Page 73 of Serenity Falls

‘Okay. So, did you enjoy hanging out?’

‘Yeah, it was fine.’

‘Just fine.’

‘Yeah.’

‘What are they like?’

Sadie considers. ‘Kind of geeky. A bit weird.’ She shrugs. ‘They want to meet up at the fairground tomorrow night.’

‘Right.’

‘I haven’t decided if I’ll go yet.’

‘You should.’

She squints at him suspiciously.

‘I just think it would be good for you to spend time with people your own age,’ he says. ‘It’s been a strange few days.’

‘Understatement of the year.’

‘Exactly. We could all do with a bit of normality.’

‘I guess.’

Except Ellis and her friends are far from normal.

‘I’ll think about it,’ she says.

Her dad shifts in the chair opposite. ‘Just going to the loo. If the food arrives, ask for some Parmesan.’

‘Okay.’

He makes his way back through the closely packed tables. At the same time, the outside door opens and a skinny figure in a Hawaiian shirt and baggy Bermuda shorts walks in. It takes Sadie a moment to place her. And then it clicks. The coroner, Stella, out of uniform.

Sadie watches as she walks up to the bar and talks to the barman, who writes something down (a takeout order, Sadie guesses) and then brings her a beer. Before Sadie can look away, Stella turns. She smiles. ‘Hey. How y’all doing?’

‘We’re fine.’

‘You don’t sound so sure.’

Sadie shrugs. ‘It’s been … a lot.’

‘I bet.’

‘Have you … y’know … finished with Frankie?’

Stella nods and walks over. ‘Funeral is going to take place next Thursday.’

‘Will it be at the church?’

‘No. The crematorium.’

‘Right.’ Sadie considers. ‘Isn’t that a bit fast?’

Stella cocks an eyebrow. ‘For what?’