Page 71 of Serenity Falls

‘What?’

‘Hailey lives with her aunt—’

‘And?’

‘Her aunt is the grandmother of Davey Junior. Serena was her daughter.’

‘No way.’

‘Way.’

‘They still live where it happened? Where the kid drowned in the pool?’

‘It’s drained and covered with mesh,’ he says. ‘I guess with Hailey having a son, you wouldn’t want lightning to strike twice.’

‘I guess not.’

‘Hailey’s aunt, Serena’s mother … she has dementia. Hailey told me she believes her grandson is still alive. I wondered if she was the woman who gave you that leaflet?’

Sadie feels her arms prickle. Missing. Davey Junior.

‘What does she look like?’

‘Early seventies. Blonde, thin, tanned. Very white teeth.’

‘Yeah, that sounds like her.’

‘Okay. Well, if you see her again, just steer clear. Whatever happened to that little boy, it’s sad. But it’s none of our business.’

Sadie bristles. ‘I didn’t ask her to talk to me.’

‘I know, but …’ He sighs. ‘When I was at Hailey’s house today, I got the impression that the town hasn’t treated the family kindly since Davey Junior died.’

‘Why?’

He takes a sip of beer. ‘Whenever there’s a tragedy – a death or disappearance – people talk. They point the finger. They like to have someone to blame.’ He pauses. ‘You don’t remember what it was like when your mum disappeared. Neighbours blanked me. Other parents would shy away at school pick-up. Friends suddenly didn’t want to know me.’

‘No one seriously thought you’d hurt Mum?’

The idea that Dad – her goofy, lanky, kind dad – could hurt anybody was beyond ludicrous.

‘People want to believe the worst, Sadie. Even back then. It’s worse now. We’ve become so detached from reality. We forget that other people’s lives are real too, and words have consequences.’

Sadie nods slowly. It occurs to her that Dad has never talked about this before. About what happened after Mum left. And she’s never really asked him. Talking about Mum has always felt like poking at an open wound. It hurts Dad because he remembers her, and it hurts Sadie because she doesn’t.

‘So, you understand what I’m saying, Sadie?’ her dad continues. ‘Don’t get drawn in.’

But this is different, she thinks. No one is pointing a finger at Serena’s mum. And no one is gossiping. If anything, it seemed to her that people didn’t talk about it.

‘Sadie?’

‘Sure,’ she says. ‘Of course. I get it.’

Her dad smiles. ‘Right. Good. Now, as I am such a terrible dad and I’ve neglected to get any shopping, why don’t we go out for something to eat? What d’you fancy?’

‘Italian?’

‘Sounds good. I saw a place on the high street. I’ll give them a call, book a table. You can tell me all about your day.’