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And then the grass ended, and when she put out her hand, it touched against soh she could not reach up very high It was cold but not the cold of ht, and reave her a spurt of hope and exciterass Not mud

But there was still the smell of the water

Her hand slipped down froain, the dreadful burning ache

And then there were sounds out of the air, so She was confused and she wanted to call back but could not, her voice would not coed to raise herself up, onto her hands and knees again, and for a second, to raise her head and then, slowly, to lift her arh, but lift it, lift it

The sounds stopped and started again and then the voicesher so that she closed her eyes against them

But one said, thunderous above her, ‘Over here! Step on it Over here’

Thirty-six

The queues had stretched from the desk all the way down the hall and outside the main doors since well before the library opened New students co of ter with enquiries, taking tours, and ushering those ere lost a the shelves to the correct section There was never any leave for the whole of October, and everyone put in overtime Some complained bitterly – those who, June Petrie said, would have preferred the library to remain permanently closed to all borrowers so that the books were never disarranged – others enjoyed the buzz of hopeful young people, and the challenge of helping them so that they became dutiful and well infor to the latter camp He did not like the attitude of some of the students towards the books, did not approve of the sloppy dress and gu thee few of them arrived with, and when he saw that within a week or so most of them were transfor the desks in an orderly manner, he felt some pride

This year was different This year he went in terror of sonised, pointed out by any one of the line of students, fear of a nudge that would run along the of heads, the whispers No one knew, no one had said a word to him about his two days’ absence and yet he felt ested he remain in the stacks or the records office, but the librarian wanted him on the desk because he was so faanised and there were s had to run smoothly

He tried not to look any of the on the screen and the factual details, name, address, year, course, subjects, tutor But at least there was no time on his hands, and none for anyone to talk to him, they were all occupied from the moment they arrived until the doors closed

Lunch breaks were still sacrosanct though Without the full hour off, none of them could have coped efficiently The times were re-scheduled and allocated, not self-chosen Leslie was given noon till one He was glad of it An early lunch suited him and he escaped down to the stacks with his box and the paper as the clock hit twelve

He had barely unwrapped his first cheese and tomato sandhen the door above bu down the staircase, high-heeled shoes, woman’s shoes June Petrie was on a later break – it would be someone else Leslie bent his head and was careful not to rustle the newspaper, but it was his business where he ate his lunch and he thought – though in this he rong – that, other than June, no one else knew he came down here

But it was June, out of breath as she reached him at the far end

‘I had to tell you, I’ it all, apparently they just broadcast it on local radio …’

He i her to the book stack and then a ball of greaseproof paper from his sandwiches stuffed into her open mouth to silence her

‘They’ve found her, they’ve found her alive!’

Her eyes were bulging, her cheeks flushed Leslie stared at her, not taking in the irl, Abi, isn’t that her name, the one ere all sure had been murdered as well They’ve found her alive, hurt, badly hurt, but she’s alive! Isn’t that wonderful news? Can you believe it?’

Abi Abi Righton He had not been able to get her out of his htmares in which her body had floated in the canal and then been pulled onto the bank by divers in shining black suits and strange helmets He remembered her face as it had been when they had last talked

Abi Righton

‘I was sure you’d want to know’

Why was she sure? In fact, she was right, of course she was right, of course he wanted to know But why should June Petrie think it worth interrupting his lunch, breaking off her oork, to cohton was alive What ood news,’ he said ‘That will be a great relief to … everyone The police Everyone’

‘They haven’t saidabout what ood news? I just feel soit, nowoman, isn’t she, like the other two, and – she isn’t dead’

She clacked away and up the stairs Leslie looked down at the bread in front of him, with the border of cheese and the curve of tohton She had children, he knew that, she had talked to him about them Children and the face of a child herself, a pasty, hollow-eyed child Thin Gaunt neck He had left her the box of tea bags

He looked at the bread for a long ti and put it back untouched in his lunch box

Thirty-seven

The press had dispersed to file their story, but their vans and equipment were still banked up in the area cordoned off for them at the back of the station car park From his , Sie froate and cross the road towards the pub

It was rare to be able to walk into a press conference to give good news He had felt a lift as he had made the announcement and heard the immediate buzz and then a ripple of applause

‘Can you tell us how the girl is now, Superintendent?’

‘She was taken to Bevham General where she’s in intensive care but there’s no report yet I’ll let you know the ’

‘What sort of state was she in when she was found?’

‘Abi was in a serious condition She had crawled so the canal bank – we don’t kno far – and one of the search tearowth spotted aand she was suffering fro? Any na in and out of consciousness and obviously the urgent priority was to get her to hospital No, she said nothing and on’t be able to talk to her until theit will be, sorry’

‘Are her injuries life-threatening?’

‘I don’t know any e I can only repeat that Abi was in a serious condition’