There was a song playing, he didn’t take much notice until it ended and began to play again.

Odd.

‘Here.’ She passed him a blanket. ‘Dry yourself off a bit.’

He leaned forward and draped his head in the blanket. Rubbed furiously at the freezing dampness. He dabbed the back of his neck, his chest, trying to absorb as much of the water as he could.

The song finished.

He turned to her but before he could make a joke about it, it started again.

She softly sang along and he didn’t know why, but unease crept down his spine.

He looked out of the window. ‘This is a weird way to come.’

‘There’s a diversion. So how was your day at school?’

‘Was all right.’ He shrugged. ‘Got an essay to do but I’ve already finished it.’

It was hot in the car. Steamy. He stared out of the window, his breath misting the glass. Fleetingly, he thought about writing ‘HELP’ on the window but then swallowed down a laugh at his own ridiculousness. He’d freaked himself out with the novel cover, the dark, Tyler going missing. Since he was small his mum had told him not to get into cars – stranger danger – but this wasn’t a stranger.

Why was he so uncomfortable? He couldn’t pinpoint a reason. He sat back. Tried to relax.

They turned left. Even if there were roadworks, surely they should be going right?

He glanced at her. There was something very odd about her. Very wrong.

The car made an abrupt stop.

‘A flat tyre. That’s all I need. Help me change it?’

She got out of the car and Ryan did the same. The rain pelting down. While she rummaged in the boot, he squinted through the gloom at each tyre in turn.

‘I don’t see that any of them are flat?’ he said, puzzled.

‘No. They’re not.’ He hadn’t heard her footsteps behind him. He turned.

Suddenly, he knew what madness looked like. He was staring it straight in the eyes.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Aidan

Seven weeks before

It had been gloriously hot the first time Aidan met Julie, Hailey’s mum. Sleeves-rolled-up-shirt-soaked-through-with-sweat weather. Clear blue skies and a beaming sun lulling him into a false sense of security that things were going to get better.

Aidan had left the practice through the fire exit at the back. It was a busy time of year for a vet. Clients not realizing that for animals heat could be fatal. The weather could be cruel. Dangerous.

Not as dangerous as Julie.

Aidan had just got into his truck when she clambered out of her car and strode across the car park, climbing onto his passenger seat as though she belonged there.

‘Sorry, I…’ Aidan stared at her in confusion. ‘Can I help you?’

‘I’m Julie.’

‘If you have an appointment, you—’

‘Hailey’s mum.’

‘Hailey?’ Aidan couldn’t work out what was happening.