The last thing she needed right now was to get into a scuffle with a kid around deep water. It was the right call. Barney, after a last glance at the hatch of the boat, began making his way towards her. Once off the yellow boat he moved quickly, as though eager to reach her. She almost told him to take it easy. ‘I’m not trespassing,’ he announced, when he’d joined her on the wall. ‘That’s my granddad’s boat.’ ‘And is Granddad at home?’ Lacey asked him, looking back at the yellow-painted yacht with the green trim and wooden deck. It looked old, but cared for. A well-loved classic. ‘He’s dead,’ said Barney. ‘The boat’s empty. No one goes there now.’ The child stood next to her, looking awkward and uncomfortable. Lacey took a step back, further from the river, hoping he’d follow her. He did. ‘So you’re back again,’ said Lacey. ‘What keeps bringing you to Deptford Creek at this time of night?’ ‘I don’t know what you mean.’ She nodded towards the boat she’d found him on.
