A swing door on the other side of the space leads to a wide corridor, also dimly lit by the ceiling-height windows, with three or four doors leading off it, most with little round windows in them. I peer through one: it’s much too dark to see inside. I try the door handle: it’s locked.

I freeze on the spot when a beam of white light passes across the ceiling, followed a second or two later by the deep rumble of a big motorbike turning into the car park.

Kez’s dad!

I scuttle quickly back through the swing door into the staffroom and go up to the door I came in through. I’m about to thump on it and demand to be let out, but I can hear the motorbike only a few metres away. Then the engine goes quiet and there is an adult voice, muffled through the door, but still audible.

‘Hello, love. What you doing here?’

‘Hi, Dad. Just walkin’ Dennis. He chased a ball and it went round this side.’

Mr Becker chuckles. ‘Chased a ball? That’s something new. I’ve not seen him get above walking pace.’

His voice is getting nearer and I hear the jingling of keys followed by Kez’s squeaked question.

‘You’re not going in there, are you?’

‘Erm … yeah, love. Why sh—’

‘Only … Mam was asking for you. I think. You should see what she wants. First, like.’

‘Aye, well, your mam can wait a minute longer, can’t she? I just have to get something from the office. Don’t look at me like that. What’s wrong with you? Go on, off you go back home. Yes – now, Kezia. Scram. Beat it.’

By the time I hear the key in the lock, I’m in full-on terror. There is nowhere – nowhere – in the staffroom that will conceal me if he turns the light on, which he is certain to do.

Chapter 68

The swing door is still moving and creaking behind me as Mr Becker comes through the main door, and I’m standing in the corridor, which is now lit up as he turns the building’s interior lights on. If he comes down here to get to the office at the other end, he’ll find me.

There are four doors leading off the corridor. The first one I already know is locked. I try the second one: that is locked too, and I just know what will happen when I try the others. I can hear Mr Becker’s footsteps coming across the staffroom floor.

The third door is locked as I expected. The fourth door has no window and it … opens.