‘I’ve been planning this for a long time. Watching and waiting. Following you all – playing the game. Do you really think it was a coincidence that it was my mother who found Clare on the road that morning? That was a key part of all this. To give her the justice she’d been denied. I wanted her to see what I’d done to the person who hurt Laura so badly. Now it’s time to finish what I started. And my mother will see me now. She’ll forgive me for the person I became. I won’t be invisible any longer.’

The thrum of helicopter blades overhead distracted me. They appeared to distract him, whatever his name was, too. He looked up and walked to the window, pulling back one of the boards just a fraction to try to see out.

This was perhaps the one chance I’d have. I scrambled across the room, half crawling, half walking as I tried to pull myself to an upright position. The door to the classroom was open and I knew if I could get out, there was just the slightest chance I could get away. I’d have to hope I knew the twists and turns of these corridors and school buildings better than he did.

I was holding my breath, afraid that any noise would cut over the sound of the helicopter and attract his attention. I’d just managed to turn right and start to run towards the stairs, when I heard him bellow my name.

I ran as fast as I could in the darkness, in the dank, sweaty smell of this crumbling building, and I hoped I could outrun him, because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that when he caught me, he’d make sure that I’d never be able to run from him again.

Chapter Fifty-One

Elizabeth

DI Bradley left. Told me that another police officer would come and sit with me, to ask me a few questions. I sat shell-shocked, with Cliona by my side.

‘Elizabeth,’ she said, ‘I’m going to ask you something now that may be distressing for you. But I feel that given everything that’s happening, I do need to ask.’

I looked at her. I couldn’t imagine anything she’d ask me or say to me could be more distressing than what had already unfurled that afternoon.

‘Do you think that anyone else could possibly have gained access to that photo? Anyone at all who might already have a history of violence?’ She spoke softly.

I shook my head.

‘Elizabeth, I’ve seen your file. I know about Aaron. What happened to you. What he did. Do you think there’s any chance it could be him?’