Which Will never wanted to do. I wondered if Cara – if it was Cara – had slipped him some money to pass on the message.
“Okay. I might see if Will can come and tell us anything else he remembers. Let me radio Miss Poppy.” I switched my radio – we used them to contact staff across the school site and buildings – to her frequency which we’d set up separately. She didn’t pickup. I tried a couple more times, feeling increasingly worried that something wasn’t quite right. Then I radioed Mia’s teacher, who did answer.
“Is Poppy there?”
“She went out of class about half an hour ago. I haven’t seen her since. I thought she’d gone with Mia. Is everything okay?”
Mia’s teacher was calm, rarely panicked, and was inherently well-prepared. If I could’ve cloned her as a teacher I would’ve, only that would’ve made life quite boring. “Mia’s with me. She’s said that Will Lawler saw her mum in the fields this morning. Do you think you could find him? I could do with checking what he saw.”
“I would, but I know for certain he was picked up early for the dentist. Mia said she had something to tell Miss Poppy earlier actually and then she asked to go to the bathroom, so she must’ve slipped off to see you.”
“Okay. Mia’s with me now, so I’ll stay with her. Can you ask Romy to call Liv when she gets to the gates.”
It was as I ended the conversation, the external door to my office was pushed open and a woman with a knife made her way in.
That hadn’t been on my plan for Monday.
NINETEEN
Romy
There was a police cordon when I got to school. My phone had been pinging with messages from the parents’ group, Liv phoning me and Roe also calling, telling me exactly what to do.
Everything felt like it was spinning. My head throbbed, I felt hot then cold seconds later and I wasn’t sure how I was still breathing.
Amelie met me at the police cordon, Heidi wrapped around her. As soon as Heidi saw me, she squealed and legged it right into my arms. Half of me felt better. The other half was stuck inside the school
“What do you know?” I kept hold of Heidi as I walked even though she weighed the same as a week’s worth of shopping.
Amelie looked grim. “You might be more up to date than me.” She looked around us. Throngs of parents were standing with their children, some parents were hurriedly moving away, which was what the police were encouraging them to do. Policewere everywhere and a helicopter hovered above. I wasn’t sure if it was a police one or one from RAF Valley.
“I know Cara’s in there with Mia and Cassian and she has an object.” It was a knife, but Heidi didn’t need to hear that.
“Pretty much. They’re trying to get a negotiator to persuade Cara to leave.” Amelie cast a glance at Heidi. “How about Heidi goes to the Puffin Inn with Roman and Caleb?”Heidi clutched me tighter.
“You’re not going to leave here, I know.” Amelie smiled reassuringly.
I nodded, seeing Caleb and Roman coming towards us. “I think that’s a really good idea.” I hated having to leave her, but I couldn’t keep her safe from whatever the aftermath here was going to be, and Amelie was right. I couldn’t leave. “Heidi, will you go with Caleb and I’ll come straight there when Mia’s come out of school?”
She nodded, too quiet for her, especially with Caleb in the mix. My daughter thought he was better than sliced bread with jam and butter.
“Thank you, baby.” I passed her to Roman who did some trick where she ended up on his shoulders. “Thank you. Phone me if she starts to get worried.”
Roman gave a discreet nod. “Freya’s there too, and Ruby, so she’ll have company. Plus we have the dogs.” He looked at Amelie. “Are you staying with Romy?”
“I am. Looks like something’s happening.” She was watching a car with blacked out windows turn up, a tactical aid unit behind it. “Take Heidi now.”
More of the parents and people who’d just arrived to watch were being ushered away and the police were extending the cordon. I saw Liv, coming off her phone as usual, her eyes finding mine.
She was over with us twenty seconds later, moving us further towards an oak tree with a thick trunk.
“Stand over here. When was your last update?” She sounded stressed, which I guessed anyone would be in this situation.
“From Roe about five minutes ago.”
“So you know what’s happened?”
“Kind of. Cara’s been hiding in the thicket at the end of the field, wanting Mia to come to her, and when she didn’t she’s managed to get herself onto the school grounds. How did that happen?” I knew the police were covering the school, but the field at the back made it difficult.
