‘There’s no need. You can’t use it.’
‘You’ve just said I’m special. Prove it. I used to have a key and we both know why I don’t have one any more. I know you, I’ve watched you. You ask people in and then you lock them out again whenever you feel like it. And you never tell them why. You’re not doing that to me. People have been lying to me all my life. I have to know that you can’t lock me out after this. Not with what you’re asking me to do.’
After a moment’s silence, he took his set of keys out of his pocket.
‘The keys to the kingdom,’ he said. ‘You can have this one.’
‘How do I know you’re not lying to me?’
‘You can see it’s new. I’ll show you.’ He matched the two new keys to each other, the shiny brass finish gleamed faintly in the weak light.
He slipped one of them off the key ring and handed it to her.
‘It’s nice to have you back, Lucy. Don’t lose this. It’s the only spare key I have and I won’t be having another one cut.’
‘I never lose anything I want to keep,’ she said, slipping it into her jeans pocket.
‘This brings you back to the heart of things. You won’t leave it again now. You’ll always be there.’
She did not answer this. She looked at her watch. He stood up. He was smiling and relaxed.
‘Aren’t you going to wait with me for that building to go up?’
‘No, I think I should go now. Some sleep for us both would be in order. And a new day tomorrow, a new life.’
‘Yeah, that’s right,’ she said.
She stood up also, leaving her gun and the phone on the bed. He opened the door, then stopped. She was quite close to him. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.
‘You are very brave,’ he said.
She watched him leave, he did not look back.
In the room, she sat on the bed. I’m hungry, Graeme, you could have brought me something to eat. Her throat ached, she would not have been able to swallow anything. She had been hungry before; it was not unusual for her to go without food. She had gone hungry for longer than this when she was out on the streets. There was no sound in the room. Her own breathing, the movement of her blood, was reduced to a regular, silent beat in her ears. Her gun lay beside her on the bed. She looked at her watch. There wasn’t much time.
34
Harrigan was taking a catnap when a sleepy-eyed Trevor shook him by the shoulder.
‘The Firewall’s online,’ he said.
‘Is she talking to Grace?’ He said her name as just another of his officers.
‘No. She’s updating her website. Come and see.’
He followed Trevor into the computer room. The graveyard shift had already gathered there. Grace sat a little to the side, watching from where she was seated in front her own monitor. She did not seem to notice him.
‘Lookee here,’ Louise said, as he appeared, ‘this is the promised land.
It’s so pretty. This girl has so much talent, it’s a waste.’
The screen displayed a green slope of flowering trees leading down to a honey-coloured rock looking out over a wild forest. Small streams flowed down to become clear waterfalls over the rock, blue and white flowers grew in carpets underneath the trees. At the summit of the hill there was a small, glittering, turreted castle with wide doors and windows. Birds flew across the blue sky behind it.
‘I know that place,’ Grace said, ‘but it doesn’t look like that now.’
‘Where is it?’ Louise asked.
‘It’s her home,’ Trevor replied for Grace. ‘She’s tarted it up.’
‘It’s endgame, Lou,’ Grace added quietly.
Harrigan had pulled up a chair beside Louise. ‘Where’s she coming from?’ he asked.
Louise shook her head. ‘I’ve got a trace out but nothing so far. She’s just downloaded this. I don’t know what she’s doing now.’
‘She got a phone from somewhere,’ Ian said.
‘She’s met with the preacher,’ Harrigan replied. ‘He’s supplied her with one and who knows what else. At least she’s still alive to tell the tale.’
‘You put money on that, did you, Boss?’ Trevor asked with a grin.
‘No, mate, I didn’t think it was a very good bet at the time.’
‘She’s online,’ Grace said suddenly. She acknowledged Harrigan for the first time since he had come into the room: ‘But she’s not looking for me, she’s looking for your son. Will he be online now?’
‘I’m sure he is.’
He came and looked over her shoulder with everyone else.
Turtle, are you out there? Do you still want to talk to me? I’d like to talk to you.
No, I like you calling me Lucy. I’m still going to call you Turtle though. Do you mind? Will you forgive me for getting so angry with you? I’m sorry, Turtle, I felt so lost.
I’m all right. I’m really, really hungry. I haven’t eaten since yesterday.
I’ve gone hungry before, I know what it feels like. My father died yesterday morning, Turtle. I was there when it happened. I saw him die and I didn’t feel a thing.
But that’s it. I wish I could. I know what you’d feel if your father died.
I know that. That’s what I want to ask you about. Didn’t you tell me once he taught you how to talk?
‘Mate,’ Trevor spoke quietly to Harrigan, ‘is this okay with you?
We can do this more privately.’
‘This is work, Trev,’ Harrigan replied. ‘Just keep watching.’
Grace looked towards Harrigan, wondering how he could bear seeing this on the screen. He was watching her but it was impossible to know what was in his head. Her sense of loss was too strong for disguise. She turned away.
I just have to know, that’s all. Do you ever meet anyone he works with?
What are they like? Are they like everybody else?
I missed you, Turtle.
Nothing was typed. The computer room was silent as everyone waited.
