Con turned to Yani. ‘I need you to understand . . . if you don’t let us have those screenshots, we can’t look into this further.’

Yani glanced at Gabriella, then back to Con. ‘I can’t risk Madison finding out. I’d rather Detective Pakinga keep them.’

‘I’ve asked her too, detective, but Yani is seventeen and she can make her own choices,’ said Pastor Hugh, ‘But she’s agreed to answer any questions.’

‘I need more than that —’ began Con.

‘I didn’t know,’ Murphy said suddenly. ‘Jasmine never – I had no idea . . .’

‘No one’s blaming you,’ said Pastor Hugh. ‘There are plenty of ways to hide self-harm.’

Murphy turned to Con. ‘Are you going to take Madison down for this?’

‘No,’ shouted Yani. ‘You can’t tell her!’

‘But this could be why Jasmine went along with Madison’s plan to disappear!’

‘The what?’ said Pastor Hugh. ‘They planned it?’

‘There’s something else,’ said Gabriella. ‘Something important. But you have to take this seriously, Con.’

Con knew that tone of voice. His hackles rose.

‘Madison has another secret . . .’ said Yani. ‘She’s also . . . a witch.’

‘Oh for the love of —’ began Con.

‘Hear her out,’ interrupted Pastor Hugh. ‘Don’t dismiss everything you don’t understand.’

‘Madison turned all the girls into frogs and that’s why we can’t find them, got it,’ said Con.

‘Shut up, Con,’ snapped Gabriella. ‘Yani, go ahead.’

Yani swallowed, and when she spoke, her voice trembled. ‘M-Madison was trying to s-summon the Hungry Man.’

‘This just gets better and better,’ said Con.

‘Yes, it does, Con,’ spat Gabriella, standing up. ‘Because Madison knew about a ritual to summon the Hungry Man.’

‘You actually believe this, don’t you?’ Con laughed again.

‘Madison does!’ said Yani, suddenly louder than both of them. ‘She’s obsessed with the Hungry Man. She thinks he’s linked to the gateways in the mountains, the portals the Aboriginal people used.’

‘This is madness. What the hell is wrong with this town?’ shouted Con.

‘Easy, detective,’ said Pastor Hugh.

‘What does the ritual require?’ said Murphy, leaning forward. ‘Do you know?’

‘No, but apparently there’s a way to protect yourself. Madison told us the second part to the Hungry Man rhyme. It goes:

‘If you see the Hungry Man’s face,

he’ll never allow you to escape.

If you want to stay awake,

these three things you first must make:

carve a face and blind its eyes,

bind its throat with thread and twine,

and spend a night in the trees alone,

confess your sins, pray to atone,

then hang a girl from a tree to die,

and the Hungry Man will pass you by.’

‘I told you, bloody madness,’ snarled Con, standing up. ‘Let’s go, Murphy, we don’t need to get wrapped up in this.’