The Survivors(29)

Things with Sean had been different after that, but everything was. Kieran was just grateful they were still speaking.

No-one knew that Olivia had also been down in the caves, Kieran had realised in hospital. By then there seemed no point in dragging her into it too. She’d been the one to sound the alarm, but in the chaos it had been assumed she’d been up on the cliff path when she’d spotted Kieran in the water.

By the time anyone would have thought to check the finer details, the search for Gabby Birch was well into its urgent phase, and every question directed Olivia’s way was focused exclusively on attempts to find her fourteen-year-old sister.

Kieran had tried a few times to call and text Olivia, but she’d never replied. Kieran hadn’t been totally surprised. He wasn’t sure what he would have said if she had.

A joint funeral was held for Finn and Toby on the basis that the list of mourners overlapped almost entirely. Olivia hadn’t come, but Kieran hadn’t been surprised about that either. After all, by then Gabby’s backpack had been found.

The doorway of Fisherman’s Cottage remained empty. Olivia was still inside. Ash checked the time yet again on his phone.

‘Do you think there’s something –’ He broke off as two men came around the side of the house. Kieran was a little surprised to see that one of them was Julian Wallis, looking more composed than he had earlier at the Surf and Turf. His granite features were back in place as he pointed out security features to a police officer armed with a camera.

‘Deadlocks on the exterior doors,’ Julian was saying.

‘You installed them, or they were here when you bought the place?’ the officer asked.

A pause. ‘They were already in.’

He made a note. ‘How long have you owned this house?’

‘Six years.’

‘Changed the locks at all in that time?’

‘No. I mean –’ Julian looked thrown. He ran a hand over his cropped silver hair. ‘Should I have?’

‘Just confirming.’ The officer made a carry on gesture. Julian gathered himself and pointed up. ‘Security light up there, as well. Motion activated. I installed that.’

‘Your local sergeant said that bulb had blown,’ the officer said neutrally, snapping a photo.

Julian stared up at it, betrayal in every feature. ‘The girls didn’t report it. I’d have put in a new one if they had.’

The officer simply raised his camera again, noncommittal, and took another photo. He squinted at the screen.

‘All right,’ he said. ‘Wait here. I’ll check if your sergeant needs anything else.’

Julian watched the man disappear through the front door of his investment property, his jaw set. He turned, seemingly noticing Kieran and Ash for the first time, and walked over, leaning heavily against the fence.

‘How’s Liam?’ Ash said.

‘You’ve heard, then? About him driving her home?’

‘Think everyone has, mate.’

‘Well, that’s all he did, if anyone’s asking.’ Julian sighed. ‘He’s not doing well. Sarah’s with him. She’s not too good either.’

‘No.’

‘They don’t deserve this.’ Julian didn’t exactly look at Kieran. ‘Neither of them. Reckon they’ve earned their peace and quiet.’

The note of accusation was faint, but it came through on a frequency to which Kieran was highly attuned. He said nothing in response, simply letting his reaction rise and fade and pass as his last counsellor had recommended.

Instead, Kieran looked up the road, where in the distance he could nearly make out his parents’ house. Mia was there waiting for him, and he had the urge to be near her. He pushed himself away from the fence then stopped as there was movement and Olivia came out of the cottage. She was clutching a few small items in her hands and had a troubled look on her face.

Sergeant Renn filled the doorway behind her. He saw Julian and beckoned.

‘Quick word, please, mate.’

‘Of course. No worries.’ Julian dutifully headed up the path towards Renn. They disappeared inside, and the door shut again.

‘Are you okay?’ Ash reached out his hand to Olivia. ‘What did they want?’

‘I’m not sure.’ She seemed a little shell-shocked. ‘He kept asking the same things as this morning. Stuff about Bronte. What did she talk about? What did she do when she wasn’t at work? Who came to visit her at the house? But it was like he wanted something specific.’

‘Like what?’ Ash said.

‘I don’t know, but I don’t think I was giving it to him.’

‘What did you tell them?’

‘Everything I could think of. That she had that boyfriend, Marco, for a while. How she was out of the house a lot getting ideas for her art. Bringing back seaweed and stuff she’d found.’ Olivia stopped as the shadow of an officer appeared in the front window then moved away again. ‘Chris asked if anything was missing.’

‘Was there?’ Kieran said.

‘All my things were okay. Bronte’s purse and phone are on the counter. And the rent money’s in cash on top of the fridge and that’s still there. But –’ She held out her hands to show a packet of birth control pills and a contact lens case and solution. ‘This is all they would let me take. Chris checked it over. And they’re still in her room. I think they’re looking for something.’