As she stepped out of the shadows, Dawn pulled the hoodie off her face. Morgan stiffened at her sudden appearance, but her trepidation was soon replaced by the nervous stomach-churning feeling that comes with a new relationship – if that’s what this was. Morgan honestly didn’t know.

‘So, what’s the big mystery that you had to meet me here at this hour of the night?’ Morgan said, trying to play it cool. She could barely feel the tips of her fingers, and she stuffed them into her jacket pockets in an effort to warm them up.

Dawn grinned as she produced a key. ‘Fancy a tour of the church? I nicked my dad’s keys.’

‘Seriously?’ Morgan stood her ground. ‘You brought me all this way to show me the church? I got out of bed for this?’

‘Nah, I’m just jerking your chain.’ Slipping her arm into Morgan’s, Dawn dragged her towards a side door. ‘This is the vestry.’ She lowered her voice as they both went inside. ‘I’ve put on the heater. I come here when I need some time on my own.’

The room was small but cosy, with the faint smell of incense, and Morgan appreciated the warm air. On the table were some candles and a board laid out. ‘Is that a . . .’

‘Ouija board?’ Dawn finished her sentence. ‘Yeah. You up for it?’

Morgan paused to check her watch, but she was buying time. What she wanted was to go home to her bed. She had messed around with boards when she was younger and they didn’t interest her now. But time in Dawn’s company did. The board was marked with the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 0-9, as well as ‘YES’, ‘NO’ and on the bottom of the board, ‘GOODBYE’.

‘All right then,’ she said, ‘but if you wind me up, I’ll know.’ She pulled out a heavy wooden chair from an old mahogany table, every sound echoing around the shadowed chamber. ‘So, who are we contacting?’ she said, as she rested on the hard wooden chair.

‘The Harper family, who else?’ Dawn looked at her mischievously.

‘Why?’ Morgan said. ‘We don’t even know if they’re dead.’

‘Of course they’re dead!’ The beginnings of a scowl creased Dawn’s face. ‘Sorry.’ She reached for Naomi’s hand. She fixed her expression and softened her voice, the way people did when they want their own way. ‘It’s just that . . . you’re the only one I trust to do this with.’ Her breath smelt of Hubba Bubba bubblegum. It wasn’t unpleasant. ‘Ready?’ she said, bringing Morgan’s attention back to the board.

‘OK.’

Morgan watched as Dawn lit the remaining candles on the table. Then Dawn guided her hand to the planchette before recanting a prayer to protect them, inviting only good spirits in. The flicker of the candles illuminated their faces as they stared at the board.