times and then picked up.
'Hello?' It was Katherine's voice.
'Hi Kath, it's Niall.'
'Yes?'
'Are you both OK?'
'Who is this?'
'I told you, it's Niall.'
The phone went dead and returned to the dialling tone.
I kicked myself for not remembering our code-phrase and re-dialled.
'Hello?' Katherine answered more cautiously
'Katherine, how is the dog?'
'Niall, it is you. Why didn't you say?'
'I'm sorry, I forgot. You did the right thing, though, to put the phone down.'
'We're being very cautious. We had a strange call yesterday and I've been screening them ever since.'
'What do you mean, strange?'
'It was on Alex's mobile. She had it with her even though it wasn't enabled for international. She knew she wouldn't be able to call anyone, but she was hoping to be able to text her friends.'
'Who called her?'
'We don't know. It was this strange hollow voice. Alex answered it and spoke to them. She said they told her they had news of a gift she was going to receive and they wanted to bring it to her. She told them she was away on holiday, but they insisted they would bring it to her wherever she was. Niall? Are you there?'
'Yes. I'm here.' If they had found a way to reach Alex then things were worse than I thought. 'Did she tell them where you were?'
'No. She thought it was one of those competitions that are always ringing up trying to make you call expensive numbers. She just told them she didn't want anything and hung up.'
'Thank goodness for that. Did they ring back?'
'Not so far. She's had it switched off, though, as she can't text her friends and it was just wasting the battery.'
'Don't let her switch it back on. In fact, take it off her.'
'I can't do that, Niall. It's her phone. She saved up for it.'
'Well, tell her not to turn it on until I tell her it's safe. Make her promise.'
'I can tell her, but you know what she's like. She can't be out of touch for five minutes without getting withdrawal symptoms.'
'Tell her it's important. No. Better still, I'll tell her. Put her on, would you?'
'I will, in a moment. She wants to speak to you anyway. Are you all right?'
I was touched by the concern in her voice. 'I'm fine. Did you get away OK? No problems?'
'What's happening, Niall? What's going on?'
'It's complicated, but we're sorting it out. I think it will be OK. Just bear with me.'
'Niall, this better not be some sort of joke.'
'It isn't, really. You're somewhere out of the country, yes?'
'Yes. We need to be back for Monday morning, though.'
'Not unless I call you first, to let you know it's safe, OK?'
'I have to get her back for school, Niall. We can't stay here.'
'No. You stay where you are until I let you know it's clear. I don't care about school or anything else. Just trust me, OK?' There was silence on the other end of the line. 'Katherine?'
'OK, but you'll call me as soon as you can. You won't just leave me hanging here?'
'As soon as it's clear. I promise.'
'Don't do anything stupid.'
Normally that admonition would have sparked a harsh come-back, but I could hear the worry in her voice. 'I won't. Take care of yourselves.'
'We will. I'll put her on now.'
There was some background noise as the phone was passed across.
'Dad?'
'I'm here.'
'Dad, are you all right?'
'Yes, I'm OK. I'm fine.'
'Mum said you were in some sort of trouble.'
'It's nothing I can't handle, I just don't want you and your mum dragged into it, that's all.'
'She said someone was trying to hurt you.'
'They tried, babe, but I'm ahead of them. Listen to me, now. I want you to keep your phone switched off while you're there, OK? It doesn't work abroad, anyway.'
'But it's working. It rang.'
'That's why you have to switch it off, sweetheart.'
'But, Dad?'
'Alex, please. This is important. I don't want anyone to know where you've gone until I've sorted things out and they might use the phone to find you, understand? You have to do this for me.'
'OK, I'll switch it off.'
'Give the battery to your mum for safe keeping and then it won't switch on by mistake, OK.'
'It won't. It doesn't do that.'
'If you give the battery to your mum, I'll buy you some credits for it when you get home. How about that?' Bribery would usually succeed where parental authority failed.
'Well, OK, I suppose.'
'Thanks, babe.'
'Dad, when can we come home?'
'Soon. I'll call you.'
'What do we do if you don't call?'
'Your mum will know what to do, sweetheart. I'll call you. Until then, I want you to stick with your mum. She'll look after you.'
'It's not me I'm worried about.' She suddenly sounded like her mother.
'It'll be OK. I promise. Go and give your mum a hug and I'll call you in a day or so when this is all sorted out, all right?'
'OK.'
'You take care now.'
'No. You take care.'
'I will.'
'Bye.'
I waited to see if Katherine would come back onto the line, but it beeped at me and dropped the call, leaving me looking at the phone and wishing I had some way to explain.
I put the handset back on the cradle and the phone disgorged leftover coins into the change tray with a chunking sound. I collected them and pushed out of the phone box, walking over to where Blackbird lay looking at the clouds. I sat down beside her.
'Are they safe?'
'Yes, but they had a phone call like Claire's on Alex's phone. How did they know the number?'
'Maybe they called directory enquiries?'
'I made sure it's not listed. They're not supposed to give out the number.'
She rolled over so that she could lean on her elbow and look at me. 'Where are they?'
'I don't know, away somewhere.'
'That's probably best,' she remarked. 'They should be safe once the ceremony is performed with the proper knives again. It will reinforce the barrier and stop them crossing so easily.'
