Julia moves outside, almost toppling on the ice, and allows him to put his arm around her shoulders. She’s helping him into the house, when I see the blood on his clothes, the drops of blood on the snow, leading to the door.
‘What happened?’ she’s saying to him, as she guides him into the lounge. ‘You’re bleeding.’
Should I run? Would I be safer out there?
‘Christ sake, Amelia,’ Julia cries, glaring at me. ‘Can I have a bit of help here?’
I stare, as she hobbles onwards, almost collapsing under Finn’s weight.
‘Amelia, please!’ she yells.
I catch up, and shudder as Finn drapes his free arm around my shoulders. We manage to get him to the sofa, where he flops down hard.
‘What happened to you?’ Julia asks him again, but his eyes have receded into his head. ‘Finn! Finn, can you hear me? Oh God, he’s been stabbed. Oh God!’ She grabs a throw from the back of the sofa, and presses it against his stomach, her hands shaking. ‘Who would do this?’
My mind drifts again to the moment before I passed out. I’d rammed the knife into him, hadn’t I? Heard him cry out in pain. But I had to do it. He would have killed me if I hadn’t. Wouldn’t he? It was him or me, and it wasn’t going to be me.
An urgent hammering on the front door brings me out of my thoughts, and I race towards it. I don’t care who it is. We’ve caught the killer. It will be help. I know it will.
I throw the door open, and breathe a sigh of relief. It’s Detective Inspector Beynon. I remember her from when Lark vanished. ‘Thank God you’re here,’ I cry, beckoning her and DS McKay inside.
DI Beynon looks exactly as she had a year ago, strength oozing from her five-foot frame. ‘Amelia,’ she says.
She remembers me: The young woman with the red hair who traipsed the woods in tears on the Drummondale House estate a year ago, searching for her lost sister until her legs went from under her with exhaustion.
I’d found an inner strength back then, and I thought I’d found it again as I’d set out earlier, but now I’m beaten once more – anxious, frightened.
‘What’s happened?’ she asks. ‘You’re covered in blood.’
‘Oh. Yes. It’s Finn’s blood.’ I’m aware my voice is shaky – that I’m avoiding eye contact. ‘We just helped him into the house. He’s been attacked.’ I’m lying. I hate lying.
As Beynon turns to close the door, she looks into the distance, where two police cars are slowly moving across the snow. ‘Backup,’ she says, and smiles, before pulling the door ajar.
I lead Beynon and McKay across the hall. ‘Finn killed Ruth and Maddie,’ I say, before heading into the lounge where Julia is kneeling in front of him.
‘He’s been stabbed. I think he’s dead,’ Julia cries, tears in her eyes.
‘An air ambulance will be here soon,’ Beynon says moving closer. She places her fingertips on his neck for several seconds. ‘There’s a pulse. Just keep pressure on that wound. Do we know who stabbed him?’ Her eyes flick over his body.
Julia shakes her head.
‘Maybe someone who knew he was the killer,’ I say, looking at Beynon. ‘He’s got the weird mask, see.’ I point to his pocket.
Beynon pulls it out with gloved hands. ‘That’s fucking freaky,’ she says, and I shudder at the sight of it. ‘It’s the same as the ones in the trees when Lark disappeared. Finn was about then too.’
‘But I’ve known Finn a long time,’ Julia says. ‘He’d never hurt anyone.’
Four uniformed officers enter the room, and Beynon looks up. ‘It seems we may have our killer,’ she says. ‘We may even have our connection to Lark’s disappearance.’
‘No! Didn’t you hear me? Finn isn’t a killer,’ Julia says through tears. She’s holding his hand, squeezing. ‘He wouldn’t hurt anyone. You’ve got it wrong.’
‘We need to do a search of the property for the missing girl, Elise Green.’ Beynon looks around her, glancing out through the French doors. ‘Let’s get that summerhouse checked out too.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘She’s not here,’ Julia says. ‘You’re wasting your time. You need to be out there finding out who did this to Finn.’
I stare down at Finn, beating back tears. Was he a killer? Had he taken Lark too? I’m so close to sobbing right now.
Finn groans, and Beynon looks up at McKay who is hovering close by. ‘Chase up the air ambulance,’ she says. ‘Before this man takes his last breath.’
Chapter 39
Present Day
Present
I barely know my own thoughts anymore. Can barely keep awake. I often cry like a small child. Bury my head in the pillow and sob.
Some days I lie here and imagine my mother by my side. She tells me to be strong. Brave. Take the pain, like she did.
Now those tears roll down my face, but Misty is still here. He knows I’m in pain. Scared my life will soon be over. I take long deep breaths, and look through the window. It’s getting dark, but nobody is coming to save me. Not tonight. Not ever.
I sob so loud that Misty jumps from the bed, gives me a daggering look before licking his fur.
‘Help!’ I cry out. ‘Somebody. Please, help me.’
Chapter 40
A Year Ago
Detective Inspector Kate Beynon
The steep hill towards Drummondale House felt never-ending.
‘Christ, it’s like travelling up a rollercoaster,’ DI Kate Beynon said, pressing down on the throttle. They were at least ten miles from civilisation, and God knows how far from the nearest McDonald’s.
‘I hate rollercoasters,’ DS Gavin McKay said from the passenger seat. ‘Never liked bumper cars much either. It’s the sparks – they smell like singed flesh. And don’t get me started on the ghost train.’
Kate laughed, but it was forced. Lark Taylor – just seventeen – was missing. Taken? This was a case she needed to solve. Quick!
Kate eased her foot off the accelerator as she
