The Child’s Secret. Amanda Brooke

melted Sam’s resolve and he found himself saying, ‘What about that girl who went missing from your class? She went home thinking her dad was going to get a job because she had asked the tree.’

      ‘You read her wish?’ Anna asked. She had placed her hand on his face and, feeling the glow of his cheeks, found her answer.

      ‘I’m sorry I did now because I feel responsible,’ he confessed. ‘Which is why I’ve been thinking of a way I might be able to help.’

      Sam then went on to tell Anna about Jack’s plans and how he might be persuaded to offer Jasmine’s dad some work. Anna confirmed that Finn was still a regular in the pub so she didn’t think he had found a job yet. Sam already knew this from Jasmine’s second note but he said nothing; he had shared enough of her secrets and would share no more.

      ‘Maybe that tree of yours does have special powers after all. What if it wasn’t a coincidence that you found a job opportunity? Maybe you’re a vessel, carrying out the tree’s wishes,’ Anna said. She was trying to sound mystical but the effect was lost when she laughed.

      Sam wasn’t about to be drawn into a world of the supernatural but neither was he ready to give up on the idea of granting a little girl’s wish. ‘So will you help me then?’

      ‘Seriously?’

      ‘You know this Finn a bit, so you could engineer a meeting,’ he said as if the idea had only just occurred. ‘I’m going to Jack’s leaving do in a couple of weeks. We could meet up in the King’s Arms first and, if the gods are on our side, Finn might be there too. I could mention where I’m going and drop into the conversation how my pal is taking on labourers. You said he worked in a builders’ merchants so I’m guessing he’s got some transferrable skills that Jack could put to good use.’

      ‘You’ve got this all worked out, haven’t you?’ she asked as she took the glass from Sam’s hand and set it down on the floor next to her own. She leant into him, pushing him back until he was pinned down against the hard surface of the floorboards. Anna’s body was supplicant by contrast but just as immovable. ‘So am I invited to this leaving do?’

      ‘Actually, Jack did mention it, but I thought it would be a bit too soon,’ he added, not sure if he was still talking about the invitation. Their relationship so far had amounted to only half a dozen dates and while there was plenty of kissing, they hadn’t taken it further, not yet.

      ‘I would like to meet your friends,’ Anna said as she leaned in to brush her lips lightly over his. ‘I’d like to get to know you so much better.’ She kissed him briefly.

      He wanted Anna, of that there was no doubt, but there would always be a part of Sam that resisted getting closer emotionally. But Anna was already close physically and he had no desire to push her away.

      ‘Invite me, Sam,’ she whispered in his ear.

      Aware that Anna hadn’t agreed to help with Jasmine’s wish yet, Sam was done for. ‘Do I have a choice?’ he asked.

      Anna could sense victory and kissed him again, more deeply this time. When she lifted her head, her nose was wrinkled. Pulling the flower from her hair, she trailed it across Sam’s chin. ‘That beard of yours is going to leave my face red raw by the morning,’ she promised.

       8

       Sam’s flat: Wednesday 7 October 2015

      Sam hadn’t known what kind of trouble he had been stepping into when he had decided to offer a helping hand to the Petersons, but he refused to feel guilty about trying to grant a little girl’s wish. If he regretted anything, it was telling Anna about that first one, but at least he hadn’t shared any more. ‘I didn’t tell you about the wish because I fail to see how it would help find Jasmine.’

      ‘Let me be the judge of that,’ DCI Harper said.

      ‘All right then, yes, I knew Jasmine wanted her dad to find a job. Is it a crime now to want to help someone?’ Sam demanded.

      ‘I suppose that depends on the motive,’ Harper said. ‘What was in it for you, Mr McIntyre?’

      Before Sam could reply, static crackled through the air as a police radio came to life. The police officer who had returned to his sentry duty by the door stepped out onto the landing to speak to his colleagues.

      Sam took a look out of the window and noticed another police car drawing up outside. ‘Has something happened?’ he asked.

      Harper didn’t bother to look outside but took a seat opposite Sam, having decided he was going to be there for a while. He checked his notes again, if only to kill time while he waited for his colleague to return. He didn’t have to wait long, and when he did come back into the room, the officer slipped Harper a note while avoiding any eye contact with Sam.

      ‘Would you mind if we searched your apartment, Mr McIntyre?’ Harper asked Sam.

      ‘You won’t find her here.’

      ‘I’m starting to think we won’t find much of anything here. Were you planning on going away, by any chance?’

      A flush rose to Sam’s cooling cheeks, but before he could reply, the detective followed up his question with another. ‘Is that why you called your employers this morning and told them you were handing in your notice with immediate effect?’

      Sam didn’t look at Harper but stared into the depths of his half-empty glass of water. ‘I’d simply decided it was time to move on. I never intended remaining in Liverpool long-term and I’d already stayed longer than I ever expected.’

      Harper leaned back against the dining room chair, which groaned under his weight. ‘So you’d really had enough of all those schoolchildren flocking to the park to hang off your every word?’

      ‘I’ve given guided tours for years to people of all ages, here and in Edinburgh.’

      Frowning, Harper lifted up the note the policeman had given him. ‘But your actual job is as a gardener at Calderstones, not a park ranger.’

      ‘Yes, but I started volunteering my time when the ranger services were cut back. It was still an official duty and I’ve been DBS checked, if that’s what you’re wondering. I don’t have a criminal record.’

      ‘Oh, I already know that, Mr McIntyre. No one’s suggesting otherwise.’

      ‘Then what exactly are you suggesting?’

      ‘Absolutely nothing,’ Harper replied and immediately changed tack. ‘Do you have family back in Scotland?’

      ‘I was married yes, but we’re divorced now.’

      Harper nodded and Sam couldn’t tell if he was noting the answer or confirming it was correct. ‘Children?’

      ‘No.’

      There was a moment when Harper held his gaze and Sam didn’t know what he was going to ask next but he dreaded it anyway.

      ‘I might want to speak to your wife, sorry, your ex-wife,’ Harper said at last. ‘Do you have her contact details?’ Harper had lifted his pen to his notepad in readiness.

      ‘You might have difficulty there. She was going on her honeymoon this morning so she’ll probably be mid-flight by now,’ Sam said. He was getting to know Harper and had the answer to his next remark before it left his lips. ‘But of course you can have her details if it helps.’

      ‘You haven’t had much success with relationships, have you, Mr McIntyre?’ Harper said. ‘Why did you break up with Miss Jenkins, by the way? She’s young and pretty by all accounts. What went wrong? Wasn’t she your type, either?’

      ‘We dated briefly and it didn’t work out, that’s all there was to it,’ Sam replied, not sure