The horror is still sinking in, though I’ve known since Tuesday: Gavin is King Edward. There’s no room for doubt. I have not had two cyber affairs with two different men; King Edward and Gavin are the same man. King Edward knew precisely what I’d be looking for after what he put me through—I was moronic enough to spell it out for him. He created the Gavin identity to attract me, and I fell into his trap. Until Tuesday, it didn’t once cross my mind that, in Gavin, I had found King Edward under a different alias.

How could he do that to me? After nearly destroying me once . . .

Those horrible words—He is no less dead—are connected to King Edward somehow, I’m certain of it. My sudden pulse of terror that passed so quickly brought his name with it—his false name. The knowledge is there, like something dark swelling inside me. I can feel the answer tapping at the back of my brain, trying to get in.

Did King Edward murder Damon Blundy? I know he was aware of him, perhaps even obsessed by him . . .

“Nicki?” Kate Zilber’s insistent voice drags me out of my morbid thoughts. “Have you gone into a tunnel? Have I gone into a tunnel?”

“Sorry,” I say, trying to pull myself together. “Yes, I . . . I could do with talking to someone,” I say. “When are you free?”

“How about tomorrow night?”

“That should be OK . . . Kate, I’m going to have to go. That beeping noise means I’ve got another call.”

“OK, let’s confirm at school tomorrow. Meantime, if I see Streaky Boy, I’ll rugby-tackle him to the ground.”

I almost smile as I press the “line 2” button. Kate’s not worried, not anymore. Though she sounded all portentous at first.

Because she thought Flash Dad was a Freeth Lane parent and therefore her problem? No, that’s unfair. She was probably just trying to make me feel better by treating it all as entertainment and nothing to be scared of. She succeeded. I didn’t see Flash Not-Dad today. Maybe I’ve scared him away.

“Hello?” I say, on line 2, shivering.

No response. Silence. Then a breath.

“King Edward?” I whisper.