He opened a new webpage and typed into the search bar: 1985 Great Western Tiers disappearances.

He began to read. He couldn’t get the stupid rhyme out of his head. That was probably why he kept thinking he saw faces at the window. Those lights out there in the woods were surely just the torches of the search team.

That night, when they came, the nightmares were fierce.

CHAPTER 34

CON

It was morning, and the rain had cleared, but mist clung to the summits of the Tiers.

Con and Commander Agatha Normandy sat across from Madison in a quiet room at the police station, Nelly Mason seated beside her daughter. It was the room usually reserved for difficult meetings with mourning family or for social work sessions. The couches were comfortable, the lighting gentle, a window looked out onto the street and the Tiers beyond.

‘I’ve already told you what I saw,’ said Madison. Her face was drawn and her whole body shook: she looked unwell. Even her deep red hair seemed to have lost some of its shine and the make-up didn’t hide the bags under her eyes. Her sleeveless green jumpsuit, at least, looked elegant. ‘You’ve already got the bitch: why can’t you find my sister?’

Nelly Mason held Madison’s hand, her eyes empty as she looked at the floor. Con wondered if she was even aware of where she was.

‘I’m sorry, dear, we just need to ask some further questions,’ said Agatha.

Madison folded her bare arms, but still kept a hold of her mother’s hand. ‘What else do you need to know?’

‘You told us that you caught Miss Ellis in your sister’s room, is that right?’ said Agatha. ‘Can you run me through the details again?’

Madison folded her arms tighter. ‘I already talked about this —’

‘I know. But it will help if I hear the details directly from you, in case I have questions.’ Agatha smiled.

Madison rolled her eyes. ‘We were home alone. Mum and Dad had gone away for the weekend. It was late at night, I was in my room editing videos, and Mr Bruiser started going psycho. He ran towards Cierra’s room. She wouldn’t open the door, but I thought she might’ve been in danger so I forced my way in, and that’s when I saw Miss Ellis by the open window, in her dressing gown. There were all these empty beer bottles, and it stank of weed. Cierra . . . wasn’t wearing much.’ Madison’s cheeks reddened.

Nelly didn’t even twitch.

‘What did they do?’ said the commander.

‘Cierra pushed me back out of the room before I could see anything else. She made me swear to never, ever tell anyone.’ Tears now glistened in Madison’s eyes. ‘So I went back to my room and put my headphones in.’

‘Why did you think Cierra might have been in danger?’

Madison shrugged. ‘Just did.’