“A pattern,” Will supplies. “Between the pictures we found of him and the dates of the attacks.”
“And?”
“They match. But more than that, there’s a definite pattern. He attacks five girls in total, generally leaving at least the last one dead. Then he’s off the radar.”
“For how long?” My phone starts to buzz again. “Sorry, it’s my sister. My granny hasn’t been well.”
“Answer it,” Jess says kindly. She drains the dregs of the teapot into our cups as I swipe the screen and walk over to the corner.
“Hey, Megs,” I say quietly as her flushed, beaming face fills the screen. “Is everything OK? It’s not a great time, can I call you back?” She starts to giggle and I notice a view I’ve grown very familiar with over the last few weeks in the background. “Megs,” I hear the warning tone in my voice. “Where are you?”
“SURPRISE!” She shouts, spinning around, the Southbank whizzing past behind her. “I’m in London!”
“What?” Oh, Jesus, how has she managed this one? “Do Mammy and Daddy know?”
“Not yet, but I left a note when they went to get Granny out of the hospital. You know what it’s like, having to drive to Dublin and back, it takes the whole day. I was at the airport and on the plane before they even landed at St. Vincent’s.” Her smile drops slightly. “They’ll skin me alive when I get back but it’s gonna be soooo worth it. Hey!” She swivels the phone to show a tall figure dressed in black, walking a few paces ahead of her and then pans back. “I went to your museum to surprise you, but it was shut. I wasn’t sure what to do, your friend was there, though!” She lowers her voice conspiratorially, bringing the phone to her mouth so all I can see is a close-up of her lips. “I know he’s older, but he’s a pure ride, Niamh, why didn’t you say?”
Blood freezes in my veins.
“Meghan, listen to me. . .”
“I’ll see you in a minute, anyway. How lucky am I, coming to a London party on my first night?”
“Party? What party? Megs,listen,you shouldn’t be going off with strangers. . .”
“Sorry,Mammy,” she laughs, pulling the phone away. “He’s not a stranger, though, is he? You know him. Look, I think we’re nearly here, he said it wasn’t far from this place.” My stomach contracts as I see the gates of the same graveyard we walked past the other night leering up behind her.
I’m going to be sick.
“Meghan, get away from him now, turn around and run the other way. Go into shop, or a pub or something, anywhere with people.” Her face slowly falls as she realizes I’m serious.
“But he said he was taking me to meet you.” Her voice is small and I remember how big a gap those eleven months between us can feel sometimes. “He said we were going to a party at your friend’s house.” The screen is jumping and I can tell she’s walking away, fast. Good girl.
“Whose house did he say he was taking you to?”
“Oh,” her breath is coming out faster now, “Jane’s, I think?”
I’m vaguely aware that Will and Jess are flanking me, watching the scene unfold over my shoulder. Jess’s hand flies to her mouth.
“It’s fine,” I soothe, trying to keep her calm. “We just, ah, we had a fall out that’s all. I don’t want you around him right now.”
“OK.” She pauses and looks down at the screen, her voice thick, panicked. “I can’t see anywhere to go, Niamh. I think I’ve gone the wrong way!”
“Just keep going, we’ll find you, don’t worry.” Jess is already dialling for a cab and I motion for Will to grab our stuff. “I’m on my way to get you now, just stay there.” I follow my friends out of the library, my voice low as we sneak out past Ruth’s office, keeping my eyes on Meghan the whole way. “Can you see him?”
“No.” The picture wobbles as she hurries along. “How long will you be?”
“Fifteen minutes, we just need to cross the river. Megs, can you hear me?”
Her phone thuds to the floor just as our cab pulls up outside.
“Meghan? Meghan! Pick up the phone!”
The screen begins to lurch and a face finally comes into view. Only, it’s not the familiar face of my sister.
Tommy cuts the phone off right as I start to scream.
I know the tapping of my nails on the console between me and the driver must be driving him nuts, but I can’t help it. The journey feels ten times longer than usual and no one is picking up the phone, Derek and Detective Moran nowhere to be found. Plus, to make matters worse, Meghan’s phone isn’t even ringing out, which means it’s off.
