Willow looked alarmed. “Why would someone do that?”
“Ignore me. You’re right. I’m in shock.”
“Let’s get you home before something else drops on you,” Sylvia insisted, guiding Ellie towards the church gates. “What are you doing out here, anyhow?”
“I could ask you the same.”
“Touche, dear. I’m a bit of a night owl, and an early riser too. I often take walks around the village at odd hours. Good to stay vigilant, you know. It’s a good job I did tonight, or we wouldn’t have found you in that predicament!”
Willow nodded, her long dark hair swaying gently in the night breeze. “I couldn’t sleep either,” she admitted softly. “The village feels... unsettled.”
Sylvia turned her piercing gaze to Ellie. “And you? You’re out walking in the night alone too?”
Ellie hesitated, not wanting to explain about the riddle. “Right,” she said finally. “I couldn’t sleep either. Lots on my mind.” It wasn’t technically a lie, she reasoned.
She glanced back towards the graveyard, desperately wanting to return and make a note of the riddle, if it had survived the falling headstone. But she didn’t want to raise suspicion with Sylvia, who was rapidly living up to her reputation of being in everyone’s business.
“It’s good to see you, Ellie,” Willow said, breaking the awkward silence. “You’re looking well.”
“You too,” Ellie replied, taking in Willow’s appearance. She had always been a little alternative, but she’d really leaned into it now. Willow wore a flowing embroidered dress that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, paired with multiple crystal necklaces and bangles that clinked softly as she moved. Her eyes, rimmed with kohl, seemed to hold a mixture of warmth and uncertainty.
Ellie felt a pang in her chest as she looked at Willow. She had been one of Ellie’s bridesmaids and was Luke’s sister. Like with Oliver and Angela, Ellie had no idea where she stood with Willow, and from the reserved look in Willow’s eyes, it seemed Willow didn’t know either. Given that Ellie wasn’t going anywhere, she was sure they’d get a chance to talk properly soon.
“Will you be at breakfast tomorrow, Ellie?” Willow asked.
Ellie nodded, “I’ve got the keys for the shop, so maybe.”
Willow’s eyes lit up with a hint of relief. It seemed they were sharing the same worries. Despite the tension and unresolved issues from their past, there were olive branches scattered around the village, it seemed.
“You must! I insist!” Sylvia declared, clapping her hands together. “Breakfast is on me at The Giggling Goat.” Before Ellie could respond, Sylvia’s attention shifted. “Ah, there’s that handsome schoolteacher.”
Ellie followed her gaze and spotted Daniel walking up the street, a bag slung over his shoulder. The sight of him stirred some welcome familiarity in Ellie.
“I know him,” she admitted. “Sort of.”
Sylvia’s eyes widened with excitement. “You do? You’ll have to tell me all about him tomorrow. But for tonight,” she added with a knowing smile, “I’ll leave you in his capable hands.”
Willow nodded in agreement and offered Ellie a meek goodbye. “Goodnight, Ellie.”
“Goodnight, Willow,” Ellie replied, feeling the awkwardness but grateful for the unexpected reunion.
As Sylvia and Willow walked away together, their figures disappearing into the shadows of Meadowfield’s narrow lanes, Ellie turned her attention to Daniel. The awkward encounter had been inevitable, but manageable. If she was going to bump into Willow around the village, she was glad it happened when Willow could save her life.
Daniel approached with a warm smile that melted away Ellie’s worries.
“Ellie,” he said softly, his voice bright with surprise. “What brings you out here at this hour?”
Ellie hesitated before replying, feeling the weight of the night’s events settling on her shoulders once more. She thought about telling him about what happened at the church, but the words on the tip of her tongue wouldn’t come out.
“You on your way to your mum’s?”
“I am,” Ellie replied, turning back with a smile. “You?”
He held up the bag, a lopsided grin on his face. “Nan’s in bed, so I popped out to the shop before it closed at midnight.”
Ellie blinked in surprise. “There’s a shop open till midnight here?”
Daniel chuckled. “Yeah, the only chain in Meadowfield, just next door to the post office. A small convenience store, really.”
“What is this? London?”
He laughed some more. “Is that where you’ve been all this time?”
“Cardiff.”
“Right. Wales. I think I knew that.”
An awkward silence grew between them, as though neither knew whether they should move.
“Get anything good at the shop?” she asked.
“Wanted to grab some hot chocolate. I couldn’t sleep,” Daniel continued, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. “Strange feeling in the air.”
“You feel it too?”
“Murder does that, doesn’t it? Even the kids at school are talking about it.” He scratched at the back of his head, rattling his keys. “Fancy coming in for hot chocolate?” he offered, but then seemed to second-guess himself. “Actually, how about we go for a drink at The Old Bell instead? Sammy serves till midnight.”
“A supermarket and a late-night pub?” Ellie rocked back on her heels, glancing back at the church. “This place really has changed. I should get back…” The shadows of the graveyard seemed to leak down the steps, calling her back to check the headstone to see if the musical notes had survived. She turned back to Daniel, who was watching her with a concerned eyebrow pinch. She found herself nodding before she fully processed the decision. “Sure. A drink sounds good. Half a pint.”
