“I have,” said Austin. “We all have. But it’s always the same. Like, last year, the Herrera twins had just turned eighteen, so they were gonna be out on Hell Night for the first time, and then they were gonna tell us all about it. But when we went looking for them after it was all over they’d barely speak to us. Few days later, they just said we wouldn’t understand, and walked off. There was a huge group of us and we all used to hang out together, but after that night … it stopped.”

“And your parents …?”

Austin’s lip curled briefly. “My parents spend all year looking forward to Hell Night.”

“But kids go missing here,” said Linda. “We’ve seen the numbers. Crime is practically non-existent, but unexplained deaths and disappearances are through the roof. Surely someone in this town is concerned about that?”

“As long as they get their Hell Night,” said Austin, “I don’t think they give a shit what else happens.”

Ronnie looked at the ballot box. “You think you have the most votes in that thing?”

“Thanks to Cole Blancard.”

“Austin, we’re going to help you.”

“How?”

“We’re going to stop the Narrow Man.”

The boy frowned. “Why?”

“Because that is what we do.”

“But how? You don’t know anything about him.”

“We know how he picks his victims. The people cast their votes and he tallies the entries.”

“So … what are you gonna do?”

“You had the right idea, old chum,” said Warrick, adopting an English accent as he passed the cricket bat he’d been holding to Ronnie. “We’re going to smash that silly old voting box, what-ho?”

As if to mark the target, Two approached the ballot box, took an exploratory sniff, then started humping it.

“And that’s just the start,” said Kelly, taking off her jacket despite the cold. She held out her hand. “May I?”

Austin hesitated a moment, looking at the tattoo sleeves on her arms, then gave her his baseball bat.

“Everyone move back,” said Ronnie. “We are about to engage in distinctly criminal behaviour.”

Warrick dragged Two away from his latest conquest as Kelly gave Linda her jacket, and, as the others moved into the warmth of the van, she approached the box by Ronnie’s side. She took a few practice swings with her bat and looked around.

“The coast appears to be clear,” she said. “But I guess appearances can be … can be … How’s that end?”

He grinned at her. “You’re not going to make me say it, you know.”

“Sure I am. It’s your most favourite thing in the world to say, and it’s only a matter of time before it passes from your lips.”

“I admire the dedication, if nothing else.”