‘I’ve been thinking,’ said Luke. ‘About the phones and that? And the first thing is, I think we should stop blaming each other.’
‘Thank you,’ said Cora.
‘Because the thing is,’ Luke went on, ‘who’s to say it wasn’t someone else? Just because we think we’re alone out here, doesn’t mean we are.’
Abi’s eyes widened. I caught Cora glancing towards the tree line.
I narrowed my eyes. ‘That noise you heard,’ I said to Abi. ‘Yesterday, just before you came rushing over. Do you think … Do you think that could have been someone following us?’
Abi didn’t even stop to think. She nodded.
Cora cleared her throat. ‘I heard something, too,’ she said. ‘I mean, I’m not sure if I heard it exactly, but I saw something. Maybe. In the night. Someone, rather. Watching us from the trees.’
‘What?’ Abi said. ‘Are you serious? Why didn’t you say something?’
‘Because I thought I was dreaming. Or … that it was just one of you lot going for a pee. And anyway, nothing happened.’
‘Apart from our phones being stolen, you mean? And all of our water?’
For once Cora didn’t have an answer.
Abi’s eyes widened even further. ‘What if whoever’s out there had something to do with what happened to Sadie? What if that’s who’s trying to force us back?’
‘Oh, please,’ said Mason.
‘What?’ said Abi.
‘First of all,’ Mason answered, ‘it probably was one of us that Cora saw. And second, even if there is someone following us – and I’m not for one minute saying there is – but even if there is, it’s probably just … Lara Sweeney or something. One of those dickheads from the bridge. And the water was them getting their revenge.’
Cora folded her arms. ‘I thought you said it was one of us,’ she said. ‘I thought you said it was me.’
‘I’m not saying one thing or the other! What I’m saying is, either way, there’s no need to panic!’
There was a silence. Abi wrapped her arms around her middle. Cora dumped her bag on the ground and frisked herself to find her packet of cigarettes. It took her three attempts to fire up her lighter.
‘Look,’ I said, as Cora exhaled a cloud of smoke, ‘why don’t we just take a vote?’
Mason scoffed.
‘It’s the fairest way,’ I said. ‘Surely? And I don’t see how else we’re going to decide.’
Abi nodded. Cora rolled a shoulder.
‘So,’ I said. ‘Let’s start with who votes we go back. Raise your hand if you think we should call it a day.’
Abi had her hand in the air almost before I’d finished speaking. Cora put her hand up, too, her cigarette between her fingers, and her arm hinging at the elbow.
We looked at Luke. Even then, even though we were supposed to be voting, it somehow still came down to him.
He focused on Mason. ‘For the record,’ he said, ‘I never really thought you had anything to do with it. With Sadie, I mean. With what they said.’
Mason was clearly waiting for whatever came next.
‘But the thing is,’ said Luke, ‘I can’t stay out here. And it’s not because of the water, or because of whoever might be out there. It’s Dylan. He’s hurting, man. A lot. I feel bad enough for leaving him as it is. And you know my parents aren’t going to be looking after him.’ He kicked a stone. ‘Not the way he needs.’
I don’t think any of us were surprised. Luke hadn’t wanted to come with us in the first place. And when he mentioned Dylan, there wasn’t exactly much that we could say. Not even Mason.
I watched as the others gathered up their stuff. When they started walking back the way we’d come, I lingered next to Mason in the clearing. I waited until the others were out of earshot.
‘It was always a long shot, Mase,’ I said, trying to sound consoling. ‘And who knows, maybe the police have found something while we’ve been gone. Something that puts you in the clear.’
Mason turned on me then, as though I’d just accused him of killing Sadie myself.
‘That was convenient for you, wasn’t it? You didn’t even have to vote.’
He made to walk off and I pulled him back. ‘Mase, wait. What do you mean? I just …’ Something in his expression made me let go of his arm.
He sneered at me, and shook his head. ‘Don’t even bother trying to justify it. I know exactly what you did.’
DI Robin Fleet
‘Look at those leeches,’ said Nicky, as Fleet manoeuvred the car through the entrance gates.
Fleet glanced out the driver’s-side window. Most of the news vans were either down by the river or up in the woods, the more respectable outlets having – at least on the face of it – honoured police requests to show some consideration to the local community, and in particular to stay away from Sadie’s school. But there were always going to be a few hacks who pushed the boundaries. Literally, in this case – the school grounds were fenced off from the road, and three or four men were leaning against the wire mesh, cameras in one hand and cigarettes or vape sticks in the other. They’d noticed Fleet’s Insignia approaching the school gates, and one or two were tracking it through their telephoto lenses.
‘At least they’re getting wet,’ said Fleet, taking in the rain. He was tempted to stop the car and shoo the photographers away, but he knew they’d only flock back again. Less like leeches then; more like pigeons. Plus they were
