The walk cleared her head and from the tree cover of the path she saw her mother standing in Gran’s room. Her arms were crossed, and Lottie could only hope that Gran had remained sleeping. Her mother hadn’t looked pleased, but then that was not uncommon. What did her mother remember of her father’s death? Why on earth would she think she was at fault?

‘Hey.’ Two hands grabbed her and steadied her. ‘Head in the clouds?’ Alex asked.

She gave him a lopsided smile. ‘I wish.’

‘What’s up?’ He fell into step beside her.

‘Mum.’ She sighed.

‘Oh. Nothing new then.’

‘I know she wants some answers that only Gran can give and well . . .’ She stopped walking and turned to him.

‘And?’ He raised an eyebrow.

‘She feels Gran is lying . . .’

‘Ah.’ The corner of his mouth turned up. ‘I understand.’

It could be the same conversation they’d had years ago. He hadn’t understood why she hadn’t told her mother the truth back then. She’d argued that she hadn’t lied, and he’d kept whispering for days that there was such a thing as lying by omission.

The distant memory of him popping up behind her and calling her a liar then kissing her came to the forefront of her thoughts. Probably because she was staring at his mouth. He had the most kissable mouth even now. She pushed the thought aside.

When she was investigating a story, her mother couldn’t and wouldn’t be led astray and Lottie feared she was treating Gran the same way. She took a deep breath. Her phone pinged, and she pulled it out of her pocket.

‘Your boyfriend?’

She coughed and glanced away.

‘George mentioned he met him a while ago.’

‘I don’t have a boyfriend.’ This was true, she had a husband which was far worse. ‘But this is just something I need to deal with.’ It was Sally wondering if she’d heard anything from Jamie.

‘Important?’

‘It’s nothing.’

‘It’s not nothing. I can see it on your face.’

‘I have never been good at hiding things.’ She smiled. ‘Could never have been a spy.’

‘Most definitely not. You’re no good at lying.’ He chuckled. ‘You could only manage it by . . .’

She cut him off. ‘Omission.’

He laughed but then the corners of his mouth dropped down. ‘What’s bothering your mum, other than her mother is dying and she doesn’t want to be here?’

‘She’s just discovered that Gran lied to her.’

‘What about – the tooth fairy?’

‘Don’t be cheeky.’

He grinned. ‘All parents lie to kids, all the time, for many reasons.’

‘Well, Mum as you know has a big thing about lying and this wasn’t over something trivial.’ She began walking again.

‘What was it? Her father wasn’t her father?’

‘No, it has to do with Gramps.’

‘With George?’ He frowned.