The Survivors(35)

‘Call me if you think or hear of anything else,’ she said.

They nodded in unison as they watched her walk down the path and through the gate. Verity waited until the officer was safely back on the road before she shut the door. In the living room, Kieran could hear his dad mumbling something to himself.

Verity ignored it and went through to the kitchen. Kieran and Mia followed her, watching as she put on the kettle and leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection in the window. She reached over and opened the door of the fridge, scanning its contents. Kieran could tell she was counting her breathing, in-two-three-four and out-two-three-four. When she straightened, her face was once more as placid as a lake.

‘We’ll get a takeaway for dinner tonight.’ She shut the fridge door carefully.

‘Why didn’t you tell Pendlebury about Dad and Gabby?’ Kieran said.

The kettle shrieked and Verity got out four mugs.

‘I didn’t think it was relevant.’

‘Mum –’ Kieran stared. ‘It absolutely was.’

No response.

‘Mum –’

‘I can hear you, Kieran.’

Verity simply tilted the kettle, the water steaming as it streamed out.

‘She’ll find out.’ Mia was stroking her daughter’s head. ‘I’m not going to be the one who tells her, Verity, but someone will. Even if she doesn’t read the file, which I also think she will.’

‘Well, I’ll deal with that as it comes. If it comes to anything at all.’ Verity put her mug down on the table with a soft click. ‘I mean, it was all sorted out at the time.’

Verity was right about that, Kieran thought, which was all the more reason not to hide it.

The facts remained the facts. Among them that Brian Elliott had been Gabby’s teacher. And Kieran’s, and Sean’s, Ash’s, Olivia’s, Mia’s. As the only PE teacher at the town’s secondary school, he had, at some point, yelled instructions at every single student across the footy oval or netball court or gym.

On the day of the storm, Brian had seen Gabby at the beach. She was standing alone on the rocks and staring at the waves. A fisherman giving his dog a hasty walk as the weather drew in had spotted Brian talking to a girl whose long brown curly hair was blowing all over the place. Brian had never denied it.

Brian had been in town buying a new bike lock and was rushing home himself, he later told Sergeant Mallott and Constable Renn at the police station. He’d been walking briskly, hoping to beat the rain that was threatening to start.

Gabby caught his eye simply because the beach was otherwise deserted. He had called her name and she’d turned and given a shy wave of recognition. At that point, Brian Elliott made his way across the sand towards her.

‘What did the police want to know?’ Kieran had heard Verity ask later when Brian had returned from the station. Her voice floated into Kieran’s bedroom, soft and low from the back verandah.

Brian’s reply had been muffled, and Kieran could picture him sitting in one of the beach chairs, his head in his hands. ‘They asked what I’d said to her.’

The rocks Gabby was standing on got slippery in bad weather. Brian told her this, and warned that rain was coming. It wasn’t safe. She should come back onto the beach.

Gabby had agreed, so Brian had helped her across the rocks until she was safely on the sand.

‘That bloody annoying new cop –’ Brian’s voice was still muffled. ‘The young one. What’s his name? Ben?’

‘Chris Renn,’ Verity said.

‘He asked if I had touched her when I helped her. Jesus.’ A heavy sigh. ‘I said yes. Once, on her elbow, and only because she nearly bloody went in.’

‘What did he say to that?’

‘He didn’t say anything, Ver.’ Brian’s words were clearer now. ‘Christ, I hope she turns up soon.’

‘Yes,’ said Verity. ‘I hope so too.’

Both had fallen quiet.

‘What else did you tell the police?’ Kieran heard Verity say eventually.

Brian had asked Gabby if she was all right and she’d said she was. She seemed perhaps a little subdued, in hindsight, but not enough for him to feel concerned, as he explained to the officers. Brian told Gabby to go home before the storm hit. Gabby had said she was leaving soon.

The young constable, Renn, had observed that Brian lived nearby. Had he offered to get his car and drive her home?

Brian said he had not.

Had Brian considered it? After all, the clouds were grey and heavy.

No. It was against school policy to allow students in your car.

Even in a storm?

Even then. Besides, the rain hadn’t started yet, Brian had pointed out, quite rightly. And nobody knew then how bad it would be.

What happened next? Renn had asked.

Nothing.

Brian had said goodbye and left Gabby standing on the sand beside the rocks, her hair blowing and her backpack on her shoulder. He had walked the rest of the way home alone. He had seen no-one, been seen by no-one, let himself into an empty house, and in the process, officially become the last person to admit to seeing Gabby Birch alive.





Chapter 14


If it was possible to find any kind of silver lining at all in the deaths of Finn Elliott and Toby Gilroy, it was in the timing.