Page 65 of The Other Side

“Reallocated to me.”

“That’s… They were a bit quick to do that.”

They all got into the vehicle. Osian stared out of the window. He wasn’t going to be the one to tell Matthew how long he’d been gone. He really didn’t want the police descending on the area looking for the house. Osian didn’t think a mortal could just stumble into Faeryland but he couldn’t be sure. Whether Matthew had wandered across or been dragged across, the last thing Faeryland needed was anyone else finding it.

Drum handed Matthew a bottle of water then started the engine.

“We’re near Calver,” Matthew said. “Ah. I wondered.”

So bang went any hope of convincing him they were elsewhere.

“What’s your address?” Drum asked.

“Twenty-two Hope Street, Eyam. Oh, my memory’s coming back, though I still can’t figure out what’s happened.”

Drum put the address into his phone. “I need to log back into work,” he muttered.

“Wait until you’re well away from here,” Osian whispered.

It was a tricky conversation with the person on the other end of the radio, but Osian thought Drum had done the best he could. He was initially told to take Matthew back to High Burton, but Drum made it clear he wouldn’t do that because Matthew was insisting on seeing his wife. Officers would have to wait to talk to him after he got home.

Matthew leaned his head against the window, with the dog in his arms. “Days without getting in contact? She’s going to kill me.”

Drum glanced at him in the mirror. “Your wife?”

“Rachel.” He smiled faintly. “She worries. Does yours?”

“Not married,” Drum said.

Within a few minutes, Matthew was asleep. Osian’s work.

“I’m going to call that number on the dog’s collar,” Drum said.

“Can you remember it?”

“Yes. If I tell you it, can you tap it into my phone?”

A moment later, a woman said, “Yes?”

“I’ve found your dog. Indie.”

“Oh my God. Oh my God! Is he all right?”

“He seems fine. I’m taking him to Hope Street in Eyam—”

“That’s where I live. Not Hope Street, but Eyam. I’ll come and get him.”

“See you in a few minutes.”

“Matthew’s going to sound very confused,” Osian said.

“That will help, in a way. If he talks about wandering in circles and says food was brought for him and the dog, they won’t know what to think.”

“Shall I get out before you reach his house?”

“No. If he remembers two of us coming towards him, how am I going to explain where you’ve gone.”

“You could have dropped me off somewhere.” Osian lowered his voice. “I have no ID.”