Hollow Pike (30 page)

‘Don’t you dare finish that sentence!’ Danny snapped, but he sounded as if he might cry.

Please don’t
, Lis thought,
I couldn’t stand it
.

‘Lis, I thought we were a “thing”?’

‘No, Danny, we
are
a “thing”!’

‘So what’s up?’

‘I’m going home. Back to Wales, and my mum.’ Danny’s brilliant eyes bored into hers, but he said nothing. ‘Danny?’

‘Sorry, but I can’t do this,’ he said at last. ‘It’s messing with my head!’ He threw his hands up, turned and headed back up the path, leaving Lis desolate
and alone.

‘Danny, please don’t go!’ she called after him.

‘What’s the point in staying?’

‘We need to talk about this!’

He looked back, his face grim. ‘If you’ve already decided to go then there’s nothing to say, is there?’

‘Danny, I can’t stay in Hollow Pike!’ This time she could not hold the tears back. ‘I wish I could explain but I can’t. You were my last reason to stay.’

‘Is that meant to make me feel better?’ he asked. ‘Grow up!’

‘No! I meant—’

‘You know what?’ Danny interrupted angrily. ‘Maybe you
should
piss off back to Wales. Things were easier before you got here.’ He stalked back to the rugby pitch
like a wounded wolf rejoining the pack.

Lis cried in public and didn’t care who saw her.

Making Up/Out

Struggling to be the rock-solid big-sister, Sarah gave her a tearful glance. ‘But why, Lis? You’ve seemed so much happier here. When I saw you
last
Christmas
you were so thin you looked ill!’

Lis traced the grain of the wood in the kitchen table with her fingers, unable to look at Sarah directly. ‘I know, but it’s complicated.’

‘Then for God’s sake,
tell
me!’ Sarah begged.

Lis dearly wished she could tell Sarah the whole story, but she was scared that whoever was coming after her would also come after the people she loved if they knew too much. Even the thought of
someone prowling around the house while Logan slept made her flesh crawl.

‘There’s nothing to tell,’ Lis lied. ‘I just want to go home. I miss Mum.’ Only partly true, but certainly easier than the
whole
truth.

‘Is this about Laura? Or Danny? Whatever it is, you can tell me,’ Sarah pressed.

Lis shook her head sadly. It was all of those things and then some.

‘Something’s going on, Lis. I’m not daft.’

Lis paused. Sarah had given her such glorious freedom since she’d arrived in Hollow Pike. Maybe her honeymoon period was over; it now seemed that her sister was going to wait for her to
crack under interrogation.

Just as the tension became unbearable, Max ambled into the kitchen. ‘Are there any Frosties left?’ he asked, peering into the high cupboard.

‘Bottom cupboard,’ Sarah stated, not taking her eyes off Lis.

‘All a bit serious in here,’ Max muttered, grabbing the cereal box. ‘What’s up?’

Lis seized her chance. ‘Nothing. But I’m going to move back to Bangor. I miss Mum.’

Her brother-in-law paused, genuine disappointment on his face. He put the Frosties down on the table and joined them. Sarah continued to view Lis sceptically.

‘Lis, that’s a bummer,’ Max told her. ‘We love having you here. You don’t think you’re imposing, do you?’

‘No, it’s not that. I just want to go home,’ Lis said again.

He made a comical sad face. ‘Does that mean we’ll have to start paying for babysitters?’

As always, Max softened Sarah. ‘Max!’ she snapped, but the steely expression had left her eyes and Lis sensed her easing off. ‘Think about it some more, Lis. The house
won’t be the same without you.’

If her time in Hollow Pike had been just this: her, Sarah and Max sitting around the kitchen table, with Baby Logan asleep in his cot, then Lis would never have to leave. But it wasn’t;
someone was coming for her.

The doorbell rang and Sasha tore through the house barking her standard visitor alert.

‘Who’s that?’ Max asked. He seemed to think Lis and her sister were oracles of the gateway or something.

Sarah hauled Sasha out of the way by her collar and opened the porch entrance.

From outside, Lis heard a familiar voice. ‘Hi, I’m Danny. Is Lis home?’

Lis froze in her seat. Danny was at her house.

‘Ah, yes,’ Sarah said, smiling. ‘Come on in.’

As with any guest, Sasha jumped up to lick Danny, who didn’t seem in the least bothered by the red beast rearing up at him as he entered the kitchen.

Lis, unsure of him after their earlier exchange, stood quietly by her chair at the table. All eyes looked to her, but she didn’t know any of the steps to this dance.

‘Hi, Lis,’ Danny said, and smiled awkwardly. ‘Can we talk?’

‘Yeah. Sure. Er . . . come up to my room.’ Head down, she led him through the lounge and onto the next level.

‘Wow, cool house!’ Danny remarked, making polite small-talk.

‘I know, right? Max built it all from scratch,’ Lis told him.

‘Cool.’

Lis paused for a moment before opening her bedroom door. Had she left any knickers, bras or tampons anywhere in plain sight? She couldn’t be certain, but she was ninety-nine per cent sure
she was safe to let Danny into her inner sanctum. She held her breath and swung the door open. ‘Come in.’

Only a bedside lamp illuminated the room, throwing elongated shadows and shapes onto the floor. Deliberately, Lis sat at her desk, safe in her own personal space. Danny perched awkwardly on the
chaise longue.

‘Well,’ Danny began, ‘I wanted to come and say sorry face to face. I was a total dick earlier.’

Lis felt a flame miraculously reignite within her belly. ‘You don’t need to apologise. I shouldn’t have turned up at rugby practice like that.’

‘No, I do. I shouldn’t have said I wanted you to leave town. I don’t want you to go.’

She did and didn’t need to hear that. ‘I wish I could stay,’ she admitted. ‘Maybe if things were different . . . but they’re not.’

‘But why? Why can’t you stay? Have I done something?’ Danny asked, looking mournful.

Lis laughed, but the sorrow of it surprised even her. ‘No. God, no! It’s everything
but
you.’

Danny smiled ruefully, kicking at the edge of the rug with his toe. ‘I knew something like this’d happen. It was bound to go wrong sooner or later. I’ve never been out with a
girl I like as much as you. It was too good to be true!’

‘But it
is
true. I swear.’ Lis had never wanted anyone more. How could someone so beautiful have so little self-esteem? ‘I don’t want to sound too mental . . . but
I’m, like, crazy about you, Danny! These haven’t been the best few weeks of my life, but you’ve made everything so much better.’

Danny smiled, letting her words sink in. ‘Oh. I didn’t know if you liked me or not.’

‘Are you kidding?’ Lis snorted. ‘The question on everyone’s lips is what do
you
see in
me
? The whole school thinks I’m a total freak. I
am
a
total freak.’

Danny got to his feet, took Lis by the hand and pulled her up to join him. They stood just inches apart.

‘Well, I must be into freaks then,’ Danny said. ‘I have a freak fetish!’ He grinned, brushing her hair back from her face. ‘Can we just forget what happened
earlier?’ he went on. ‘You’re not like any other girl at school, Lis. You’re a one-off. I love it.’

‘Yeah. OK.’ She retreated under her hair again, her face burning.

‘I do! You’re awesome. I mean, look at you, you’re gorgeous!’

She made a little huffing noise at that madness.

‘Come on, you are . . . Well, I think you are. And you’re clever,
really
clever and funny – even funnier than my mates. And you don’t let people change your mind.
And I love how you look out for your friends. I could go on . . . It’s quite a long list of stuff I like!’

Lis looked into his eyes, knowing how dangerous that could be.

‘I don’t want you to leave, Lis. I only said that because I was upset. I want you to be my girlfriend. Like properly.’ This time he didn’t need an invitation to kiss her.
He took her face in his warm hands and leaned towards her.

As if they belonged together, their lips locked effortlessly. Danny’s kiss was skilful and gentle. Heat radiated from his fingertips across her cheeks, fuelling a fire inside her that felt
so
good. Lis wanted him to warm her all over, cleansing her of everything bad that had happened in Hollow Pike.

With his free hand, Danny reached around to the small of her back and pulled Lis towards his body, closing the inches between them. No other thoughts clouded her mind, she was too aware of
Danny’s touch, every magnetic point of contact between them. She traced the lines of his shoulders, then ran her hands down over his chest until she found the smooth skin just above his
belt.

He grinned, grasping her wrist. ‘That’s bad!’

‘Want me to stop?’

‘No.’

They kissed again, with more urgency. This was the most alive Lis had ever felt. Tangled in each other’s arms, they fell onto the bed.

This is how it happens
, Lis realised,
no planning, no games, just the moment
.

She lay back as Danny kissed her neck. She was almost completely lost in him, but something caught her attention:
why was the outside security light on?

Her eyes snapped open as Lis was shocked back into reality. She stared at the French windows. Beyond the fine muslin curtains, a hooded human shape glided across the terrace. The movement was
precise, effortless and fluid as a shark fin cutting through waves – and just as deadly.

Danny sensed Lis freeze. Confusion spread across his face as her body went rigid. Unable to find the words, Lis jabbed a finger towards the figure, who darted away from view.

Danny was up and over to the window in a heartbeat. ‘What the—’ He peered out of the window, then turned back to Lis, his eyes alive with fire. ‘There’s someone out
there!’ He started to open the doors, but Lis seized his arm.

‘Stop!’ she gasped.

‘Let go, they’re getting away!’ Danny cried.

Images and words tangled together in Lis’s head as her brain caught up with what was unfolding in her room. ‘You can’t go out there, Danny!’

‘Why not? I’ll kick the sh—’

‘Because you’ll get yourself killed!’ Lis spat through gritted teeth. She didn’t know who was out there, but she was pretty sure they’d killed before and that she
was next on their agenda.

Danny continued to tug towards the doors and it took all her weight to stop him. ‘What are you on about?’ he demanded. ‘It’ll just be some stupid kids, and now
they’re getting away.’

This was not the time to play hero. ‘I wish it was, but it’s not. Danny, sit down!’

He stopped dragging her across the carpet and she let him go. Hands on hips, he waited for an explanation.

‘Sit down,’ Lis repeated. Danny cast her a dark glance and sat on the bed, waiting for an explanation she couldn’t provide.

Lis sat next to him, shoulders hunched. ‘You know how I’m a bit weird sometimes?’

‘I had noticed, yes!’

She tucked her hair behind her ears, trying to remain as matter-of-fact as possible. ‘Well, it’s all to do with Laura’s death.’

Danny immediately tensed and inched away from her. ‘Go on . . .’

‘Danny, we were there,’ Lis breathed, the words trembling on her lips.

‘What?’ Arctic cool fell over the room.

‘It’s not like that. We didn’t do anything!’ Lis exclaimed. She hated the distance growing between them on the bed. She just wanted to feel his body against hers
again.

‘So what
is
it like?’ Danny asked.

‘We were in the woods that night,’ Lis went on. She decided to omit some vital details, unable to let Danny think of her as a monster. ‘We saw Laura, but there was someone else
there and I think they saw us.’

All the colour drained from Danny’s face as he processed that information. ‘You think . . .’

‘I think they’re after me now. Whoever it is.’ She knew she shouldn’t be saying any of this. If Kitty ever found out, she really would kill her.

Danny looked away, frowning as if he were trying to answer the hardest Maths question ever set. ‘Who’s “we”?’

‘I can’t say,’ she replied firmly, although she suspected it was more than obvious. ‘Do you get why I have to leave now?’

He said nothing for what felt like a month. ‘I guess. But why don’t you go to the police?’

‘Because we were there . . . And everyone knows Laura and I hated each other. It looks really bad! I can’t tell them, Danny. I just can’t.’

Again, he had no comeback to that.

Lis went on, ‘But Laura had these diaries: five flowery diaries. We think she might have written about whoever killed her.’

‘Really?’ Danny looked intrigued. ‘Where are the diaries now?’

‘That’s the problem. We know where some of them are, but the latest one’s missing. We think it might be at school somewhere. If we can find that, and work out who’s after
me, things might be different, but . . .’ She didn’t want to give him false hope.

‘You should have let me go after whoever was out there. I could have stopped this!’ Danny told her.

Lis slid across the mattress to where he was slumped. She took both his hands in hers. ‘No. Because if anything happened to you, I wouldn’t want to be in this
world
, let alone
this town, got that?’

He blushed and nodded. Lis picked a bit of fluff out of his hair and took a moment to memorise his incredible face. Soon, she’d never see it again and she didn’t ever want to forget.
‘I’m leaving Hollow Pike. It’s the only way I’ll be safe.’

He didn’t say anything further, but laid her down, pulling her into a tight embrace. He held her from behind and Lis felt his warm breath on her hair. She closed her eyes to commit every
last second to memory.