Ollie. Elin has the strange, jarring sensation of her life being balanced on what are now unstable foundations.
“So if Creacher wasn’t the killer, then you think whoever was”—he visibly swallows—“whoever was, they might have . . . Farrah . . .”
She nods. “I’m sorry, but yes, it’s possible.”
“But if Creacher didn’t kill Thea, my other friends, then why would the killer come after Farrah now? What Farrah did helped them, surely? Planted suspicion even more firmly on Creacher.”
“I don’t know what their motive is yet. Given the photograph in her bin, I’m thinking that maybe she’s done some digging, recognized someone. If that’s the case, then they probably recognized her too. This might be their way of warning her off.”
“Do you think you’re going to be able to find her?” There’s desperation in his voice. “I’ve got to tell Mum and Dad and I want to give them something positive.”
“I’ll do everything I can, you know that, but with two of us, and the location . . . it isn’t easy . . .” She pauses. “Will, do you remember anything about the person who attacked Thea?”
“I wish I did.” His voice is subdued. “All I know is that they were strong, and that they’d have killed me if they could. I could feel the violence, somehow, emanating from them. That’s what stayed with me, even after all these years. That . . . brutality.”
“I’m so sorry,” she says quietly. “And I hate to have to make you relive it again, but one last question: Did anyone mention anything about the school? The detective said the kids during the Creacher case were scared of going into the old school building, and we’ve found reference to it in Farrah’s things.”
A long pause, then Will nods. “People were talking about it from the moment we set foot on the island. Rumors. Someone said that they knew someone who’d been to the school, that the teachers were obsessed with the rock. Used to take the kids into this room . . .”
Elin’s skin prickles. “What kind of room?”
“They didn’t give any more detail. You know what it’s like at that age. Probably all hearsay.”
She’s silent. Hearsay.
Will might be right, but after everything she’s learned about the place, she’s not so sure.
69
What’s wrong? I heard shouting,” Caleb says as Hana makes her way into her room. He stops beside her in the doorway, backpack already fastened over his shoulders. It’s too tight: the straps are pulling up his T-shirt, revealing several inches of pale stomach.
“Jo,” Hana says flatly, bumping her case around the door.
His face softens. “Upset about Seth?”
“Actually, no.” Hana glances down, finding it hard to articulate her thoughts. “A bit of a bombshell. I found out she was having an affair with Liam, and”—her voice catches—“she told me that she was with him . . . when he died.” She falters, unable to stop her mind from going there again; picturing the two of them together.
Caleb balks. “With him?”
“Yes, they were cycling together. Jo saw the accident and she left him to it. Never told anyone.” She has to bite down on her lip to stop herself from crying. “Keeping the affair secret was obviously more important.”
“Oh, God.” He shakes his head, lip curling. Hana knows what he’s thinking: none of this is a surprise. It’s pretty clear that Caleb has low expectations of their family, particularly Jo. “I’m so sorry,” he says quietly. “I never met Liam, but I knew what you two had. I can’t even begin to imagine how you’re feeling.”
Hana nods, and although she wasn’t planning on saying it, some horrible part of her wants him to understand, just a tiny bit, the emotions swirling inside her. Share the burden. “It wasn’t the only thing she fessed up to. I found Bea’s phone in her room. She admitted to taking it.”
“Bea’s phone?” His voice is shaking.
“What’s left of it. It’s smashed up. Jo said she found it like that, got a glimpse of it near the yoga pavilion when the forensic guy was searching.”
“And her first instinct wasn’t to give it to the detective?”
“Apparently not. She said there was stuff on there she didn’t want getting out. About Liam.”
“But by doing that—”
“I know.”
Silence stretches out between them. “You buy it?” Caleb says eventually. “That she just found it there?”