Liana refuses to rise to the bait. Her hair has been down to her bum since she was eight. We have a pact to keep our hair long until we’re eighteen. ‘When are you coming back to Morrison, seriously?’

‘I don’t think I am.’

‘Aren’t you scared of Doctor Calm, though? I swear, Chlo, I’m worried about you, all the time.’

‘They haven’t proved he’s connected to the school.’ I take the beer off Katie and drink until my smoky throat recovers.

Katie snorts. ‘Yeah, he’s connected! How clueless do they think we are?’

‘It’s wrong, that’s what it is!’ Liana’s volume ramps up. ‘They’ve got loads of money and they should be protecting you more. I can’t believe there aren’t security guards! If someone was snatching girls from my school, I’d get armed guards.’

‘Won’t matter,’ says Katie. ‘Because it’ll turn out to be one of your teachers, of course. The one you least suspect.’

There had been a lot of gossip going around about various teachers, but the police profile seemed to have put an end to it. It said that the offender might travel with his job, and would definitely be away from home or work regularly. That couldn’t be any of our teachers.

After the profile came out I thought it only had to be a matter of time before someone came forward, but nothing has happened. It’s gotten awfully quiet around the school this week, and in the media too. We’ve had exams, and everyone has been studying.

‘Listen,’ Katie says, ‘I heard that they’ve got new DNA evidence from an older case, and that they’re getting things together for an arrest. Have you heard about that? Tim’s cousin is in the police force.’

‘I don’t know.’ I give the can to her.

‘If you get taken…’ Katie sips. ‘The thing you’re supposed to do is breathe in real deep when you’re tied up, and then when you breathe out—bam! The ropes are loose.’

‘Did you get that email too?’ I can’t believe it’s travelled so far.

‘We want you back!’ The fire has finally caught, and orange light flickers across Liana’s face. ‘I always imagined we’d graduate together.’

I let her hug me. I imagined the same thing too, and that we could go to the same uni as well, even though Liana has been settled on Biomedical Science for ages and I have less of a clue than ever.

Katie wanders off to find more firewood. I’m left alone with Liana, so now’s my chance.

‘Hey, L, I was hoping you might be able to help me with an art project.’

‘Yeah?’ She looks interested so I plunge on. It’s not like Liana hasn’t posed for me in the past.