He propped his feet up on the fold-out footrest of his usual chair in the living room (nobody has sat in that chair since September). ‘I don’t think ghosts are normally the sort to kidnap people.’

‘You know what I mean.’

‘Mm. Can’t promise that. Might be a psychotic break.’

‘But I feel like I’d be able to tell the difference.’

‘You would feel that way, yes.’

‘OK. Well. If I tell you a Kanamit is after me and you don’t do anything about it, you’re gonna feel real bad when they eat me.’

‘I think I would be inclined to believe you. Mainly because you’re my daughter and I trust you. Though the Kanamits would be innocent until proved guilty.’

I tossed a cushion at his head.

The only person who would believe me about my dad’s death was dead Dad.

Olivia came over in the morning as per my pleading request, hair scrunched into a bun and forehead straining against her severely raised eyebrows. ‘How was Heath’s?’ she said, finally, after silently pushing past me at the door and collapsing on our living-room couch.

‘Hey. I’m sorry. OK? I really am. I totally lost track of time.’

‘It’s New Year’s. How do you lose track of time on New Year’s? The whole holiday is about the time.’

‘We – I was drinking.’

Olivia’s mouth hung agape.

‘I’m – we’re seventeen, OK? Relax. I wasn’t paying attention. I’m sorry. I left right after I realized. I was gonna come see you, but you wouldn’t answer.’

She sighed. ‘OK. I accept your apology.’

‘But something happened last night. With the message person.’

Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘You’re unbelievable.’

‘What?’

‘You’re only apologizing because you want me to play detective with you.’

‘No. I’m not. I would have apologized anyway. This is serious. Nobody is taking this seriously. Why isn’t anyone taking this seriously? They’re practically, I don’t know, stalking me. They came into the house, Liv. They smashed a picture of Dad and me.’

Olivia shifted. Crossed her arms. ‘I still think it’s Bea.’

‘Dude, I talked to Bea.’

‘Yeah, all right, dude. Cool, dude. Since when do you say dude?’

‘It doesn’t matter. But none of this is her. She had no idea about any of it.’

She scoffed. ‘OK, so you’re not even a good detective. You seriously believe her?’

‘Yeah, I do. Liv, really, I honestly think this has something to do with my dad.’

She considered this for a moment. ‘So what am I supposed to do about it? Do some, I don’t know, some hacking? Start a Pleasant Hills patrol?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe firstly be – emotional support? Or something?’

‘I would have loved some emotional support yesterday.’

‘You could have just come with me.’

‘And you could have just stayed.’