It still worked. Her lips quirked into a shaky smile. ‘I think the world’s in trouble if we’re the sane ones.’
‘Doomed,’ he agreed, grinning back to her.
Footsteps in the hallway interrupted her thoughts and the moment dissipated as suddenly as it began.
Zelazny, Raj and Isabelle walked into the room together. Their grim expressions made Allie’s stomach tighten.
Motioning for the other students to stay where they were, Isabelle turned to face her. ‘Allie,’ she said. ‘Please come with us.’
THIRTEEN
‘There’s nothing new in the note,’ Zelazny said dismissively.
‘I disagree.’ Raj’s voice was low but firm. ‘You have to look beyond the superficiality of words on paper to what he’s really saying. And I think his message has changed.’
They were all crowded into the headmistress’ small office – Isabelle sitting at her desk with Raj and Allie in the chairs facing her. Zelazny stood with his back against the door, arms crossed.
With so many people in it, the room felt hot and stuffy. It smelled faintly of sweat.
‘I’m not sure I see that – what’s the new message?’ Isabelle asked, frowning. With her dark blonde hair loose, she looked younger – more like a student than a headmistress. But her demeanour was authoritative. And angry.
‘The note is addressed to Allie but it was meant for us. He’s telling us he’s about to make his move,’ Raj said. ‘He’s not asking Allie to come to him. He’s asking us to send her to him.’
The room fell silent.
Icy prickles of fear ran down Allie’s spine. Now that Raj had said it, Nathaniel’s underlying message seemed so obvious. He was giving Isabelle a way out. Inviting her to betray Allie and Lucinda.
Giving her one last chance.
Isabelle made an impatient sound. ‘If so, then this was a waste of his time.’
The headmistress turned to Raj. ‘We can discuss Nathaniel’s wishes later. My immediate concern is how this happened. How was the chapel not secured and why didn’t your guards discover the intrusion before my Night School students encountered it? This was a serious lapse.’
Her tone was ominous, and Raj shot her a sharp look.
‘Actually, we don’t believe there was an intrusion.’
‘What does that mean?’ Zelazny barked. ‘Clearly someone was in the chapel.’
Raj kept his eyes focused on Isabelle – Allie saw her pale as she realised what he was about to say.
‘There’s no indication that anyone entered the grounds last night. The note may have come from outside the school – it could have even come through the post. But the scene at the chapel was arranged by one of us. It was an inside job.’
Isabelle slapped her hand on the desk hard. They all looked up at her in surprise. Allie could see she was fighting to control her temper. When she spoke, frustration was clear in her voice.
‘Why haven’t we been able to find this person, Raj? How have they eluded you? What are we missing?’
Raj just shook his head – if he knew the answer he’d have told her. What was there to say?
‘August?’ She turned to Zelazny but he tightened his lips and held up his hands.
Isabelle rubbed her eyes tiredly and turned back to Allie.
‘Is there anything you haven’t told us, Allie? Anything at all?’
Allie hesitated.
‘Allie.’ Isabelle looked at her with intense focus. ‘Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to tell us. You don’t want to keep it to yourself and find out later it was important.’
Allie knew she was right but could she tell them? Could she do that to Eloise?
Then she remembered that note stabbed into the wall.
‘It’s just that… I thought…’ Allie felt like a traitor, but she made herself continue. ‘I thought I saw something the other day. It’s probably nothing. But you should know.’
A heavy silence fell as the three teachers stared at her. Raj was the first to speak. ‘What did you think you saw?’
The glare of their attention unnerved her and she twisted the hem of her jumper around her finger tight enough to hurt.
‘It was just… Eloise.’
‘I don’t understand.’ Isabelle had gone very still. ‘What about Eloise?’
Isabelle and the librarian were friends; surely she’d given her a key. This was all a horrible mistake, Allie thought with a hot surge of panic. She had no evidence. She couldn’t just go around accusing people of murder.
But she was in it too far now. She had to explain.
‘I was looking for you after class.’ She turned to the headmistress. ‘You were in London but I didn’t know so I waited outside your office for ages. Then… Eloise was in there… I think… the whole time but she didn’t answer the door. I just saw her come out. It’s probably, like… nothing. But when she saw me, she acted weird – she was all sweaty and she looked kind of… scared. She had a key.’ She looked at Isabelle hopefully. ‘Was she supposed to be there for a… thing?’
Isabelle and Raj exchanged a long look.
‘There are a lot of possible explanations…’ Isabelle cautioned.
‘Of course. And she can tell us what those are.’ Raj’s voice was low and velvety, like a cat purring at the sight of a bird landing on the ground.
This was the opposite of everything Allie had hoped for. Goosebumps formed an icy trail down her spine.
Oh, God – what have I done?
For a long moment the headmistress held his gaze as if she were deciding. Then she nodded, just once.
Without another word, he sprang to his feet, crossing the room in a few long steps. Zelazny followed him out of the room.
When they’d gone, Isabelle stared at the closed door blankly. A heavy silence fell over the room.
Allie tried to think of something to say but the headmistress seemed to have forgotten she was there.
‘Maybe I should…’
She half rose from her chair but Isabelle motioned for her to stay. Her face had turned pink, as if she held back tears.
Guilt made Allie’s skin crawl – this was her fault for telling them what she’d seen.
Why did I have to see it? she thought angrily. Couldn’t somebody else have been the one outside her office that day?
‘I’m sure she’ll have a good explanation,’ Allie said.
Isabelle’s golden brown eyes shone with repressed pain. ‘I’ve known Eloise all her life. I simply do not believe she could be the mole.’ Sounding shaky but determined, she repeated her words. ‘I cannot believe it. There has to be something else, Allie. Something we’ve missed.’ Grabbing a piece of paper she picked up her pen. When she looked up again her expression was resolute. ‘So let’s go over this again. From the beginning.’
It was nearly dawn by the time Allie climbed into bed. By then she was exhausted. But she couldn’t sleep.
Her memory kept replaying the moment when Eloise had found out how much trouble she was in.
When she’d returned to the school building, Isabelle had gone to meet her, ordering Allie to stay in her office. But she left the door open. So Allie had heard Eloise’s cheerful voice saying, ‘I got your message. What’s up?’
It was Raj who replied, but Allie couldn’t make out his words. Whatever it was it had upset Eloise, whose panic was clear.
‘What? No. That’s ridiculous.’ Then a moment later: ‘Isabelle, please. Don’t let them do this.’
Allie had reached the hallway in time to see them march the librarian away like a prisoner, Zelazny on one side, Raj on the other.
At the sight, her stomach flipped – she knew just what that felt like.
Giving up on sleep, she kicked off the covers and climbed on to the top of her desk to throw open the arched window. Closing her eyes she let the cold fresh air wash over her.