Page 37 of Serenity Falls

‘Good, thanks.’

‘And who’s your friend?’

‘Oh, this is Sadie. She’s just moved here.’

Another of the not-quite-smiles. ‘Ah, of course. One of our new British residents.’ He extends a long, bony hand. ‘Miss Barker, isn’t it?’

Sadie feels her skin prickle. Does everyone know their business here? She accepts the hand. Dry and oddly cool in the sticky heat. ‘Nice to meet you.’

‘I was just showing Sadie the cemetery,’ Ellis says.

‘Then you should have come to see me, Ellis. I would have been happy to show you around.’ Miller stares at Sadie. She notices now that his eyes are two different colours, one blue, one brown. ‘Are you religious, Miss Barker?’

She holds his gaze. ‘No. I’m an atheist.’

‘A religion in itself, some might say.’

‘Not my dad.’

‘And what would he say?’

‘Atheism isn’t replacing one crutch with another. It’s living life standing on your own two feet.’

As soon as she says it, she remembers the limp. Shit. But Miller just bursts out laughing.

‘I think I’m going to like your dad.’

I wouldn’t bet on it, Sadie thinks.

‘So, you like cemeteries?’ Miller asks.

‘I guess – they can tell you a lot about a place.’

‘And what does our cemetery tell you about Serenity Falls?’

Sadie looks around. ‘Most people buried here are old. Their families care about them – every grave has fresh flowers … except this one.’

‘True.’ He glances at the grave, and the mismatched eyes darken.

‘I heard Davey drowned in a swimming pool.’

Miller turns. ‘Who told you that?’

‘Not me,’ Ellis says quickly.

‘The guy who came to clean our pool,’ Sadie says.

Miller nods. ‘A tragic accident. It devastated his family.’

Sadie frowns. ‘So why does no one leave flowers?’

‘Man, you ask a lot of questions,’ Ellis mutters.

Miller regards Sadie more intently. ‘Davey’s mother left Serenity. She couldn’t bear to stay in the house where it happened.’

‘Doesn’t she come back, to visit his grave?’

Miller shakes his head. ‘No. Nobody has heard from her since.’