‘Con, I think that’s why Denni King killed herself,’ said Gabriella. ‘That’s why she arranged for Madison to find her. It was part of the ritual! Remember what Eliza said? Denni was obsessed with the Hungry Man.’

‘We all thought she was getting better,’ said Yani. ‘But she was always protective and caring – it’d make sense if she thought she was protecting her friends by —’

‘No. No, I don’t want to hear this, Gabriella,’ said Con. ‘This is real life. There is no Hungry Man.’

‘Think about what Eliza experienced up there,’ said Gabriella, poking Con in the chest. ‘The shoes. Dorrie Dossett. The yowie. There’s so many weird things about this case, Con, you need to open your mind up.’

‘And you believe this too?’ said Con, turning to Pastor Hugh.

‘I know that there are demonic forces all around us that we don’t understand, that would love to trick us into doing terrible things. And I know that Madison is a very twisted girl. Who knows what she’s opened herself up to?’

Con looked at Murphy. ‘I need to get back to real investigating to find your daughter.’ He walked to the door. For a moment he thought Murphy was going to balk, but then he followed Con outside.

‘If you don’t look into this, I will,’ Gabriella shouted after them. ‘Stay out of my way!’

Con kept walking, muttering under his breath. Murphy stayed silent as they climbed into the car, and it wasn’t until they were driving away that he asked, ‘Why did you freak out about that?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Didn’t know you could lose your cool like that,’ said Murphy. ‘You don’t even realise you’re shouting, do you?’

‘I’m not . . .’ Con took a deep breath. ‘I’m not shouting.’

‘You lost it in there. Why? It’s not completely crazy for this to be part of some stupid teenage delusion about the Hungry Man, is it? I mean, I can see how it would be good for Madison’s online thing.’

‘It’s ridiculous.’

‘But why does it upset you that much?’ said Murphy.

Con focused on the road. By the time they pulled up at Murphy’s house, Con felt the first prickles of shame at his outburst, but the faces of the Jaguar girls wouldn’t leave his mind.

‘You owe me the truth,’ said Murphy. ‘Why won’t you look into this?’

‘Alright!’ Con threw up his hands. ‘Alright. I worked a case in Sydney . . . a number of girls were tortured to death. It was ritualistic. Everyone in the investigation got wrapped up in all the stupid supernatural shit involved in the rituals, me included, and we missed the obvious evidence and leads that come from good police work. We missed . . . There were girls we could have saved. I just don’t want to make that mistake again.’