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“So-so,” Sophie said. “You know, once this choir concert is over, I’m going to be all out of excuses. I can’t say that I’m going to practice every other night so that I can come over here.”

“We’ll think of something,” said Tilly, rubbing Sophie’s arm. “Don’t worry about it.”

“We could,” said Sophie. “Or…” She took a deep breath. “Or maybe we could, um, we could tell them.”

Tilly almost sat up in shock. “Really? I thought…”

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Sophie looked a little stung.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Tilly settled down again. “I just meant that, well, this is a big thing for you. I don’t want to rush anything. Not if it makes life harder for you.”

“I didn’t want to make waves at the beginning,” Sophie said. “There was no point if this wasn’t going anywhere. And Gio has a habit of ruining anything that I try to start. I just… I wanted a chance to make something for myself, you know? It’s not that I’m trying to hide you or anything.”

“I know that,” Tilly said. “And I know that telling your dad and Gio is going to be difficult. I just want you to be sure that you know what you’re doing.” She grinned down at her. “If I had my way, I’d be shouting all this from the rooftops, you know that.”

“I do.” Sophie smiled back. “And I know it’s going to be tough. They’re not going to be happy. I’ll have to tell them in the right way, and they still won’t like it much. But this… this is turning into something, Till. I need to tell them. I want to tell them. I want everyone to know.”

“I’ll do whatever you think is best,” Tilly said. She stroked Sophie’s bare shoulder. “Would you like to come and meet my dad?”

“The Chief Superintendent? That sounds a bit scary.”

“He’s lovely,” said Tilly. “And he’ll love you. As long as you don’t commit any crimes. But on the whole, I’m certain that he’ll think you’re as wonderful as I think you are.”

“Okay then,” Sophie said. “Yes. I’d like to meet him.” She settled down again, snuggling against Tilly’s chest in a way that made Tilly want to keep her there forever. “This is getting very serious, isn’t it?”

“Only if you want it to be.” Tilly stroked her arm. “But I do like you a lot. And I’m ready to move things on if you are.”

Sophie nodded against her chest. “Yeah, I think I am. I know that the fallout might not be pretty, but I don’t like lying to myfamily and I think it’s time that they knew. I’ll tell them this weekend. Maybe make a nice dinner and do it.”

“Do you want me there?”

“Maybe you could come for dessert?”

“Whatever you need,” Tilly said, starting to get drowsy in the warmth.

“What about Max and Mila?” asked Sophie. “They must surely suspect something by now.”

“They know that we’re… interested. They know that you’ve visited. But Mila told me that who I invited up here was my own business. Besides, I think they’re too involved with their own stuff right now.”

“Oh yeah?”

Tilly sighed. The last couple of weeks had been a little more strained around the Browning household. “I don’t know what’s going on. They’re stressed about something, but they clam up anytime I’m around or the kids are here. Not that it’s any of my business, but I’d like to be able to help them.”

“You’re the great detective,” Sophie said, her hand warm on Tilly’s stomach. “Surely you’ve figured out something?”

“It’s something to do with money, I’m pretty sure. I don’t want to pry, but I think money is at the heart of things, which I’m guessing is why they don’t want to talk to me about anything.”

“Could be,” said Sophie. “Max works full time and Mila owns half the bookshop though, they haven’t seemed to be struggling in the past.”

Tilly shrugged. “I can’t tell you. I honestly don’t know much more than that.”

“You know basically what they’re arguing about,” said Sophie. “I told you that you’re a great detective.”

She was kidding and Tilly knew it, but that didn’t stop her stomach clenching at the word detective.

The car theft case was going nowhere, and she was pretty sure that Max had already written it off as a cold case. No more cars had been stolen in the local area, but at least once a week, one of the surrounding areas reported a theft. No one else seemed to be getting anywhere either, which took some of the sting out of her failure. But still. It wasn’t nice thinking that she’d got nowhere.

And a little bit of her wondered if perhaps she hadn’t been so distracted by Sophie she might have got further in her investigations.