Page 154 of The Other Side

“You would.”

“Don’t test that theory.”

Drum might have if it hadn’t meant lying down in the snow.

He was safe on both sides now. Jackson Ashford had been sentenced to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum term of forty years. If he hadn’t admitted everything, he’d probably have received a whole-life order. The three men who’d tried to kill Drum had also been given life sentences, each with a minimum of thirty years. Several others had also received long sentences. Once Ashford had crumbled, so had his associates. Drum was relieved the cases hadn’t gone to trial, well, none that required him to testify.

No one was coming after him anymore. He was safe. On both sides of the gate.

“I can see headlights.” Osian reached for his hand.

“The bright light people see before they die?”

Osian sighed dramatically. “Oh. Yes. Those ones. Sorry.”

Drum laughed, the sound carried away by the wind.

A pair of headlights emerged through the curtain of snow before the familiar shape of Will’s new Land Rover rumbled into view.

Will leaned across to shove open the rear door. “Get in before you freeze solid.”

Drum and Osian climbed into the back, bringing a swirl of snow with them. The blast of warm air from the heater felt almost painful against Drum’s face.

“Thanks, both of you,” Drum said, peeling off one glove.

“Sorry to drag you out in weather like this,” Osian added.

Kit looked round from the passenger seat with exaggerated patience. “Yes, all your precious plants are alive.”

“Yes,” Will chimed in, pulling away carefully on the icy lane, “we checked every greenhouse.”

“Yes,” Kit continued, “the temperatures are set exactly where you left them.”

“And yes,” Will said, grinning into the rear-view mirror, “the Christmas trees are selling like…”

“…Christmas trees,” Kit finished.

“Yes, your heating is on,” Will said.

“And sorry but work on your house has stopped because of the weather.”

Osian let out a long-suffering sigh. Drum settled back against the seat, warmth finally creeping into his fingers. It wasn’t a surprise that building work on the house had stopped. The priority had been the garden centre, which was a much more straightforward construction.

“And there’s a new inhabitant in the village,” Kit said. “House close to Mikkel’s. They’re not to be disturbed. Mikkel’s orders. Curtains are always drawn.”

“Is it driving you nuts?”

Will laughed. “He’s nosy.”

Before they got out of the car, Osian handed Will a flat, wrapped gift. “As a thank you for not killing all my plants.”

Drum knew it was a suncatcher. Osian had bought several in the market.

“You didn’t need to, but thank you. We’ll see you for the tree lighting ceremony tomorrow, right?” Will asked.

“We’ll be there.”

Was it tomorrow? Drum lost all track of time when they were in Faeryland. Osian could judge it better and he’d promised they’d be back for the festivities, but…