complained, climbing the steps to the lawn and shining her torch into the bushes. ‘He’s like a bloody ghost, this bloke. I don’t see why we can’t just—wait a minute . . . I don’t believe this.’ She beckoned to Bimsley with a grin. ‘He’s only got a kitchen stool in here.’ She shone the torch over the black lacquered seat wedged into the muddy ground beneath the bush. ‘Must have reckoned he was in for a long wait. Doesn’t make sense.’
‘Waiting for her to come home?’
‘Normally he’d see a light on. Not today, though. Why didn’t he come for her when she saw him? What kind of murderer travels around with a kitchen stool?’ Meera knew better than to move it, but the angled position puzzled her. ‘He wasn’t even facing the house. He was watching the place next door.’
Her torch picked up fresh splinters of wood from the verdigris-covered fence. A hacksaw line marked a panel cut from the staves. She gave it a kick and it fell in. ‘Looks like he grew tired of shinning over walls and decided to cut himself an escape route,’ she called back. ‘Come on.’
‘I don’t like you being here alone,’ said Longbright, covering the mobile to talk to Kallie. ‘Why don’t you go to a neighbour until the lights come back on? Or I’m sure I can get one to come here.’
‘I don’t want to be any trouble, really,’ Kallie protested. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Hang on a sec—Mr Bryant, where are you? I can hardly hear you—’ She turned back to Kallie. ‘Don’t be daft, it’ll only take a minute to get someone, and I’d feel a lot happier.’ She stepped away from the door, talking into the phone. ‘Slow down, I can’t understand what you’re saying . . . No, they’re still looking for him . . . What—?’ She stepped back out into the rain, trying to improve the phasing signal.
Looking down the inundated street, she saw the detectives in the distance, half-obscured as they moved away through the downpour. ‘It’s no good, I can’t hear a word you’re saying. Hang on—’
She set off along the street, leaving Kallie alone once more.
46
* * *
IMMERSION
‘The sergeant was quite insistent,’ Heather explained. ‘I said you were welcome to come over and stay with me, but she wanted me to come here and look after you. What do you think is going on outside? She wouldn’t tell me.’
Kallie cupped her hands at the back window and tried to see into the garden, but it was dark now, and the officers seemed to have disappeared. ‘I got scared. Tate was in the garden and it looked like he had a knife. They’re searching for him now. Do you think we’re safe?’
‘I don’t know.’ Heather had been on her way out, and was irritated by the sergeant’s request to babysit her neighbour. It was bad enough having to dress and do her hair by candlelight, without this. Everyone was so protective of Kallie, as if she would never be able to cope by herself, yet she had managed well enough since Paul had disappeared. ‘There’s water coming in under your back door.’ She pointed at the sodden towels leaking in the gloom of the hall.
‘There’s nothing I can do until this lets up.’ Kallie chewed at a fingernail, unsettled by the peculiar atmosphere of the evening, the distant shouts and footfalls, the beams of torchlight in the rain.
‘I can’t stay long, Kallie. I’m having dinner with an old friend.’
‘I told the sergeant not to bother you,’ Kallie apologized. ‘It’s been a really strange—my God, I didn’t tell you.’
‘Tell me what?’
‘Follow me, you won’t believe this. Bring the other torch.’ She grabbed Heather’s hand and pulled her in the direction of the bathroom.
‘What is it?’ Heather laughed uneasily.
‘Look.’ Kallie walked into the room and closed the door behind them. The noise of rushing water was louder than ever. It sounded as if they were sitting on a lock-gate. She reached over and pointed the end of Heather’s torch up toward the wall. ‘It’s some kind of huge quasi-religious mural. The inundation of the world—it’s frightening but utterly beautiful.’
‘Oh my God.’ Heather’s jaw had fallen open.
‘I didn’t have time to take the lower panels off, and it would be a pity to damage it. Look, though, this one’s loose. Give me a hand.’ She began to pull at the corner hardboard panel.
‘No,’ screamed Heather. ‘You’ll ruin it!’
But Kallie had already managed to shift the board around on its