‘We’re not here to investigate that, Connor, but the fact is there were three of you there that night, not counting Hailey of course, and two of you are now missing. I know tensions have been high here. I need you to be honest with me. You won’t get into trouble, but if you have the slightest suspicion that Tyler and Ryan’s disappearance could in someway be connected—’

‘I don’t.’ Again Connor glances at Mr Marshall. ‘The trip was really well organized. It was an accident, just an accident.’ Even to him, his words don’t ring true. Anxiously, he waits but when the officer doesn’t speak again he can’t help asking, ‘You don’t think it’s connected, do you?’

‘Do you?’ PC Amin throws back.

Connor looks at Mr Marshall, standing next to the Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ certificate. If he wasn’t in the room Connor might tell the officer everything but he doesn’t know where to start. Who to blame.

‘There’s no connection,’ Mr Marshall answers for him. ‘How can there be?’

There’s a pause before PC Amin nods. ‘That’ll be all for now, Connor.’

Connor stumbles out of the room on legs that feel too weak to support him. He staggers into the toilets, drops to his knees and vomits.

Later, he heads home, vulnerable without his friends either side of him. Jumping as traffic speeds past him, muttering ‘fuck’ under his breath when a white car slows before roaring off again. He’s walking faster than usual.

Outside of the newsagents the A-board is out as usual, advertising the early edition of the local paper.

‘THE TAKEN’, screams the headlines.

Connor can’t help going into the shop, picking up a copy. On the front page are grainy photos of Ryan and Tyler. He recognizes them – they’re pulled from Facebook. There’s also a third photo, Hailey.

The words swim in front of his eyes and it takes Connor several attempts to get his whirring mind to unravel any of the sentences.

Two out of the three boys have disappeared.

Coincidence?

Something to hide?

He leaves the shop, the unpaid-for newspaper still in his hands, his feet walking methodically towards his house.

The Taken.

Two down.

One to go.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Lucy

Two days until Connor is taken

‘Lucy?’ Aidan pulls a face. ‘You’ve made the coffee with cold water.’

‘Have I?’ I press my fingertips against the kettle, it’s warm but, as I take his mug, I can see his drink is cold and unappealing. Undissolved granules floating on the surface. ‘Sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night.’

‘I don’t expect any of us did. With Ryan going missing yesterday—’

‘What’s that about Ryan?’ Connor trudges into the kitchen.

‘You’re awake early for a Saturday.’ He looks as though he’s barely slept. Skin pale, eyes circled with heavy black bags.

‘Mum! Ryan?’