I See You(103)

The photo was new to Kelly, but the girl wasn’t. A different photo, given to Kelly as the example from which a smaller image had been cropped. Kelly had read every inch of the Operation FURNISS file. She knew she’d seen this girl before. The same blonde hair, the same pouty expression.

She turned to look at Nick. ‘I recognise her. This is Zoe Walker’s daughter.’





35


‘What sort of game?’ I say. Melissa smiles. She is still sitting at her desk, spinning the chair so she can face us. She looks at the computer screen.

‘More than a hundred hits already.’ She looks at Katie. ‘You’re a popular girl.’

My stomach lurches. ‘You’re not putting her on that website.’

‘She’s already on there.’ Melissa clicks again, and I see Katie’s photo on the screen, pouting at us with a careless confidence in stark contrast to our current situation. Katie cries out and I put my arm around her, pulling her towards me so fiercely her chair scrapes across the floor.

‘So here’s how it will work.’ Melissa is using her business voice; the one she adopts when she’s on the phone to suppliers, or cajoling the bank manager into yet another loan. I’ve never heard her use it with me before, and it makes my blood run cold. ‘I’ve made Katie’s profile free to download for a limited period, and I’ve sent the link to all members.’

There’s another ping from the computer; a notification box appears, then another and another.

Downloaded.

Downloaded.

Downloaded.





‘As you can tell, they’re quick off the mark. Hardly surprising, when you think they’re usually paying up to five hundred quid for someone far less …’ she takes time choosing the right word, finally settling on one that makes me sick to my stomach, ‘enticing.’

‘She’s not going anywhere.’

‘Oh, come on, now. Where’s your sense of adventure? Not all my clients have nefarious aims, you know. Some of them are really rather romantic.’

‘She’s not going.’

‘Then I’m afraid it’s going to end very badly for both of you.’

‘What do you mean?’

She ignores my question. ‘Here are the rules. Katie follows her normal commute, and if she gets to the restaurant without any … shall we say interruptions … then you win and I let you go. If she doesn’t … well, you both lose.’

‘That’s sick,’ Katie says.

Melissa looks at her, a sneer on her face. ‘Oh, come on, Katie, it’s not like you to pass up the opportunity to be in the limelight.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘This is your chance to be star of the show. We all know you’re not happy unless you’re the centre of attention. Never mind that Justin might have wanted a chance, or one of your friends. It always has to be about you, doesn’t it? Like mother, like daughter.’

I’m stunned by the hatred in her voice. Katie is crying, as shocked as I am.

‘So,’ Melissa says, ‘that’s the game. Ready to play? Or would you rather skip straight to the part where you both lose?’ She tests the blade of the knife on her thumbnail, where it’s too sharp to slide smoothly across the red lacquer Melissa always wears.

‘You’re not using my daughter as bait for a bunch of sick men. I’d rather die.’

Melissa shrugs. ‘Your call.’ She stands up and walks towards me, the knife held out in front of her.

‘No!’ Katie screams. She clings to me, tears streaming down her face. ‘I’ll do it, I’ll go – I won’t let her hurt you.’

‘Katie, I’m not letting you do it. You’ll get hurt.’

‘And if I don’t, we both will! Don’t you understand? She’s mad!’

I glance at Melissa but she seems entirely unperturbed by Katie’s accusation. There’s no sign of agitation, or of anger, which makes her actions even more terrifying. She would push that knife into me, I realise, and not even break into a sweat. I’m struggling to accept that the woman I thought was my friend – the woman I thought I knew – is someone else entirely. Someone who hates me. Who resents me so deeply for being a mother that she’s prepared to hurt me; to hurt my daughter.

Katie squeezes my shoulder. ‘I can do this, Mum. The Tube will be busy – there’ll be people everywhere – no one’s going to hurt me.’

‘But, Katie, they have been hurt! Women have been murdered. Raped! You can’t go.’ Even as I say it, I’m thinking of the alternative. If Katie stays here, what will happen to her? I’m in no doubt now that Melissa is going to kill me, but I won’t let her kill Katie too.

‘The other women didn’t know they were being watched. I do. I’ll have the advantage. And I know that route, Mum. I’ll know if someone’s following me.’

‘No, Katie.’

‘I can do this. I want to do it.’ She’s not crying any more; her face is set with a determination I know so well I catch my breath. She thinks she’s saving me. She really thinks she can play this game – that she can cross London without being caught – and that winning the game means Melissa will spare me.