I take one of the teas from her, steam curling from the mug.
‘I need to go, Tara.’
‘Where? What are you talking about?’
‘It’s not right, me staying here. I’m putting you and your family in danger. I shouldn’t have come,’ I say. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘There’s nothing to be sorry for.’
‘I hadn’t realised before, but I can see it now.’
‘But . . . your house is still a mess, isn’t it? I thought they wanted you to leave it until they could check for fingerprints or whatever?’
‘I’m going to a hotel for a few days. I know Noah was OK earlier but just the thought of him, you know, of something happening to him . . . I couldn’t bear it.’
She nods, pulls me into a hug.
‘Dave’s on his way back from work early,’ she says. ‘I’m glad it’s the weekend. I might keep them off school and nursery next week. Keep them here with me.’
‘I’ll tell the inspector what Dominic said today, maybe they can send someone to keep an eye on the house, get a patrol car to drive by or something.’
‘How long will you be in the hotel?’
‘Just for a few days I think, until the house is sorted out.’ I want to sayuntil this is over. ‘Until . . . everything is back to normal.’
She releases me from the hug but keeps her hands on my shoulders.
‘Are you sure about this? I don’t think you should be on your own, Ellen.’
‘It’s only a mile down the road. Not far.’
‘I’m worried about you.’
‘It’ll be all right. The boys have to be your priority.’
I put my jacket on and carry my bags downstairs into the hall, retrieving the cat box from the cupboard under the stairs and whistling for Dizzy. It’s nearly food time so it’s only a moment before his little face appears at the top of the stairs and he begins descending, keeping a cautious eye on the nearest small boy as he gets to the bottom.
‘Where are you going with the cat box?’ Tara says.
‘I need to take this young man to the cattery.’
‘Rubbish, he can stay with us. The boys love him, don’t you boys?’
Noah gives a double thumbs-up. ‘Can we keep himforever?’ he says.
‘Not forever, Noah,’ Tara says gently. ‘Just a few days.’
I give Dizzy a scratch on the top of his big solid head. ‘Be good,’ I say to him.
He blinks up at me, purring his deep rumbling purr. I crouch down to Tara’s eldest son.
‘Noah, I need you to do something for me, OK? I need you to look after Dizzy until I can take him back to my house. Make sure everyone is nice to him. Can you do that?’
‘Doesn’t he want to go with you?’
‘Yes, but I’m going to stay in a hotel for a few days, and cats aren’t allowed. I need someone to make sure he has two sachets of his food every day and a little dry food for lunch. Will you remind your mum to give him his lunch?’
‘OK.’
