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‘I’ll bear that in mind if ever I decide to pick a team. So, is there anything else you wanted to discuss?’

‘No. We’re doing well. Thank you.’

‘Thank you.’ Mia smiled again. ‘You’ve been wonderful help, Ellie. And thanks for the tea, Natasha, and the cuddles, Peter. You were a very well-behaved young man. Didn’t even try to wee on me, unlike some patients. Clearly you’re being brought up as a gentleman already.’

‘I’m not sure that wasn’t more luck than anything else.’ Natasha laughed as she let Mia out.

Back in her car, Mia cranked up the radio and started to sing along. With the sun streaming through the window, she could almost pretend she hadn’t had to bundle up in a coat and scarf that morning. Tulips and bluebells were already starting to join the golden daffodils decorating a lot of the verges, and buds were appearing in hedgerows, heralding spring’s arrival.

Thoroughly enjoying the weather, she took the longer route that skirted round the top of the valley that Hudsbury sat in – planning to stop by the big farm to the north of the district and check how the farmer’s leg was healing.

She didn’t regret the decision until she was so far from Hudsbury that she was almost in the next county. There was a massive bang and her car veered to one side. Panic clawed at her throat and she yanked her foot off the accelerator while fighting the wheel which seemed determined to steer her into a ditch.

‘Ophelia.’ Aiden flicked through the shop diary again. ‘I’ve got a note here that the water bill should have been paid three weeks ago. But I’ve not seen it, have you?’

‘No.’

‘And I’m guessing you didn’t decide to set it up as an online bill and forget to tell me?’

‘Did you decide to grow wings and attend a fairy ball? It’s about as likely.’

‘Right, sorry.’ He chuckled.

Mist mewed and Ophelia nodded. ‘You’re right. The postbag has probably eaten it again.’

‘I’m sorry, the what has what?’

‘The postbag. That the postwoman carries mail in. It’s probably eaten it. It does that with letters it doesn’t like. Bills, fines, bad news.’

Aiden sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘Do we need to have another conversation about inanimate objects?’

Ophelia ignored him, continuing tying her spell bags.

‘OK, I’ll play along. Let’s suspend reality for a few seconds and pretend I believe the postbag really did eat the bill. How do we get it back? Because I don’t think the water company will accept that as an excuse.’

‘Mist, will you see if you can catch up with the postie please?’

‘Mwow?’

‘I don’t know. Ask it nicely. And if that doesn’t work, remember you have claws.’

‘Mwow-epp!’

‘I know you wouldn’t, but postbags aren’t the smartest of creations. Just see what you can do, please.’

‘Nuh-weep,’ Mist muttered, and Aiden had the strong impression she was complaining – which was ridiculous, because that would mean the crazy one-sided conversation his boss was apparently having was actually… real.

‘Because I asked nicely, and I did buy you a tin of tuna for dinner. I suppose I could always make tuna casserole and give you dry food…’

Mist grumbled again but trotted towards her catflap, tail high in the air.

‘Where’s she going?’

‘Weren’t you listening? To find the letter.’

Any answer he might have given – along with the questions bubbling in his mind – vanished when Katie rushed into the store. ‘Has anyone seen my power bank?’

‘Is everything OK?’ Ophelia asked. ‘I thought you were meeting Mia for lunch?’