion and she could see him trying to figure out whether he could trust her.

‘He talks about you every day,’ the boy said.

There was a time when the revelation would have pleased Harri, but now it just made her uncomfortable.

‘What’s the secret, Elliot?’ Harri asked.

He wavered, clearly sizing her up.

‘You remember you asked me if I thought ghosts are real,’ she said, trying to form a connection with the boy.