Yeah, I get it, he signed, shaking her off. You all know everything about Joe. Joe was your friend first. Whatever. I’ve heard it all, and I don’t give a shit.

No, I mean I know who Joe really is.

Leon stared at Cassie for a moment, and she grinned at him, hoping he realised she wanted to tell him her secret. A moment later, however, she realised she’d seriously misjudged the situation.

Stop trying to mess with other people’s lives, Cassie, Leon snarled. Or one day you’re going to get hurt.

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Chapter 22

Friday 30th November

‘Good morning. My name is Ravjit Singh, and I am a detective sergeant with Humberside police. We’re here to talk to you today about safety, specifically how you can stay safe online.’

I stood at the front of the school hall next to Singh, interpreting for him. Given what had come to light about Steve and Leon’s online chats, it had been agreed that it was important for the students to have a reminder of basic online safety. Years Five and upwards were present in the assembly, Liz Marcek having deemed it to be inappropriate for the youngest pupils.

Some officers had been through all the recovered messages, and they had discovered that Leon had told ‘Joe’ an awful lot about himself, including what school he went to, and that he was a residential student. He’d also told him about a few of the activities and trips he’d been on recently, specifying places and times. Of course, Steve had already known this, but if Leon had been talking to a predator from outside the school, they could have used that information to find him.

Bradley, Kian, Courtney and Cassie all entered the hall together and sat down in a line. Bradley’s leg jiggled nervously, and Kian had a groove in his forehead from frowning. Courtney was doing her best to look relaxed, but I noticed her chewing on the edge of her fingernail. Even Cassie was looking worried, but that could have had more to do with her breaking into Steve’s office just a few hours earlier. Sasha came in after the four of them and stood at the side of the hall. She hadn’t been in the school yesterday, but I wasn’t surprised she’d made the effort to be there today.

Once the official presentation was over, DS Singh came back to the front of the stage and addressed all eighteen students.