Page 41

James

August 2001

James stands up.

The man is walking toward him across the compound, approaching him slowly and steadily. There’s no need for him to rush, because he knows there’s nowhere for James to escape to. There never has been.

Perhaps it’s strange, but James realizes he’s not afraid anymore. Until this moment, the man has been a monolith, a demon, a monster. But as he walks toward James now, the lights of the compound are bringing him into sharp relief, and it’s clear that he’s only ever been a man. Average height and build. His face is finally visible now, and the features that James can see there are unremarkable. While he’s still whistling his tune, it sounds small and silly now.

He might even look pathetic if he wasn’t holding the knife.

James glances down. All he has are the keys he took from the cellar. They won’t save him, but he clenches them between his knuckles anyway.

Just give a good account of yourself , he thinks.

He’s not sure where the voice comes from, but it’s right. That’s all he can do. Because he is going to die—he understands that clearly. It should have been obvious from the very first moment he was taken on the beach that there wasn’t going to be a happy ending. And perhaps a part of him had recognized that all along, and that’s why he held on to that little flame inside him.

He was always going to lose.

But that doesn’t mean the man has to win.

He is only a few meters away now, but he has his back to the house, which means James can see something that he can’t.

You know what you have to do.

He remembers the old kerosene lamp on the shelf in the cellar.

The crumpled box of matches beside it.

The man has left the front door open and, over his shoulder, James can see a faint glow coming from inside the house. The first few tendrils of smoke from the fire he started in the basement are already beginning to emerge out into the air above the porch. The man doesn’t know it yet, but his storeroom full of dark magic is burning: all his power turning to ash and smoke. And by the time he does realize, it will be too late to rescue any of it.

James glances down at the boy beside him.

I’m sorry I didn’t manage to save us , he thinks.

But I tried my best.

And as the man finally reaches them, James looks away from him entirely: past the pen and into the woods beyond. His mother is standing between the trees again now, half illuminated by the floodlights, half illuminated by something else.

She smiles at him.

“Are you proud of me?” he says.

Her smile broadens.

More than you could ever know , she says. I love you so much.

Now close your eyes and come here .

ISLAND RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO MAINLAND MURDERS

Craig Aspinall has today admitted his role in the murders of five people. The local handyman, well known in the community, pleaded guilty to the murders of Oliver Hunter, Graham Lloyd, Rose Saunders, Darren Field, and Michael Johnson. All five killings occurred between June and September this year.

Aspinall, 72, appeared by video link, having previously admitted to additional counts of assault and abduction at an earlier hearing. Sentencing was adjourned until next week, with the judge warning him that he faces a mandatory whole life term.

DCI Frank Smith said, “These were brutal crimes, showing a high degree of sophistication and planning. Craig Aspinall is an exceptionally dangerous man, and I hope that today’s events can begin to bring some degree of closure to the families and friends of his victims. Our thoughts are with them.”

He said, “I would like to thank the large team of officers who have worked tirelessly on what has been a complex and challenging investigation. Special credit is due to former officer John Garvie, whose efforts in helping to solve this case cannot be overstated.”

DCI Smith declined to comment on reports that further remains had been discovered following Aspinall’s arrest, stating only that the investigation remains open.

John Garvie was unavailable for comment.