Heath rose to his feet and laughed, head back, crazed, cackling like a demented hyena. ‘Didn’t you see the early evening news, Mother? Weren’t you watching the report? The police were there, and the parents, the bitch mother spoke directly to me. How could you not know that? I thought you knew everything. It seems you’re not nearly as clever as you like to make out.’

She wagged a finger at him. ‘What are you talking about now, you ridiculous boy?’

Heath began pounding the wall, wishing it was her, raining down one blow after another until his hands were swollen and his knuckles bled. ‘The police are looking for witnesses, Mother. They’re searching for evidence. And that provides an opportunity. I’m sure they’ll be fascinated by what I have to tell them. They’ll lap it up like the fools they are.’ He threw his arms in the air, spraying blood everywhere. ‘Misdirection, smoke and mirrors, cat and mouse. I’ll show you precisely what torment means.’

‘Are you sure, Henry? Are you man enough to see it through to the end? Or are you still that same inadequate little boy who failed your dear father and me so very badly?’

Heath smeared warm blood across his face as he glared at her. ‘I’ll show you exactly what I’m capable of, you infuriating shrew. You watch me tear their lives to pieces. I’ll inflict infinitely worse horrors than you could ever imagine. And it all begins right here and now, my creation, my achievement, and mine alone. Just you wait and see. Megan and her interfering porcine helpers won’t know what hit them. There’s a foul and raging tempest coming their way. A tsunami of pain and destruction. A storm they can’t hope to survive.’

18

Lewis was sitting alone in the notoriously terrible police headquarters canteen, enthusiastically tucking into a full English breakfast swimming in cholesterol-laden grease, when Kesey called out his name from the door. ‘All right, Ray. I’ll be with you in a minute.’

‘Have I got time to finish eating?’

Kesey nodded as she approached the serving counter. ‘Yeah, no problem, knock yourself out, there’s a bacon roll with my name on it.’

Kesey ordered, paid and waited, before joining Lewis at the table a few minutes later, her food in one hand and a cup of strong coffee in the other.

‘You’re looking tired, boss.’

Kesey yawned, closing her eyes for a beat before speaking. ‘Yeah, Edward didn’t have a great night. I’m feeling like shit.’

Lewis chewed and swallowed a chunk of gristle, washing it down with a slurp of excessively sweet tea. ‘What’s up with him?’

‘Jan thinks it’s croup. The poor little bugger couldn’t stop coughing. He emits a slight rattle every time he exhales. It was horrendous. I’ve never seen him in such a state. We tried steam inhalation, but it didn’t seem to help a great deal. Jan’s taking him along to see the GP. Hopefully, some medication can sort him out.’