Like when he was at Castlerigg, Callum couldn’t help but stare at what was in front of him. Kev’s neck was twisted at a weird angle and stuff leaked out of his helmet: it was like mush. His arms and legs lay limp and blood began spreading outwards from his body. More girls screamed and someone threw up. Johnny shoed them away and directed them to a place away from the body. Callum felt someone take his hand and he looked down at Josie, whose face was ashen. He shielded her and helped Johnny turn the others away.

The noise attracted tourists and other groups of climbers, and the place turned to chaos, but not before Callum noticed that, when he landed, Kev wasn’t attached to a rope at all.

Chapter 54

Kelly answered her phone brightly. It was Johnny, but his voice wasn’t right.

‘Johnny?’ she asked.

‘There’s been a terrible accident.’ His voice cracked and Kelly felt a creeping ache spread from under her ribs.

‘What? Are you OK? Is Josie OK?’ Her throat constricted. It was bad. She could tell from the sound of his desperate attempt not to break down.

‘Kev. The climbing instructor. I don’t know… the belay… the rope… I just don’t know what happened. He fell right in front of Josie and Callum. It was horrendous.’ He sniffed and breathed out.

‘Is he all right? Jesus, where are the kids?’

‘He’s dead, Kelly. He fell twenty-odd metres, head first. The kids saw everything.’

‘Where are you?’

‘We’re at Callum’s. His dad is here. The kids are in shock.’

‘And you are too. I’m coming. I know his address.’

She rushed from her desk, imparting a garbled message to DS Umshaw, telling her where she was going and why. Kate stood up and followed her to the lift.

‘Find out from the emergency services what the hell happened,’ Kelly said. As she reached the elevator, a call came in to her phone: it was the control desk downstairs. She tucked the device under her chin and took the stairs instead, so she could listen without the signal being cut off. Kate went after her.

‘Guv. We’ve just had a call from a pod in Keswick: they dealt with a fallen climber in Borrowdale. The emergency services are still there and the first responders have reported suspected foul play.’

Kelly stopped mid-stairway, Kate almost bumped into her. ‘The climbing instructor who died? Another one?’

‘No, guv, just one that I know about. Today at least. I’ve been on all day.’

‘Can you run the details by me, I think it might be my mistake.’

The controller told Kelly about the location of the accident, the casualty and the witnesses. The main statement had been given by Johnny Frietze. She closed her eyes.

‘Foul play, how?’ Her skin went cold.