“Forget it,” I say, jumping up, swaying as I go momentarily dizzy. “Forget it—all of it. I don’t need drugs or psychiatric help. It’s probably just really vivid dreams, right? I’m sure it happens all the time.”

The doctor calls after me as I leave, clutching the prescription and referral letter. My cheeks are burning and heart thudding as I hurry away. Damn it—I do not need a psychiatric evaluation, or a bloody CT scan. I’ll take the pills if that’s what I need to sleep while I’m back home. It’s just being back there, isn’t it? The fragments of memory, the dreams, the sleepwalking, it’ll all go away when I leave, won’t it?

I pause on the corner, waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green. But if they really are memories, if being back there with everyone is finally causing me to remember—do I really want it to go away?

Sophie is already in the pub, two ridiculous cocktails in front of her, complete with paper umbrellas. It soothes me seeing her and I go over with a smile.

“Maeve? Maeve Larson, super detective?”

She turns and grins at me, getting up to give me a hug. “Isn’t that you on your undercover case to solve the crime?” She winces. “Sorry. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean…”

“Oh don’t. Don’t be daft—just pass me a bucket of alcohol. I have had one hell of a day.”

“Ah. The meeting.”

“Yep. That’s it. Teaching career well and truly over.”

“Shit.”

I don’t want to tell her about my run-in with Rebecca’s father. Or my visit to the doctor, or the box of sleeping pills now sitting in my bag. It’ll make her worry. Even more than she’s obviously worrying now.

“Soph, it’s okay. Not how I would have chosen to go, but at least…well, at least I can have a shot at finding something I really want to do now, right?” I pull a face and take a huge swig of the too-sweet cocktail. “So long as it isn’t anything that requires references.”

“Well, cheers to the future career of the indomitable Miss Tess Cooper,” she says, clinking her glass against mine.

“Listen, I hope you don’t mind, but Max gave me a lift back, so I asked him to join us.”

“Ooh, the heartthrob? The lost love of your life?”

“I wish I’d never told you about him.”

She laughs. “I promise not to reveal all the details of the crush you told me about.”

“Good,” I say, looking at the door. “Because he’s just walked in, so behave.”