‘Who’s Cooper?’ asked Verity.

  ‘Remember I told you the vet from Sea’s End was looking to open a second surgery? That’s Cooper, he’s come to do some measuring up.’

  ‘The new surgery is going ahead then?’

  ‘It looks that way. It will be good for the island to have its own practice again.’

  ‘Do you think it would be something that’s happening soon?’

  Pete nodded. ‘Yes, as soon as the contracts are signed. I’ll have to go now but I’ll see you same time tomorrow morning.’

  ‘See you tomorrow.’

  Ambling back down the path towards the bay, Verity noticed that flowers were already beginning to be laid down near where the old pier used to stand. There was also a photograph of Joe, propped on an easel, with candles scattered about. It must be comforting to Sam to know that the residents of Puffin Island had never forgotten his grandfather. Sitting down on a nearby bench and reaching into her bag for her sandwich, Verity thought about Pete. She’d enjoyed every minute of the morning and their easy-flowing conversation. He was a knowledgeable and interesting man. She admired how, even though the popularity of the band had been growing back in the day, he’d continued with his studies to qualify as a vet. She gazed at the photo of Joe. He was as deviously handsome as Sam. Tucking into her sandwich, she stretched out her legs and admired the blue sky and the water glistening in the sunshine. A gang of hikers was heading towards the path along the cliff. Children clutching fishing nets were dangling them from the small rocks at the side of the bay.

  ‘Penny for them?’

  She spun around to see Amelia standing behind her.

  ‘Just grabbing some food, what are you up to?’

  ‘On a break. The bookshop has been heaving this morning. I’ve never known so many customers, which is amazing, but they’ve all interrupted my proper job of writing.’

  Verity laughed. ‘It’s a genius move to get paid for one job whilst furthering your career in another field.’

  ‘I’m not just a pretty face,’ said Amelia with a grin. ‘I’ll have to get back, but before I go, how was counting puffins?’

  ‘Puffin good! I really enjoyed it.’ Verity held out her arm to show Amelia her counting wounds.

  ‘Are they bites? They looked like they enjoyed you too!’

  ‘Pete was right: after a few nibbles you become immune to it.’

  Amelia nodded to the photo of Joe. ‘How is Pete? This time of year must hit him hard.’

  ‘I think he had a moment up on the cliff top when he saw that Joe’s photo was down here.’

  ‘I know Betty is struggling at the minute too.’

  ‘I don’t know the ins and outs of everything, but I do think Sam and Pete could help each other at a time like this. Wouldn’t Joe want them to unite and put their differences to one side, at least for one day?’

  ‘Who knows? Even after all this time Sam is still convinced there was more to that night than what has been reported.’

  ‘But surely if nothing has come out after fifty years there’s nothing to come out.’

  Amelia gave a little shrug. ‘Or people are good at keeping secrets,’ she ventured. She held up her coffee and pointed towards Lighthouse Lane. ‘I’ll catch up with you later.’

  At Amelia’s mention of secrets, Verity thought of the postcard and the message written on it. She had had ample opportunity to chat about it with Pete this morning but she’d decided to wait and speak to Betty first and see what her take was on potential secrets from the past. But Amelia was right. People were good at keeping secrets. Her granny had never mentioned ‘W’ or Puffin Island except in her stories, yet she had still kept the picture of the puffins hanging on the wall in her favourite room in the house for all those years.

  As she finished her lunch, she noticed a well-dressed man walking down the path from the cliff top and assumed that it must be Cooper. He headed towards a Range Rover parked at the edge of the bay and pressed the fob on a bunch of keys to unlock it. Taking a punt, Verity Googled ‘vets practice in Sea’s End’ on her phone and clicked through to the website, navigating to the list of staff members, looking for Cooper’s photo to confirm it was him – and it was. The website had all the usual general information about the surgery and its opening times, but at the top of the web page something caught Verity’s eye – a heading reading ‘Current Vacancies’.

  So there would be vacancies at the new practice opening very soon on Puffin Island. Verity’s heart began to race when she noticed there was one for a veterinary assistant. She doubled-ticked every box of what they were looking for. Now all she needed to do was send a CV with a covering letter. Looking up from the screen and staring out over the water, she wondered, could she actually apply? What was stopping her? Well, there was the matter of a place to live. Her van would be fun to live in for a little while but there was no way she would survive the cold winter months without proper heat or a shower. In her head she’d already moved to Puffin Island, but in reality was it even possible? Looking for houses to rent, she found there was nothing on the island; the nearest vacant property was in a village on the other side of Sea’s End. It wasn’t a million miles away though, so it certainly gave her food for thought.

  Throwing her phone into her bag she headed back towards Cosy Nook Cottage. Her plan was to have a shower and then catch up with Betty. She couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say.

  Ten minutes later, she was standing in the shower at Cosy Nook Cottage, taking advantage of the gorgeous-smelling body wash and expensive shampoo, not knowing when her next shower would be, if she moved back into the van tonight. Singing at the top of her lungs, she enjoyed every second of the shower. As she switched the water off, she heard someone banging around downstairs. Sam must be home. Quickly, she dried herself, pulled on clean clothes and headed downstairs.

  Sam was in the kitchen and Jimmy was wolfing down the food in his bowl.

  ‘I was hoping that was you upstairs and not a burglar but when I heard the singing…’

  ‘Firstly, I’ve never known a burglar to have a shower, and secondly, tone-deaf I may be, but if you can’t sing in the shower what’s the point of living?’ she said boldly, trying not to let her embarrassment show.

  He grinned and looked at her arm. ‘Woah, you look like you’ve been eaten alive.’

  ‘Yes, those puffins quite liked the taste of me.’

  ‘You can’t blame them though, can you?’ He grinned.

  ‘What can I say, the puffins have good taste.’

  ‘They do,’ he replied, catching her eye and giving her a warm smile. ‘I’m just back to feed Jimmy and escape from the restaurant for half an hour before heading back. We’ve got a busy night ahead; all the tables are booked and there’s a fresh delivery of fish.’

  ‘Business is booming.’

  ‘And that’s something I can’t complain about. How was your morning? Did you enjoy counting puffins?’

  ‘I did – and it was great to spend the time with Pete. He’s such an interesting character and very knowledgeable, not to mention intelligent. He told me all about the band and his work at the surgery. He didn’t give too much away about his love life but my reckoning is that he had his heart broken when he was young and is still hoping she may walk back up that cliff top and into his arms one day.’ Verity knew she was babbling but the words just kept coming out, because Sam’s face wasn’t as smiley as it was two seconds ago. She recognised the look well; it was nearly the same look her ex used to give her whenever she said something he didn’t like. He was clearly disturbed at what she was saying, but Verity didn’t want to walk on eggshells – she’d had years of that with her ex.

  ‘I can tell that you don’t like me speaking well about Pete, but he’s actually been lovely to me today and I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about him. He was professional, good company, funny, informative and completely easy to be around.’ She watched Sam bristle. ‘But I’ll tell you this, when he noticed the photo of Joe down by the bay, he became very emotional. Your grandfather’s death still has a massive effect on him.’

  ‘Probably because of a guilty conscience eating away at him,’ said Sam, coldly.

  ‘But you have no concrete evidence. What if – and just hear me out because I’ve got nothing to lose by throwing this out there, but – what if nothing went on that night? What if it was truly just an accident and you’re making Pete’s life a misery for no reason? It’s a little immature, don’t you think?’ Verity really wished she hadn’t added the last sentence as Sam’s eyebrows shot up and his intense stare as he processed her words unnerved her for a second.

  ‘This has nothing to do with you. You’ve been on this island for a matter of hours⁠—’

  ‘Days,’ she interrupted, holding her own.

  ‘Hours,’ he repeated. ‘And you’re giving an opinion on something you know nothing about. I’ve shared my thoughts with you, which was difficult enough, and now you’re attacking me.’ Sam was defensive and the dark look on his face didn’t go away.

  ‘I’m not attacking you. I’m just trying to present a different side.’ Verity kept her voice soft, hoping to calm the situation a little.

  ‘Something doesn’t stack up. We all know as coastguards about the rip currents and there was no way my grandfather would willingly enter the water without backup.’

  ‘Maybe he slipped off the pier into the water and just couldn’t get out.’

  ‘If that’s the case then why has Pete never explained where he was that night or why he was late for his shift? Because he’s hiding something.’

  ‘Or maybe he doesn’t need to explain anything to anyone as there’s nothing to explain. He’s devastated to this day. He lost his best friend and has never got over it.’

  ‘So I should just get over it?’ asked Sam, coldly.

  ‘I know you want justice for your grandfather, but Pete was his actual friend, his best friend. They were inseparable. They’d just landed a huge music contract and were about to conquer the world together.’

  ‘But they didn’t, did they? Because somehow my grandfather ended up being taking by a rip current.’

  Verity took a deep breath. She knew what she about to say was not going to go down well at all. ‘Forgive me when I say this, but you never met your grandfather⁠—’

  ‘What are you implying, that it hurts less?’ Sam cut in, his voice raised. ‘I was robbed of a relationship with my grandfather.’

  ‘That’s not what I’m saying, but Pete was there at the time. Just from today I can see he’s genuinely cut up about it. Wouldn’t your energy be better spent uniting and coming together in memory of your grandfather? I bet Pete has lots of stories about their friendship and growing up that you’ve never even heard. You might find it comforting. I really don’t think Pete wants any sort of animosity with the grandson of his best friend. You’d be like the grandson he never had. Today, despite everything, he didn’t have a bad word to say about you.’

  Sam shook his head. ‘I’m really not sure why you think you can come in here and give your opinion on something that doesn’t even involve you.’

  They stared at each other.

  Stalemate.

  Even though Verity knew she had overstepped the mark, she still thought that this argument that had been going on for years was a waste of energy, and that some good could actually come of it if Sam wasn’t so stubborn and learned to let go and move on.

  ‘I think you should go,’ Sam said at last.

  Tension hung in the air. Even Jimmy must have sensed something was wrong as he’d climbed into his crate and was lying down staring at them, his head resting on his paws.

  ‘Fine. I’ll get my things.’

  Sam didn’t say anything, just turned his back and switched on the kettle. Whether she was right or wrong, Verity still thought he needed to stop and think about what he was losing from this ongoing feud.

  She packed her belongings and came back downstairs. The back door was open and Sam was standing in the garden, hugging a mug of tea and looking out towards the cove.

  She placed the front door key on the table. ‘The thing is, Sam, if you keep pushing Pete away, you’re going to lose the chance to gain valuable information and first-hand stories about your grandfather. Stories that could be passed down to your own children one day. I’m sure they would be proud of their rockstar great-grandfather and happy to hear stories you learned from someone who was actually there.’

  Sam remained silent and didn’t look at her.

  Verity ruffled the top of Jimmy’s head, walked to the front door and closed it behind her. She exhaled and was hit by a wave of emotion. With one last look at the cottage, she saw that Sam was now standing in the window. Their eyes met, and he moved away. Fighting back tears and with her head bent low, she headed down Lighthouse Lane. From what she’d seen so far, Sam was very good at holding grudges, which probably meant for the rest of her time on the island they were going to have to avoid each other.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Arriving at the garage, Verity found Hetty gleaming. She’d been washed and was ready and waiting. With his head buried under another bonnet, Nathan was singing along to the radio.

  ‘Hi.’

  Nathan jumped, banging his head.

  ‘Oh gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.’

  ‘Don’t worry. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve done that over the years.’ He wiped his hands on an oily rag and smiled at Verity. ‘I’ve actually lost count and I probably need to apologise to you.’

  ‘What for?’

  ‘My singing!’ He grinned. ‘I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.’

  Verity smiled, her thoughts immediately turning to Sam and the beautiful song he’d sung in the pub, which had melted her heart. ‘Luckily your head was buried in the bonnet so it wasn’t too traumatic.’ Pointing to Hetty, she said, ‘She’s so clean. Thank you.’

  ‘And dry. And she’ll stay that way as long as you keep away from the causeway.’ Nathan grinned.

  ‘I’ll do my best. I know this is a bit cheeky but would it be possible for me to park her over there and sleep in her?’ Verity pointed to a grassy area in front of the garage.

  ‘Are you sure you want to sleep up here where you’re away from everything and everyone?’

  ‘I think it will be perfect and peaceful, and waking up to that view will be something I’ll never forget.’

  Nathan looked out across the sea. ‘I still think it’s spectacular after all these years. Be my guest, but don’t park her too near the edge. You do know the puffins moo like cows, right? The noise can be very eerie up here when it echoes around the cliffs in the dead of the night.’

  ‘I know exactly what the puffins sound like. Frightened the life out of me, they did.’

  ‘And me. The first time I heard them I thought the cliff top was full of cows.’

  They both laughed.

  Sitting behind the wheel of Hetty again, she was thankful that her beloved van was back in full working order and that her dip in the sea hadn’t been her final chapter. She turned the key, the engine started the first time, and she reversed onto the grassy spot she’d pointed out to Nathan. She positioned the van so that the sliding side door overlooked the cliff edge. When she was enjoying a morning brew in bed, she could open the door and take in the beauty of her surroundings.

  The van was parked, Verity set up her windbreaker and deckchair and placed a small table outside with her camping stove. Her plan for the rest of the day was to head back down to the harbour, call in and see Betty and, on the way back, pop in to Puffin Pantry to pick up some sausages for her tea.

  Excited at the possibility of uncovering her granny and Joe’s secret, Verity set off towards the tearoom, with the postcard tucked away in her bag. She was feeling a little nervous about meeting Betty, but in a good way. She arrived five minutes before closing time to find Clemmie outside, wiping down the tables.

  ‘Here she is!’ Clemmie cried. ‘You have to tell me what you’ve done to the local heartthrob, because he stormed past here earlier with a thunderous look on his face.’

  Verity followed Clemmie into the tearoom. ‘I’m trying to push that from my mind.’

  ‘What, you’ve actually had an argument?’

  ‘I suppose you could say that. I’m back to sleeping in the van tonight. I’ve parked it up on the cliff top.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘He didn’t like me saying good things about Pete. But I think it was my saying that he was acting immaturely that sent him over the edge.’

  Clemmie’s eyes widened. ‘Ouch. That may have dented his ego a little.’

  ‘I was a teeny bit out of order but I also think Sam’s being stubborn. Pete is a really interesting character, easy to get on with, and his stories are entertaining.’

  ‘Pete, easy to get on with? Are you casting magic spells over all the men on Puffin Island?’

  Verity laughed.

  ‘I’ve never known Pete to speak to a tourist, never mind give them a temporary job as a ranger. I’m thinking you may have drugged him.’

  Verity grinned. ‘Only with my infectious personality.’

  ‘If it’s any consolation, we’ve also said the same to Sam, but again that resulted in us not speaking for a while. The best way is to keep out of it. He needs to work this out for himself. We’ve lived with this feud on the island for many years and it’s only going to get worse. With the vigil and the vote coming up in the next couple of weeks, I can’t see them putting their differences aside.’

  ‘Vote?’

  ‘The safety barriers on the causeway. Do we have them or not. That’s the only way to settle it.’

  ‘Tensions will be running high then.’

  Just at that moment the door at the back of the tearoom opened and Betty stepped through it and gasped. ‘I don’t believe this. Hetty’s granddaughter.’ With her arms open wide she hurried towards Verity and enveloped her in a huge hug.