Page 52 of The Summer That Changed Us

‘Ah-huh-huh,’ said Barney, doing an Elvis impression.

‘Kill me now.’ Amber closed her eyes in embarrassment.

Katie giggled. ‘I’d love to come and see the kittens. The shop closes at five, can we go then?’

‘Great.’ Amber’s face softened with relief, which made Katie suspect that she’d come in to see her for something else entirely. ‘Come on Dad, you can buy me an ice cream at the beach. See you later, Katie.’

‘Lucky me.’ Barney shook his head in amusement.

‘After that Elvis impersonation?’ His daughter gave him a stern look. ‘Believe me, you’re lucky I’m still talking to you.’

‘I’ll give you a call then, shall I?’ Barney said. ‘To set up that coffee?’

Katie felt her face pinken and managed a half-hearted nod.

‘What coffee?’ Amber’s head shot up like a meerkat. She looked from her father to Katie suspiciously.

‘I’ll tell you on the way,’ said Barney, ruffling her hair.

The two of them left and Katie gazed after them, hardly aware of the dreamy smile on her face.

Nula reappeared at her side ready for home. ‘What a dish. If only I were twenty years younger,’ she sighed.

‘You’d still be a decade too old for him,’ Katie teased her.

‘Rude,’ Nula huffed. ‘Ooh look, parcel delivery.’

A courier’s van had pulled up on the narrow pavement outside the shop. Katie’s heart sank. Not a stock delivery at this time of the day? She made it a rule to always unpack new stock as soon as it arrived; it was easier to report any missing items that way. Normally it wouldn’t bother her, but she wanted to be free for Amber at five o’clock.

‘You go home,’ said Katie, ‘I’ll deal with it.’

Nula limped to the door, muttering under her breath about being too old for this lark and held it open for the courier before slipping out into the afternoon sunshine.

‘Just this.’ The delivery driver placed an envelope on the counter and held out a clipboard. ‘Sign here, please.’

A spike of adrenaline pulsed through her. It was a manila envelope, identical to the previous two. Her name, Catherine Small, handwritten in capitals just as before. Her hand was shaking so much that her signature was illegible.

The door closed behind the man as he left and Katie stared at the envelope, terrified at what the message might be this time. As her fingers felt for the edge of the flap, she remembered Robyn’s suggestion and exhaled with relief.

Katie’s mouth was dry as she picked up her phone and took a photograph of the envelope. She sent the picture to the Sea Glass Sisterhood WhatsApp group along with a message.

Katie: Anyone free to meet on the beach tonight at 7? I think I’ve had another letter X

Robyn: Yes of course, try not to panic, we’re in it together xx

Grace: Definitely. Chin up, see you later x

Chapter Twenty

At five o’clock, Katie shoved the letter in her bag, shut the shop and walked the couple of steps to her own cottage. She was turning the key in the lock when someone yelled her name. She gasped and clutched her chest; she’d been on edge ever since the courier had delivered the letter. Her head had been so preoccupied running through all the ‘what if’ scenarios that she’d totally forgotten about meeting Amber.

‘Hi, perfect timing. Come on in.’ She painted on a big smile as the girl charged towards her, hair flying.

‘Cool,’ said Amber, sliding in ahead of her.

‘Make yourself at home,’ said Katie, amused, as Amber dumped her school bag and tugged her school blazer off. ‘Do you want a drink of anything, or shall we go and look at those kittens straight away?’

Amber looked sheepish and twirled a lock of her hair round her fingers. ‘Actually, can we forget the kittens? I came to ask you something but seeing Dad in the shop freaked me out, so I said the first thing that came into my head.’