‘Casey was interviewed by RTÉ. She told them the lads weren’t gay and that she was Rave’s girlfriend. She mentioned you too. She told them they were all wrong and she wanted them to make it right. She said she loved Rave and asked him to come home. It was cool,’ Mel gushed.

‘That’s great.’ Deirdre felt numb. Maybe Rave will come back to Casey but me and Jeremy are done. Her heart ached.

Once they’d found the perfect spot, they sat on their schoolbags and watched the press, the guards, the sub-aqua team, the boats and helicopters.

‘It’s like something off the telly,’ Jonno said.

‘They’re not in there,’ Dave said. ‘They’re more likely to find Jimmy Hoffa riding Shergar or Amelia Earhart down there.’ Nobody laughed.

Casey started to cry and Deirdre put an arm round her. Mel handed out cigarettes to anyone who wanted one.

Nobody really talked, save for the odd thing about needing to go to the loo or offering chewing gum, a smoke or a piece of chocolate. When a few hours had passed and the crowd below was dispersing, Jonno looked at his watch. It was well past his teatime. His ma would be having a fit but he just sat back, relaxed, as though he didn’t care.

‘So we’re staying,’ Dave said, and Deirdre nodded. I’m not going anywhere. I might hate you but I love you too, Jeremy. You’re me best friend, you stupid bastard. They all settled in, snuggled together, keeping warm, watching the searchlights skim the water and men like seals appear from and disappear into the deep darkness, against the sound of a low-flying helicopter and the whirr of the coast guard’s engine. It didn’t matter that they were cold and hungry. It didn’t matter that they knew in their hearts there was no way their friends were in a watery grave. They stayed until the last man was out of the water and the last light had been turned off.

Chapter Eight

‘Today’
The Smashing Pumpkins, 1993

Maisie

MAISIE, BRIDIE, LYNN, Fred and Valerie sat in front of the TV with pizza on their laps, waiting for the news.

‘This is a treat,’ Bridie said. ‘I didn’t think I’d like pizza, Lynn, but then Jeremy talked me into pepperoni and it’s great. He likes the one with pineapple on it but I can’t get me head around that. Where is Jeremy, Maisie?’

‘We don’t know, Ma. Remember?’ Maisie said, and everyone waited for Bridie to absorb the information.

‘Oh.’ Bridie’s eyes welled. ‘He’s gone off and left us.’

‘But we’ll find him,’ Maisie said. ‘Just like we talked about.’

‘He’ll be on the news now.’ Bridie focused on the TV, clearly trying her best to keep up.

‘That’s right, Ma.’