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‘Is it true?’ Alice Symonds shrieked, running into the main hall.

A uniformed constable tried to stop her but he was too old and Alice was too nimble. She dodged around him and skidded to a halt in front of Poe.

‘Is it true?’ she asked again, louder this time.

Joshua Meade had followed her in. He was wearing a suit. Poe could see confusion etched on his face. Alice had discarded ‘Mad Alice’ like a snake sheds its skin. She was just Alice now.

‘I don’t know what you know, Alice,’ Poe said gently. He suspected he did know what she knew, but until she’d confirmed it he wasn’t going to admit anything.

‘I’ve been told Bethany’s dead,’ she said.

‘Who told you that?’

She didn’t answer.

‘Now isn’t the time, Alice,’ Poe said.

‘I don’t care; tell me!’

‘Not until you’ve told me who told you.’

‘I’ve been trying to find out what happened to Bethany for years,’ she said. ‘I didn’t limit myself to this place when it came to gathering information.’

‘You have a source inside the police.’ Poe didn’t phrase it as a question. Of course she’d cultivated someone inside the police. It’s what he’d have done.

‘I’ve been told there are videos.’

Poe sighed. He didn’t want to break this news to her. He also knew he was the only one who could.

‘I think we’d better sit down,’ he said.

***

‘Aaron killed Bethany?’ Alice said it like she was testing some unfamiliar words.

‘Technically I doubt he did more than give her some nasty bruises,’ Poe said. ‘It was Israel Cobb who actually killed her.’

‘But she’s definitely dead?’

‘He slit her throat,’ Poe confirmed.

‘Did you see this happen, or did Israel Cobb simply tell you that it happened?’

‘I saw it. She’s dead.’

Alice slumped on the pew they were sharing. Poe didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone look so defeated.

‘But you should have seen her,’ he said. ‘She fought them every step of the way; didn’t give an inch. I’m not saying this just to offer comfort, but it was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.’

Alice nodded. ‘That sounds like Bethany,’ she sniffed. Her eyes widened as the ramifications occurred to her. ‘She didn’t kill Grace and Noah then.’

‘She couldn’t have.’

‘It must have been Aaron.’

‘That’s what we think,’ Poe said. ‘We assume he faked his death and left Bethany’s clasp knife for the police to find. Cops jumped to the only conclusion they could.’

‘I’m glad Grace and Noah are dead then. And I’m glad Cornelius Green died in agony.’

Poe looked over his shoulder, checked he couldn’t be overheard. ‘I am too,’ he said quietly.

‘Does Eve know yet?’

‘Not yet. I’ll drop in on my way home. Better it comes from someone she knows.’

‘This will devastate her,’ Alice said.

‘It will,’ Poe agreed. ‘She could probably use a friend from the old days if you’re ever in the area.’

‘I’ll call in this week. Make sure she’s OK.’

Poe spent ten more minutes with her. Alice wanted to talk about Bethany and he was saddened to hear she was now referring to her in the past tense.

‘You going to be OK?’ Poe asked.

‘I should ask you the same thing.’

‘I’m not sure that I am,’ he replied honestly.

‘Do you need to talk to someone about it?’

Poe looked up. ‘I doubt I’ll have a choice,’ he said.

Bradshaw had just entered the old school gymnasium.