She ducked down as the front door of the house opened. A woman stepped out, and tossed potato peelings onto the garden. She wiped her hands on her apron and looked up at the emerging stars. She sighed deeply.Keeping low, Kerise moved out from behind the bins.“Ina Dudley?” she whispered.The woman spun around, and Kerise raised her hands.“Who are you?”“I'm from Asteria. I came to talk to you about a letter you sent in.”The woman glanced back at the house. “That was years ago,” she hissed. “Before I was married. Please leave.”“I need to speak to you about Selene Richards.”Ina stepped backwards and pulled the front door closed, throwing both of them into darkness. “Come,” she whispered, and Kerise followed her around the side of the house.Ina stopped where a small extension joined the main house, and crushed herself into the corner. She crouched, lifted a flower pot, and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. She slipped a lighter from the packet and lit one, the momentary flare of the flame illuminating her taut face.
