Every day since they’d moved in, Naomi had questioned her sanity. But surely, lightning wouldn’t strike twice in the same place? Goosebumps prickled the flesh on her arms. She hoped that Harmony would be found quickly, so Ed could come home. It left her with an odd, nervous feeling to contemplate that this would be her first night alone with Morgan. She hadn’t told Ed about her favourite dress, which had been ruined by some melted prawns. They’d been left so neatly between the folds of her clothes. She would not give Morgan the satisfaction of exploding. She would make it hard for Morgan to fight with her. She would remain calm and compassionate, the total opposite of the woman who had brought Morgan up. There had been other things too. Tacks that Naomi had left in her dresser drawer were found pointed up on her bedroom floor. Her bottles of shampoo and conditioner had disappeared from her bathroom cupboard only to be found empty, their contents deposited in the sink. As for the furniture that kept getting moved around . . . Naomi simply said nothing and placed it back. Morgan would get tired of her childish tricks soon enough, and a trip to the village would cheer them both up.

In Nighbrook Morgan walked with her usual bounce ahead of her, her black wavy hair halfway down her back. The dress seemed more suited to a funeral, her Dr Martens giving her an extra inch of height. Heads turned in doorways as she and Naomi negotiated the cobbled streets. It felt like they had stepped back in time.

The village contained a handful of independent shops that appeared to have taken root. There was no giant Tesco’s, no McDonald’s or takeaway. You had to drive to a neighbouring town for those. It wouldn’t do them any harm to live without takeaway food for a while. Naomi glanced down at the wicker basket resting on her arm. It had been a present from her sister and was perfect for holding her baked goods. In the heart of a village surrounded by woods, she felt like Little Red Riding Hood. But even a traditional village such as this was no stranger to social media, and thanks to communications through Facebook, Naomi knew exactly where to go.

JoJo’s Coffee & Cakes Café was the hub of the community. Naomi had dreamt about living in a little place like this and being accepted into the fold, which was why it was important not to step on anyone’s toes. She cast a cautious eye over Morgan, who was waving at anyone who dared to stare. These days, Morgan had just two settings: bad-tempered or disturbingly cheerful and up to no good. But even when she smiled, there was a darkness behind her eyes that never left.

‘Be nice,’ Naomi said, catching up with her.

‘I’m always nice,’ Morgan replied, a wicked smile on her face.