Saturday 8th August

Heather's gone shopping and Jo's busy somewhere else, that leaves me alone in the cottage. I use the secure phone to speak to Dad, it might seem like overkill but I'm taking no chances. It's all quiet at Dunbankin' and even Thurso is quiet. Am I a trouble magnet? Well, nothing's happened here so far.

The doorbell sounded and I'm a bit wary. I make sure the chain is on and have a look through the spyhole. Outside there's a man in his twenties so I open the door. He's looking for Heather so I ask him why he wants her, apparently it's to do with the inquest that's starting on Monday. I politely say she's not available and is under orders from the coroner not to discuss the case. To be honest, I don't know if any such order has been issued but I do know she received a summons.

He of course believes I'm Heather and asks for an off-the-record quote after handing me his card but that isn't going to happen. I don't slam the door on him but he's made very aware I don't want to be bothered again.

Jo must have been watching and comes over, but the chain is still on. Unfortunately I'm already on my way back upstairs, causing me to turn around on the stairs, not as gently as I should have. I tell Jo about the conversation so she goes to the office with me and shows me how to access the CCTV. The relevant footage is sent to the security bods with a scan of his business card, Michael Harris was his name.

When Heather gets back and I tell her what happened she becomes very upset. She says it's only a hunch but he might be related to Vic Harris, a slimy journalist who had been tailing her and Sophie ages ago. He's been sent to prison after some sort of internet crime - she wouldn't tell me. So now she's on the phone to the security folks. Sophie was not happy when she heard the news.

I'm putting all the shopping away and starting lunch while Heather's making these calls but the office door is wide open so I can hear at least one side of the calls. When Heather makes it into the kitchen she's calmed down a bit and tells me she wished Inspector Willis was still at work. She really should tell his temporary replacement but does not like the man and can't disclose her real work to him. Sophie will let her boss, Emily, know and see if some discrete enquiries can be made.

It isn't long before Jenny's on the phone to Heather, but now the office door is closed so I didn't hear what was said.

Back at home we don't get many visitors but we're a mile or two out of town. The cottage, however, is in the town and close to the station. Even so, not many come by.

When things quieten down, Heather tells me she's been asked to do a private auditing job on a registered charity that's got into difficulties. Officially the Charity Commission has appointed her to see if there's an alternative to winding up the charity or whether there's evidence of fraud. The charity is based in London but she'll probably not need to visit the place.

Then she told me what the charity does, it campaigns against transgendered rights. I wondered how that could even be allowed to exist, let alone be a charity? Apparently it didn't start off like that but that's what it's doing now. Asking Heather to look at it could be purely circumstantial but I get the feeling that it might be destiny. Of course she'll be objective, she is a professional, then she'll rip them apart.

After lunch I go out for a walk, but I'm using Sophie's advice to watch for everything. I spot the journalist at the end of the road so I doubled back before he saw me. I hope he didn't get a good view of me but I'm not taking any chances.

I use the walk to go down to the railway station to pick up a current timetable. I could get the train times online but that wouldn't give me the exercise I need. It's downhill there and very uphill back. I make a diversion on the return journey and nip into a newsagents to buy some chocolate. I've never really been a chocoholic but some Cadbury's Whole Nut was needed. I picked up two bars, one for today and one for .... whenever.

I walked out of the shop and guess who's stood outside? I'm in no mood to answer his questions but my phone gets a pic of him from over my shoulder using the camera. I don't want to go straight back to the cottage as I don't have a key and Heather can take a minute to reach the door.

He's still trying questions and is easily keeping up with me, I've been warned not to run fr a few weeks. He plainly thinks I'm Heather and I'll do nothing to say otherwise, or to confirm his errors. There's a salon along the road so I stroll straight in and ask if they can attend to my mop - it's been a month since my last confes...cut.

I'm in luck and I'm in a vacant chair immediately. All I want is a maintenance trim, a tidy up. I see that they do manicures and pedis too so I ask for those as well. That'll keep me occupied for an hour or so, they can wax me on Monday if I want.

Of course we go through the usual questions, how long am I down? With my Scottish accent I'll never pass for a local. So I say I've finished my exams and I'm helping my accountant aunt before I go back to Glasgow, I muddy the waters a bit.

I also send Heather a text to let her know where I am, but do this openly as it reinforces my story. I also send the creep's photo while the girl's gone to get some more hair grips.

At some point it comes out that I've been in hospital and I make the girl feel sorry for me when I say I can't have children, there was nothing the surgery could do, but at least I can wee normally now!

She's your typical eighteen year old school leaver who did a two year hairdressing and cosmology course at the local college. Cornwall's not big on industry, unless you count tourism, and youngsters struggle to get employment outside the seasonal work. Many end up making a one way journey out of the county and not being able to afford buying there if they ever wanted to move back.

It felt good having my nails done, I couldn't see the hack through the window now so the coast should be clear. A message comes in from Heather, he's hanging around near the cottage.

The girl, Susan, says she's closing up after I'm done, I'm the last customer. I know she lives with her mum but it's only half past four so I suggest we go along to the pub and sit in the garden for half an hour.

I'm steering clear of alcohol but I fancy a long cold drink, she's not actually eighteen until next week so can't drink booze yet - not officially, anyway. I let Heather know what I'm doing and order some drinks. I get looked at by a few of the locals, they might have seen me around, but they'll just treat me as an emmett so there's no real problem.

Susan's gained a friend, her boyfriend Pete. His mate then joins us, all three were at Cambourne College so have known each other for a few years. The new guy's name is Daniel and I must admit he's good looking, they're both surfers so I ask them about North Fistral Beach at Newquay. Apparently there's a surf competition starting on Wednesday and they're both involved, did I want to go along?

Of course I'd have to check with my aunt, I said. Susan grabs my hand and drags me into the loos. Daniel's not attached she says, and there's a party on Tuesday night. He needs a partner for the party so why don't I tag along? I get Sue's number and it seems I'll have to create a Beccy facebook profile as that's how she really wants to communicate and it would create too many questions if I didn't. I need a Beccy phone number too, note to self.

We get back to the table and I am now wearing rather more lippy. Sue tells the boys I'm up for it and Daniel kisses me as if I've just agreed to be his girlfriend, but did I agree to a date?

We stay for a bit longer then they suggest meeting the following morning at the pool at the Murdoch & Trevithick Centre. That suits my exercise plan and I hope the chlorine won't give me any trouble.

We stay for another few drinks, but it's approaching six. Daniel insists on walking me to the cottage as apparently there are some nasty people out there. He steals a kiss just as the door is opened.

Heather threatens to ground me and promises to call my Mum. I don't think I was in danger and I'll ask Sophie to check the names of the three I just met. I point out that I sent my 'aunt' several messages but she hadn't seen the last two, including the one that I was leaving the pub. I promise I hadn't had a drop of booze!

I'm not going to win this argument so dinner's a quiet affair and I take myself to my room for a bit of the necessary, followed by a long shower. Beccy gains a facebook presence as I lay on my bed, it's not long before my online presence is noticed by the locals.

Sunday 9th August

We met at the leisure centre at eleven. Sophie has confirmed overnight that the boys, and Sue, were 'no trace' which at least means they've never been caught, or suspected, of anything. I wore my black bikini with the shorts as it doesn't advertise my body as much as some of the others. I'm not looking for a relationship, this is just some fun with my new temporary friends.

Sue pulls me into a double cubicle and strips straight away. I try not to make it look like this is new for me so follow suit. She's quicker than I am so asks me to hook her top while I'm still stood there starkers. She's nearly bursting out of her bikini and there's no doubt she wanted Pete's full attention.

Apparently Daniel's told all his friends about this great new bird. I'm so ready to walk out of there, what does a girl have to do to get some respect? Sue insists he's just larking around, he's really soft at heart.

There's floats and toys in the pool, as well as a slide. I explain to Sue I have to be careful after my op and that definitely means that I can't use the slide.

We actually had fun and Daniel was obviously very happy when he gave me a hug from behind. Sue had a little word with him about 'girlie problems' and he was a bit less randy and rather more respectful.

I like the attention but it's where it leads to that worries me. I really need to decide what I want, that talk with Mum last week was gaining relevance.

Heather had finally admitted this morning that she'd never had a relationship other than with Sophie, so did not know how to handle boys, or men.

We finish in the pool just after midday and Daniel walks me back to the cottage. I spot Michael Harris and I quickly explain how he'd been following me yesterday, harassing me. Daniel acted as my protector and uttered some nasty words just because I asked him to look after me. I doubt if Mr Harris will hang around near me, when a boy's there to defend me.

Daniel's just a boy I tell myself, nothing more than that.