Web of Darkness

by Bali Rai

  ‘What the . . .?’

  He was at it again – playing more games: it had to be him. I shook my head and put my phone down. His latest attempt was childish but it left me feeling cold too. I started wondering where he was, and then I couldn’t get him out of my head. Mum had left a novel by Dennis Lehane on the coffee table. I grabbed that and started to read. The novel was great but I couldn’t focus at all. I had to read and reread sentences, and my eyes started to ache. In the end, I put the book down too.

  At some point I fell asleep. When I awoke, it was past six p.m., and I felt awful. My neck muscles were stiff and my stomach grumbled. I got up and went into the kitchen, where there was no sign of Mum. I opened the fridge, looked at a few things I didn’t fancy, and then shut the door. At the table, I rechecked my phone. Kane had been calling me.

  ‘You OK?’ he asked, concern showing in his voice, when I called back.

  ‘Yeah – fell asleep,’ I told him. ‘Sorry – I meant to text you. Did the police keep you for long?’

  ‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘but that’s not important.’

  ‘What is then?’ He paused and I felt it coming. ‘You’re gonna tell me to watch the news, aren’t you?’

  ‘Yes,’ he admitted, his tone full of sorrow. ‘They found Molly.’

  ‘Dead?’

  ‘Yeah,’ he replied softly. ‘Hanged just like Max and Amy . . .’

  The OTHER smiles.

  ‘I thought you’d be pleased,’ the girl tells him.

  ‘You are very clever,’ he tells her. ‘One of your many charms.’

  ‘I have to be back for Sunday afternoon, though – Mum’ll go crazy otherwise.’

  ‘And we wouldn’t want that, would we?’

  The girl giggles down the line.

  ‘I’ll get you back by three – is that OK?’

  ‘Yeah – that’s perfect.’

  ‘Much like you . . .’ he tells her.

  ‘I wish you were here now,’ she says. ‘I would snog your face off!’

  ‘Soon,’ he tells her. ‘Very soon.’

  ‘Dave?’

  ‘Hmmm?’

  ‘Do you love me?’

  ‘Of course I do,’ he replies.

  ‘Like, really love me?’ she adds. ‘Or just, like, fancy me . . .’

  ‘Why would I risk my career for a fling?’ he asks her. ‘I’m not a weirdo. I don’t make a habit of doing this . . .’

  ‘I know,’ she sighs. ‘What a shame the world is so fucked up.’

  ‘We are the same,’ he tells her. ‘We’re special people who understand each other. The rest of the world doesn’t get people like us. They don’t deserve us . . .’

  ‘You’re so deep,’ she replies. ‘I love talking to you.’

  ‘You’re sure everything is set?’

  ‘Completely,’ she tells him. ‘You and me, Dave. God – I’m excited!’

  The OTHER rings off, before calling the Spider.

  ‘She is ready,’ he says.

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘Excellent! Let me know the second she is secure . . .’

  33

  Kane shook his head slowly.

  ‘My mum used to take us near there,’ he said softly. ‘Wistow Maze . . .’

  The maze was just over a mile from where Molly’s body had been discovered. The details were sketchy but that hadn’t stopped the media from going crazy. The school was under siege, according to Kane, and the story was now international. Every news channel and radio station in the UK was reporting Molly’s death, and a major investigation was underway. I knew the police would be back soon – they were bound to question me again. And all I could do was sit and wait.

  Online, people were slagging me off. Facebook and Twitter were full of nasty comments – posts that I made Kane show me when he came over after our conversation. I didn’t want to look at the messages on my own. And even though I was innocent, I still felt guilty. It was crazy, I know, but I couldn’t help it.

  When we checked, we found that my Facebook account had been suspended, although by whom I didn’t know. It didn’t matter anyway because I still had no access to it, and to be honest, I was relieved. It meant that I wouldn’t have any more contact with Benedict. I was more convinced than ever that he was behind everything. The thought had given me insomnia, just as he’d said it would. You’ll never sleep again . . .

  ‘You look really tired,’ said Kane.

  ‘Yeah,’ I replied. ‘I can’t sleep. I close my eyes and all I see is Max’s face, or Molly walking around school . . .’

  ‘Me too,’ he said. ‘Have you spoken to Tilly?’

  I shook my head. ‘Not really – just a few quick texts.’

  ‘I saw her at school earlier,’ he told me. ‘She was talking about going away this weekend.’

  ‘Really – where’s she going?’

  ‘She didn’t say – just that she was looking forward to it.’

  Tilly had an uncle, Henry, who lived in Bristol, and two aunts in Liverpool, and I wondered if she was going to see them. I used to know where she was all the time. Now, things were so different, so strange between us. It hurt. Things had changed so much in just a few weeks.

  We were sitting in the living room. Kane was next to me, and I wanted to snuggle into his chest and arms. My need was as much about comfort as anything else and he must have realized because he leaned in and kissed me.

  ‘So are we, like, a thing?’ I asked.

  ‘A big thing.’ He smiled shyly. ‘I really like you, Lily – have done for ages.’

  I tried to stop myself smiling back at him – it didn’t work. ‘Why didn’t you say anything?’ I said softly.

  Kane shrugged. ‘I didn’t know if you felt the same,’ he replied. ‘Like – you’re so fit and I was a bit shy.’

  I shook my head. I was far from being fit. I was the girl no one noticed because there were much prettier ones to look at – girls like Tilly.

  ‘I thought that about you,’ I admitted. ‘But I never dreamed you would want to be with someone like me . . .’

  Kane pulled me to him. I felt the strength in his arms and nearly melted. My tummy started to throb. ‘You were worried?’ he said, so close that I could feel his breath against my lips, and smell the scent of his skin. ‘Are you mad?’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘You know how many lads at school fancy you?’ he asked.

  ‘No,’ I said, genuinely shocked. ‘I bet it’s not many.’

  Kane smiled. ‘Man – you’ve got no idea . . .’ he said.

  ‘Well – I’m only interested in you,’ I said. ‘If, like, you want me?’

  The kiss he gave me clarified things perfectly.

  When DC Evans turned up again, Kane was having dinner with Mum and me. His plate was piled high with food, and despite the serious situation, Mum looked happy to have him around. When she found out we were dating, she beamed in delight.

  ‘I’m thrilled for you,’ she told us. ‘Deanna and I said you’d make the perfect couple when you were babies!’ She and Kane’s mum had been friends that long . . .

  Behind her smile, though, the worry was still there. Neither of us mentioned Molly or the case, and I was happy about that. Until the bell rang.

  Mum answered and brought DC Evans through to the kitchen. If the policewoman had seemed tired the day before, now she was almost haggard.

  ‘There have been developments,’ she told us. ‘My boss asked me to speak to you about them.’

  ‘Why?’ I asked.

  ‘I can’t go into specifics,’ she replied, ‘but we’ve reassigned the investigation. It is now a murder enquiry.’

  I forced the cottage pie I’d been eating back down. My throat felt tight and my temples throbbed.

  ‘Murder?’ asked Kane.

  ‘This is just a heads-up,’ said DC Evans. ‘The media are going to look at every angle – I just wanted to warn you.’

  ‘Lily won’t be speaking
to them,’ said Mum. ‘We told you that.’

  ‘I know,’ said the officer, ‘but it’s worth reiterating. I also have some more questions, if that’s OK?’

  I looked at Mum, who nodded.

  ‘Shall I go?’ asked Kane.

  DC Evans shook her head. ‘They involve you too,’ she revealed. ‘And if you could contact your brother that would also be a huge help.’

  ‘Why not take them to the station?’ asked Mum.

  DC Evans sighed. ‘We’re under siege there from the media,’ she explained. ‘They’re clutching at any straws they can grab. To be honest, we’ll have more privacy here. But it is official, so at some point we’d have to take statements again. Let me worry about that, though.’

  Kane and I glanced at each other.

  ‘I’ll call Alfie now,’ he said.

  ‘Great,’ replied DC Evans. ‘I’ll need to speak to him tonight, if I may? And while you’re on the phone, can you get your mother to speak to me and confirm if she’s OK to let Mrs Basra act as your appropriate adult? Unless she can come round here too?’

  After Kane had got hold of Alfie, and his mum had given her permission to DC Evans, Mum made the officer some tea. The detective sat opposite me, eyeing the Dennis Lehane novel I’d tried to read earlier.

  ‘He’s good,’ she said, smiling weakly.

  ‘I didn’t get far,’ I told her. ‘I can’t concentrate.’

  For the first time, I saw sympathy in her eyes. She nodded and told me she understood. ‘We’ve never experienced anything like this before,’ she added. ‘It’s . . .’

  She left her sentence hanging, and eventually Mum filled the silence.

  ‘Can you tell us who was murdered?’

  ‘No,’ said DC Evans. ‘But it will be news soon, I’m sure. We’re holding a press conference imminently.’

  ‘How many murders?’ asked Kane, who’d retaken the seat next to mine.

  ‘Sorry,’ she replied. ‘Can’t say . . .’

  I nodded and looked away. Did she mean Max or Molly. Or maybe both?

  ‘You told me that you had been hacked,’ began DC Evans.

  ‘Yeah – Alfie called it a RAT,’ I replied.

  ‘Do you know exactly how you caught this virus?’

  ‘No,’ I replied. ‘I think it was from a video Amy Wiggins posted on Facebook, though, as I’ve already told you. But you have my computer so you can check, surely?’

  ‘Yes,’ she told me. ‘The problem we have, Lily, is that we can’t track your IP address – the one unique to your Internet connection.’

  My confusion must have shown because Kane felt the need to explain. ‘IP stands for Internet Protocol,’ he told me. ‘It’s like your street address – or the same thing. Every computer that connects to the Internet has its own IP. So when I use my laptop, it leaves my IP as a footprint. When you connect, your IP is logged.’

  ‘Oh,’ I replied. ‘So if I email you, my IP talks to your IP?’

  ‘Summat like that,’ said Kane.

  ‘We checked the trail from your computer, but it was too complex.’

  ‘I don’t understand . . .’

  ‘Do you know how to hide an IP address?’ she asked.

  ‘I didn’t even know I had one until just now,’ I reminded her.

  She read her notes then made some more. ‘When the Facebook post about Molly was created,’ she replied, ‘the trail should have led back to you. Like a straight path to your door.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘but I didn’t do it.’

  ‘That’s my point,’ said DC Evans. ‘The trail did involve your IP, but it also goes through several hundred other IP addresses, which we haven’t yet located. It’s like a labyrinth. There is a source but we don’t know where – yet . . .’

  Again, my confusion was evident.

  ‘What I’m saying,’ said the officer, ‘is that we believe you, Lily.’

  ‘You do?’ I felt a huge weight lift from my chest.

  Mum grabbed my arm and smiled. ‘Thank God!’ she said, the relief evident on her expression.

  ‘So I can go back to school?’

  ‘No – not until we’re sure,’ Evans said. ‘But your hard drive had been completely wiped when we checked it. Did you do that?’

  I shook my head.

  ‘What about you?’ Evans asked Kane. ‘Did you or your brother mess about with it?’

  ‘No,’ said Kane. ‘But Alfie did look at it.’

  She made more notes. ‘One further thing,’ she said eventually. ‘Did Max ever wear a ring of any sort?’

  I nodded. ‘Yeah – silver.’

  ‘It came from his granddad,’ Kane added. ‘It was on a chain around his neck . . .’

  I’d always wondered about that ring – and what it had meant to Max. It had obviously been important. Now I knew why and it just added to the sadness.

  ‘Did he give that to either of you, or any other friend?’ asked Evans.

  ‘No way,’ said Kane. ‘He would never do that. The ring was like a memory of his grandfather. Max was gutted when he died. He never took it off.’

  ‘OK,’ said DC Evans. ‘We may need to ask you more questions, but for now, please don’t speak to anyone about any of this.’

  Kane and I nodded.

  ‘You said the murder enquiry is being made public?’ said Mum.

  ‘Yes – should be about now,’ said DC Evans, looking at her watch. ‘There’s a news conference scheduled.’

  Later, as I lay in bed, unable to sleep, my phone vibrated. It was around two a.m., and I panicked. Only, when I saw the unknown number and read it, panic gave way to fear.

  Hello, Lily – how’s life? I see Molly got the fame she so desperately aspired to?

  I tried to stop my hand from shaking but couldn’t.

  Talking to the police, Lily – very naughty of you. Bad girls get punished. Wondering how you’ll get yours?

  I didn’t reply. Shivers of dread crawled up my spine. He was more than just close by. He was connected to me in some way. How else could he know I’d spoken to the police? My mind started to race. I went through names and faces and back again. But there was no one I could point at. No one to whom I could say – Yes, that’s you, I know who you are.

  Not even curious as to how I got your number?

  I sat and stared at the phone, wishing that I could run away and hide somewhere. My legs began to tremble.

  Was it Max’s phone I retrieved it from? Or was it Molly’s . . .?

  I jumped out of bed and ran to my mum’s room.

  34

  DC Evans came back within an hour and checked all of our locks. Then she took a look at my phone, as Mum made some tea.

  ‘Are you going to take it,’ I asked. ‘As evidence?’

  DC Evans shook her head. ‘No – I just need to copy the messages,’ she said. ‘Besides, he might text again, and if he does, I want to read what he says.’

  ‘What if he comes for us?’

  She looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘I’ll speak to DI Meadows,’ she told me. ‘See what we can do. In the meantime, I’ll give you a number to call if you have any concerns – it will get me immediately. I’ll give it to Kane too.’

  She left soon afterwards and Mum sat with me. I couldn’t sleep – my thoughts going round and round. In the end, Mum slipped in beside me, and soon she was snoring gently. I cuddled up to her, like I’d done as a child, the warmth of her body and her familiar scent almost soothing me. Almost.

  Next morning, Tilly called and asked me to come round; she had coursework to finish and hadn’t gone into school. Not that it mattered – we were already into revision-only lessons and our exams loomed large on the horizon. She was in dress-down mode when I got there, wearing loose jeans, grimy old trainers and a thin hooded top. She asked about the Facebook thing and what the police had said. I told her I’d been cleared. That DC Evans had told me that herself.

  ‘Last night?’ she asked.

  ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘
She came to the house.’

  ‘And everything is OK?’

  I nodded and Tilly looked happy for me. Her smile was warm and genuine – like the Tilly I knew.

  ‘That’s what she said – sort of.’

  ‘That’s great news, isn’t it?’ she said.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘So why do you look so miserable still?’

  I shrugged. ‘Because there’s more to it,’ I revealed. ‘The hacker – the one I mentioned on the phone – he’s been watching me and I’m frightened.’

  Tilly’s eyes widened. ‘Watching you?’ she asked.

  ‘Yeah,’ I replied. ‘Only online to begin with.’

  When she grew confused, I told her about the flowers and let her read the text messages.

  ‘Have you shown these to the coppers?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes – they know everything.’

  ‘So you’ll be safe then,’ she said. ‘What’s to be scared of, babe? They’ll catch him soon enough.’

  ‘He threatened Mum,’ I told her. ‘Said he was looking forward to meeting her . . . I’m scared she might get hurt and it would be my fault because I wound him up.’

  ‘That’s horrible,’ she replied. ‘Can’t the police protect you?’

  I shook my head. ‘DC Evans said she’d talk to her boss but he hasn’t done anything yet. Not in the real world. We don’t even know who he is.’

  ‘Could be anyone,’ said Tilly. ‘There’s so many nutters online.’

  I shook my head again. ‘He already knows I’ve been talking to the police,’ I revealed.

  Tilly’s face filled with horror. ‘Hang on,’ she said. ‘How can he know that?’

  ‘I dunno – but he made it clear in his texts last night. He’s got to be someone connected to me,’ I told her.

  ‘Yeah, but who?’

  ‘I have no idea,’ I admitted. ‘I keep going over it in my head, but I just get frustrated. That it might be someone we know is terrifying. It’s driving me nuts.’