Public holiday to celebrate the news? We should start a petition!

– Wise up, you balloon! You only want the day off work after Halloween to nurse your hangover!

– Nothing wrong wi’ that! Best holiday of the year! Cannae wait!

The comments are exactly what I’d expect from any social media response. People seem to feel able to say anything and everything.

I click out of Facebook and force myself to get up. For my sins, I have agreed to meet Niall Heaney up at the reservoir so he can show me the exact spot where Kelly was found.

I pull jeans and a soft cream jumper from my wardrobe, and contemplate whether or not to wear wellies. It will be a muddy mess up there no doubt, so it would probably be advisable. I put on my ordinary boots for now, knowing I’ve a pair of Hunter wellies in the boot of my car. I’d been caught too many times trudging through fields or flooded areas in heels while out covering news stories not to invest in a pair.

As I get ready, I think of Niall. How he had stayed at my flat for more than an hour. He’d declined a glass of wine, opting for tea. He’d sat on the opposite end of the sofa to me as we spoke. Every now and then he’d made a flirty comment, but I think we both knew it wasn’t the time for flirting. There would probably never be a time for flirting between us. Being tied together by the murder of a school friend isn’t, perhaps, the best start to any potential relationship.

My phone beeps just as I’m searching for my thermal gloves and part of me hopes Niall has seen the weather, thought better of things and is cancelling our meeting.

While it is indeed from Niall, he has no notion of calling things off.

I’ll pick up two coffees on the way and see you at the top entrance to the country park in about half an hour. A cappuccino for you?

I reply that I’ll see him there, then I click onto my Facebook account just to check the comments under The Chronicle story one last time.

One comment seems to be getting a lot of attention. I look closely, see the name of the poster, and my stomach sinks so fast I fear I might pass out.

I did it. It’s Halloween – the best time for haunting people. Jamesy was first and he deserved it. But I’m not done yet. Who will be next? When I come for you, you can’t say you weren’t warned, Devlin!