‘And all that running. I can see your carotid pulse; you have the heart of an athlete.’

And you have the heart of the devil.

Again, she didn’t answer. She felt the balance of power shift to her, and she waited. Amy got up and Kelly saw her in full view. She looked like a normal woman; overweight, ageing and slow, but a woman nonetheless. She looked vulnerable, pathetic almost. She waddled around the room that was her cage and put her hands on her hips. She’d lost muscle and gained fat. It took all of Kelly’s strength not to feel empathy, and even sympathy for her.

‘Harry O’Connor.’

Kelly didn’t flinch. She made no sound and gave away no indication of feeling anything at all. She’d heard the name before.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Positive. Would I lie to you?’

Kelly slowly got up. She desperately wanted to run but she had to remain in control.

‘Leaving so soon?’ Amy taunted her.

‘You know they won’t let me see you for too long in case you turn me into a nutcase.’ She began walking away.

She longed for fresh air and to be out of this hellhole. Names, dates, seasons, birds and sheep raced through her mind in a cacophony of chaos. Her palms grew sweaty and she felt slightly faint as she walked away towards the door, which she banged on, ready to be let out.

‘Kelly! Come back. You’ll have to come back! I’ll be here waiting. I’m not going anywhere!’

She left the secure unit with the sound of maniacal cackling in her head. Her hunch was right. She knew it was the right thing to do to come here. She couldn’t put her finger on what made her trust The Teacher, and she agreed that it was perverse, but she knew it was the truth. Snippets of cold case files slotted into place. The details of William Beverley’s case came back in full technicolour to haunt her, and she felt deep visceral pain for the mothers who’d lost their children across the Lake District at certain times of the year. She wondered how many more?

Eight festivals, Fred told her. Eight per year. Four elements and four directions. Christ it was fucked up shit! But it was beginning to make sense.

The cabbie was surprised to see her so soon, and she jumped in, in silence.

‘Go well?’ he asked. She ignored him.

‘Reading station.’

Chapter 43

Johnny drove his battered Jeep Grand Cherokee to the brand new Rock of Ages climbing wall just outside Keswick. His pulse hadn’t dipped below ninety since he last spoke to his daughter. He couldn’t explain it. It had been the same since she was born: the intense feeling of protectiveness towards her that overshadowed every other thing in his life. Leaving his ex-wife had been hard for that reason alone: it meant leaving his daughter.