Three Hours(57)
As it got later the kids got older and the masks turned into a Hannibal Lector, a Munch Scream, a devil.
I heard you on the phone that night, Jamie. You were talking to Zac and you were saying, like you were laughing, ‘He’s a psycho!’ and Zac would have thought you were smiling, from your voice, but you weren’t.
No.
Victor’s mask was his face.
Deep, Mum.
Don’t tease me, Jamie …
Sorry.
I thought you’d see more of each other, you and Zac; become close friends again.
Like in Year Ten?
Yes.
I’m in the sixth form, doesn’t work that way any more.
But if Zac had been your best friend again …
I’d be safe now?
Yes.
Zac’s not like Captain America.
No. I know. I’m not being logical.
Never been your strongest suit.
No. Please ring me, Jamie. If you can. Please.
A message from Mike on her phone – the neighbour broke in, there’s nothing from Jamie on their home answerphone.
Jamie isn’t hurt. He’s still hiding, that’s all, still hiding, and in a building, not outside in the snow, which is why he can’t even text her because a glowing screen might give him away. And he doesn’t wear bright clothes any more, so that’ll mean he’s less conspicuous.
A gust of wind batters the police Range Rover. Out of the window, the snowflakes are thick and frenzied, each one an insubstantial feather, weightless, but massed together they are piling on to trees, fences, hills of grass and ploughed fields, everything weighted down and smothered; the landscape being suffocated.
*
The storm has hit, a white-out and gale-force winds making flying the police helicopters virtually impossible but the pilots want to keep searching the woods for more gunmen. A police SUV has found Olav Christoffersen, who’d pulled over on the side of the road, unable to drive further through the snow; he’s getting into the police vehicle and will be on the line any moment.
‘Not yet’ was Victor Deakin’s last text and there’s been nothing further from him about Jamie Alton. Rose thinks he’ll be enjoying the suspense.
‘Olav Christoffersen is on the phone,’ George says, his face pink with relief at accomplishing his task.
Rose takes the call, putting it on speaker.
‘I’m so sorry, I started driving home. Not thinking straight. I always turn off my mobile when I get in the car, just habit. To be safe. So stupid. I just didn’t think—’
‘Mr Christoffersen—’
‘It’s Victor Deakin?’ Olav Christoffersen says. ‘You’re sure?’
‘Yes, we’re sure. I need to know about the events leading to Victor’s expulsion.’
‘You know about the rape fantasy, which he said was part of his EPQ?’
‘Yes.’
‘After that Matthew asked me to search his laptop. Victor had given permission but even so I was reluctant – I’d believed him about the EPQ and I’d never searched a student’s laptop before, we’re not that kind of school.’
His Scandinavian accent is more pronounced as his anxiety comes through.
‘I found a journal and more rape fantasies about other unnamed girls.’
In the background Rose hears a heavy vehicle rumble past, muffled by snow.
‘Have you still got them?’
‘I deleted the fantasies immediately. It was an emotional reaction, shouldn’t have done. Matthew told me that too. But I, well, I just couldn’t bear it for those girls, what he said about them, to still exist, even in type on a laptop.’
‘What can you remember?’
‘They were sadistically violent. But it wasn’t just that. Just. My God. It was the way he referred to the girls, like they were disposable, like toys for him.’
‘And his journal?’
‘The entry that disturbed Matthew most was typed by Victor the same day he’d written apology letters to Sarah and her parents. In his journal, he said Sarah should be grateful for his attention, and he was outraged at having to apologize. He called Sarah and her parents worms plus a whole load of expletives.’
‘Can you remember any of his exact words, including expletives?’
‘“A load of fucking worms think I should fucking grovel to them, fucking cunts.” That was one line. And then more of the same. Violent, vicious.’
‘Do you remember the letters he wrote to Sarah and her parents?’
‘Yes. He was very apologetic, said he regretted it all terribly, hated himself for causing upset. He was charming and self-effacing. The letters were totally believable, that’s why I hadn’t wanted to search his laptop, because I’d read the letters. Matthew was shaken by the difference between his journal and the letters. Said in his entire teaching career he’d never had a student that convincing and manipulative.’
‘And he expelled him?’
‘Yes. I’d deleted the rape fantasies so we didn’t have any evidence to take to the police. We also knew how credible and persuasive Victor could be. We were worried that Victor’s parents would go to the governors, who we knew would support Matthew’s decision, but even so it would draw things out. But the parents didn’t appeal, just accepted it straight away. Matthew met them and they promised they’d take him to a psychologist, keep a close eye on him. Matthew told me he’d make sure wherever Victor went next knew about him, off the record if it breached privacy rules. But a local sixth-form college took him anyway. He must have been very persuasive when they interviewed him. I’m not sure that he even went to a psychologist. I’ve thought about this, and I can’t imagine him agreeing to see one.’