Page 67 of The Midnight Carousel

‘Milo say he wants to help with my rounds this morning. He hard working Greek like his mother.’

Mrs Papadopoulos perches on the edge of the couch where Maisie is still lying, drained of energy after very little sleep. She can hear Milo giggling with Georgios in the room next door.

‘I know you always say I’m Greek because of how I look, and I like you thinking that, because it makes me feel like I belong somewhere. But my mother is English and my father is from India,’ Maisie admits. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t own up sooner.’

Mrs Papadopoulos laughs. ‘Oh, moro mou , Greek not where you come from. Greek is your heart. Strong. With passion. You strong with big heart, huh?’

They hug, then Mrs Papadopoulos hurries to get the rest of her family, as well as Milo, into the cart on time.

When, finally, everyone is gone, Maisie gets up and wanders to the kitchen for a glass of orange juice.

Taking small sips, she admires the shininess of everything in this brand-new house.

The Papadopoulos family business is obviously thriving because theirs is the first residence constructed in this exclusive cul-de-sac of five residences near the Chicago suburbs, bordered by acres of greenery.

As Maisie stares at the mesmerizing dance of grass swishing in the semi-light, she notices a figure near the house.

She almost drops the glass in shock. James is creeping across the lawn, keeping low to the ground.

How does he know she’s staying here? Has he been following her?

Driven by indignation, Maisie grabs a saucepan and hurtles out of the back door. James jumps back, caught unawares.

‘I’m not here to hurt you,’ he says quickly, holding up his hands to prove he isn’t armed. ‘So please put the pan down.’

James is unshaven and unwashed, and he hasn’t changed his clothes since she last saw him a few evenings ago.

Once her heart might have gone out to him but not now.

Not after he tried to extract money from her again.

Not after he dragged her out of the house and to the carousel.

She lowers the pan but keeps it firmly in her grip.

‘If you’re here to see Milo, he’s gone out.’

His eyes soften. ‘I came for you. It’s always been about you ever since we met at Clacton funfair.’ He bites his lip. ‘I shouldn’t have asked you for money again. I’m not even that bothered about it. I wasn’t myself that night.’

Maisie is flabbergasted. Does he really not understand that it’s over between them?

She’s still trying to fathom the answer when Lucky Nate’s weatherbeaten face emerges from the shadows.

He looks between James and Maisie, taking in the scene with his shrewd eyes.

Before she can ask him what on earth he’s doing here, he beckons to a figure.

Maisie lets out a gasp as a wiry man with a twirly moustache steps forward flanked by half a dozen brutish-looking companions.

Freddie Fortescue. She hears the clink of coins as a flash of silver is dropped into Lucky Nate’s palm.

He pockets the money and walks over to Maisie, standing quietly by her side.

‘Don’t react,’ he says in a low voice.

James is dragged to the edge of the pasture and forced to his knees, held in place by two of the henchmen, his head down. Freddie looks around the neighbourhood, at the partially built houses overlooked only by rolling grass and herds of disinterested cattle.

He turns his thin-lipped smile to Maisie.

‘I thought you might like to witness this since James could never stop bragging about how you’d unwittingly bankrolled his entire investment in our business. Gullible, is the word he used.’

Maisie opens her mouth to explain to Freddie that, while it was a horrible way for a husband to behave, she really doesn’t care about any of that now. But Lucky Nate’s hand applies pressure to her shoulder.

The next few seconds pass both slowly and so quickly that Maisie thinks it can’t be real.

She hears her breathing become fast and laboured.

James looks up, meets Maisie’s eye. He is mouthing words to her.

Sorry, so sorry . She tries to move, to get to him, but a pair of hands hold her back.

A pillow is produced, then a revolver. There is no sound but suddenly James is slumped on the grass and blood-soaked feathers are flying everywhere.