‘I’m saying I’ve seen Jack the Ripper. But up here. And when all this started to be something you were looking into, I checked out all the echoes of him down there and all. And this ain’t nothing to do with him. This is something new.’ Alf looked over his shoulder suddenly, and the tone of his voice changed into a high growl of pleading. ‘They let you have a bit of hope. This is me getting my hope. They let me see you. But then there’s more pain, and you can’t stand it in the end – your brain just switches off and then you wake up in here again, ready to have it all crushed out of you again…’ He was crying again, actually wailing. She was too, she realized, a low noise in her throat to match his.

‘I’m working on it, Dad. I’m trying to get you out.’

‘Hope again. You’re part of it!’ His face contorted as if he regretted saying that more than anything. ‘No, I didn’t mean that! Come and see me soon. Please!’ Then he looked over his shoulder again, and started to scream abuse at something that was coming. He had been found out, she understood. ‘Let me stay with her! Please! It’s the only joy I—!’

Something hugely powerful heaved him back into the ceiling, all in one sudden and terrible movement. With a slam and the stench bursting again into the room, the ceiling closed.

‘Dad!’ Ross shouted helplessly after him. ‘Dad!’ She stopped herself. He wasn’t coming back. Not this time. Now she knew that every time she came here she was contributing to his torture. That was why they, whoever they were, had let him talk to her. But now he’d been caught, she doubted he’d be allowed to give her any help that went against their cause. She allowed herself to shoulder the burden of having hurt him. She would not cry. Not here. She had tried to save him when he was first hanging here in this room, and she would save him again. She was doing something towards that goal. She would not let anything stop her.

She turned slowly to look at the person who might stand in her way.

Costain was shaking, a hand still over his mouth. He saw she was looking at him. After a moment, he composed himself enough to say something. ‘That smell…’