Soul Fire (16 page)

‘Surfed the web, obviously, because that’s what geeks do.’

‘You’re not a geek, Alice.’

‘Well, I am compared to you and your pin-up guy. So what happened at the club?’

‘Unbelievably they asked
him
for ID, but I managed to talk the bouncers round . . .’

And off she goes. I let the details wash over me, but it makes me feel normal to be here with my best friend, hearing about her crazy night. Helps me block out all the details of my
sister’s hand, her sparkling nails and her—

‘Your phone’s going, Alice.’

I stare at Cara, then realise what she’s saying. I dig around in my bag.

‘Lewis,’ I say, answering it. Cara grins and gives me the thumbs up.

I get up from the table and walk towards the fruit and veg.

‘Ali, I think I’ve worked one thing out. Don’t get too excited, but unless it’s some quadruple bluff, then whoever’s behind Burning Truths isn’t local,’
Lewis tells me.

‘Meaning what? They’re not from West London?’

A woman tuts at me because I’m getting in the way as she squeezes the apples.

‘Meaning I’m pretty sure that they’re based in another time zone. At least they were last night. Central European Time, to be exact.’

‘You said they had that private network thing, though, Lewis. That could make it look like they were anywhere in the world.’

‘Hmm. But I got
past
that last night. I didn’t want to say anything till I’d run that program, but the data was conclusive. I got past the mask. It could be Paris,
Berlin, Amsterdam. Did your sister spend time in Europe? Or have a uni friend from outside the UK?’

I move away from the fridges, because the hum is stopping me from thinking straight. ‘Well, according to the press, she had plenty of fans all over Europe, all over the world, but . .
.’

And then I think of someone who couldn’t
ever
be described as a fan. ‘This time zone. Would it include Barcelona?’

But I know the answer even before he confirms it. ‘Yes. Why?’

‘Oh. Nothing. It’s just been on my mind because . . . it doesn’t matter. Look, I’m with Cara at the moment. Let me have a think and call you back?’

‘Sure, Ali. Are you OK, by the way? After last night?’

‘Fine. Thanks. Not just for asking but for this, for not giving up.’

There’s a pause. Then he says, ‘I’m a stubborn sod, you know. I’ll get to the bottom of it if it kills me.’ He stops himself. ‘Sorry, that probably
wasn’t the right thing to say, was it?’

‘The day you start censoring yourself around me, Prof, is the day we’re not friends anymore.’

I end the call, knowing what I have to do. I walk back to where Cara’s sitting.

‘So how is lover boy?’ she asks. ‘It must be all of ten hours since he last spoke to you.’

‘Ha ha, Cara. You should be on the stage.’ I take a sip of my hot chocolate. The sugar’s making me sharper now. ‘Hey, you know Barcelona?’

‘Spanish city with a beach and a wonky cathedral?’

‘That’s the place. I’ve decided I’m definitely going.’

‘
Seriously?
’ She leans over the table and gives me a big slobbery, boozy kiss.

‘God, Cara, how much did you drink at the club?’

‘Shush. I don’t want a lecture. I want to celebrate. Mum’ll book our flights right now if I call her.’

‘I thought you’d booked to go already?’

‘I was going to, but then . . . It wouldn’t be the same without you, hon.’

‘One thing. Promise me you won’t go after Ade?’

She laughs. ‘All’s fair in love and war, Alice.’

The pastry sits on my plate. I’m not hungry anymore. ‘No, it’s not.’

‘Hey, you’re not my mum. Remember what I keep telling you about being a teenager? Part of that involves, you know, having fun, flirting with boys.’

I sigh. How do I explain that she could flirt with any other boy in the world and I wouldn’t care. But not this one, because there’s a chance that either Ade or Sahara might be a
killer.

I try making a joke of it. ‘Sure. But this is all a bit close for comfort, somehow. Sahara’s unpredictable, you know. Fiery. Get on the wrong side of her, and you might come back
from Barcelona in a box!’

‘Alice!’

‘What?’

‘People don’t joke about stuff like that. Especially not you.’ I sigh. ‘If anyone’s allowed to joke about death, it’s me. But I’m serious.’

‘I can handle her.’

‘You don’t know what she’s capable of.’

Cara frowns. ‘Is there something you’re not telling me? You’re not saying you think
she
killed Meggie?’

For a moment, I wonder if I should tell her about my suspicions. Even if she thinks I’m crazy, it might be enough to make her more cautious. Here, everything feels under control, just
about. In Spain, who knows? But going there is the best chance I’ve got of working this out.

‘I’m just saying . . . We know what jealousy can do. It drives people mad. Don’t risk it. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you.’

‘Oh, honey. Nothing’s going to happen to me.’ She reaches out to touch my hand and I squeeze it back. ‘Right. I’ll phone my ma, shall I? Just think, we’ll be
soaking up the sun and sangria in less than a month.’

‘Better wait to book till I’ve asked my parents for permission.’

‘Your mum will be over the moon. She seems to think you’re turning into a weirdo loner recluse who spends her life on the internet. Can’t
imagine
how she got that
idea.’

‘I’m not
that
bad. I went out last night.’

‘Oh, yes. Hey, Lewis could come to Spain, too!’

‘So you can go off with Ade?’

She laughs. ‘You know me too well, Alice Forster.’

I laugh too, though it doesn’t seem that funny, because Cara doesn’t know the real me anymore. How could she? Wherever I go – even the bloody Marks and Spencer café
– my baggage comes with me: the letters from Guests on the Beach, the mystery behind Burning Truths, my list of murder suspects, Javier’s story.

These days, I am ten per cent Alice Forster. And ninety per cent secrets.

I can’t find Danny.

I’m not panicking, not yet. Though the Beach is too small to lose people. Javier is trying to hide from everyone as he grieves for Gretchen, yet everyone knows exactly where
he
is:
in the same spot where Triti went when she was suffering. With luck, I may be able to help end his torment, too.

But where the hell is Danny?

I tried the rock first, of course. That was where I’d imagined we’d spend the whole afternoon today. The exams are finished, Mum’s out, Cara’s off on a uni Open Day with
her mother, and I have nothing to do except lie next to Danny and talk nonsense between kisses.

When I’ve found him . . .

The last week or two have been weirdly settled. It can’t last. Spain is bound to change everything; that’s the whole point of going. But right now, my time feels like my own for the
first time in forever. I’ve passed my driving theory test, and taken my first practical lessons. I’ve gone for long lazy lunches with Cara after our exams, flirting with boys on the
riverbank.

Once or twice, I’ve even forgotten to go online after a night out, and Danny’s told me off. So this afternoon I am planning to put that right, by spending time with him, alone.

The sun is high in the sky, and dazzling. I can’t even look at the white hot sand without screwing up my eyes. I guess it’s midday on the Beach; in the real world, only mad dogs and
Englishmen would risk the heat. But here, where Guests’ skin is pre-bronzed like a Christmas turkey, no one burns, so they’re lined up on the shore as usual.

Like sausages under the grill.

Where did
that
come from? Not an observation the glamorous Guests would appreciate. I spot my sister and Tim sitting in the beach bar, feeding each other scoops of ice cream. Her hand
holding the spoon reminds me of
that
photograph. Nothing new has appeared on Burning Truths since then, not even a comment, but every time I check the site, it makes me nauseous.

Meggie spots me, then leans in to say something to Tim. She leaves their table and comes over to give me a huge hug.

‘It’s my baby sister!’

She sits down on one of the rough wooden steps down from the bar, and pats the space next to her. Since Tim arrived, they’ve been in this bubble and it’s been hard to get any time
alone with her.

‘So, what news?’ she asks. And I manage to make her laugh with the tale of next door’s dog being chased by a cat, plus a whole bunch of other stuff that doesn’t matter.
I’ve never even mentioned my birthday, and she hasn’t brought it up. Perhaps she feels awkward too.

‘And how’s everything going with Tim?’ I ask.

Her smile says it all. ‘When you arrived, I was ecstatic. Now he’s here too, the Beach feels different. It’s more like contentment. Boring word, right? But it’s the right
one.’

I hug her again, then see Tim over her shoulder.

‘He’s looking at me again, isn’t he?’ my sister asks.

‘Like a baby chick who’s lost his mother.’

She giggles. ‘There are worse things in the world than being adored. As you should know, because Danny’s pretty adoring himself.’

I sigh. ‘Yeah. That’s why I’m here right now. Things have been so busy, lately. I wanted to spend time with him.’

Meggie kisses me again. ‘Off you go, then. Come back later if you like. Tim’s getting more used to things. And I want you two to be as close as you were . . . before.’

She skips back up the steps and I carry on towards the set of beach huts lined up just beyond the bar. I tend not to come near these, because it’s where Guests go to make out or argue, but
I want to find Danny, and there’s nowhere else he could be.

‘. . . but if it’s that important, why not ask her?’ It’s a girl’s voice, coming from one of the huts.

‘Because I’m scared of her answer.’ A man’s voice.
Danny’s voice?

The huts are on skinny stilts. I take a couple of steps closer, then wait. And listen. It probably wasn’t Danny at all. Of course, he gets on with everyone – he’s that kind of
guy – but he doesn’t have any close female friends apart from Meggie and me.

You’re enough for me, Alice. And when you can’t be here, your sister reminds me of you, of how you’re worth waiting for.

‘What’s the worst thing she could say?’ The girl’s voice again. I think it’s coming from the end hut, the sound leaking through the struts of the bamboo wall.

‘That I can’t give her what she wants.’

I stop breathing. It couldn’t be anyone else. I wriggle into the gap between the huts and the scrub-covered rock. I don’t want them to catch me spying. I can’t believe
I’m doing this, but I can’t drag myself away either.

‘Yeah, right. Even though you’re, like, every girl’s dream? The very charming, very handsome Danny Cross, heir to the throne of one of America’s most
major
corporations?’

When Danny laughs, he sounds so sad. ‘An heir has to be alive, right? That’s what I can’t give Alice.’

‘But you always knew that, Danny. A relationship between a Visitor and a Guest could never have had a future.’

I imagine a future without Danny and it hurts like a punch with a clawed knuckleduster.

‘DON’T SAY THAT!’ Danny calls out. I hear movement from the hut, and I move backwards, hitting the prickly bracken that grows on the rocks. I suddenly feel so ashamed for
eavesdropping, yet I can’t stop now.

‘Sit down, Danny. Listen. I don’t know Alice, but she seems like a nice kid.’

Kid?
How old is this girl, with her idiotic Minnie Mouse voice?

‘She’s not a kid. She’s wonderful.’

‘But she’s also a Visitor, Danny. They come here for one reason. To help the person who called them here.’

‘You don’t
know
that. No one knows jack about what this place is really about, Roberta.’

Roberta
. An irrational jealousy begins to burn inside me.

‘Well, I know things are different since she helped Triti get away. It changed stuff, right, Danny? And it’s been worse since the German girl disappeared. People are
restless.’

‘It wasn’t Alice’s fault. She had nothing to do with Gretchen going.’

‘Whatever.’ Roberta sighs really loudly. ‘If you’re not interested in what I think, why ask for my opinion?’

Yes, why confide in her and not me, Danny?

‘Because I’m so scared of losing her. I wanted to talk to someone neutral.’

‘None of us are neutral here. Your friends . . . we’re worried about you. What happens when she goes? Because she will, you know that, right? Either she’ll fix what happened
with her sister, or she’ll get bored and get a life in
her
world.’

I won’t.

‘I’ll . . . accept it. What other choice will I have? But I’d rather have loved her than not.’

Even though he sounds so sad, I feel warm inside.

‘It’s already happening, Danny. Even we’ve noticed she’s not here so much.’

‘Alice has exams. She’s busy.’

‘I give up. You’re beyond help.’ The hut creaks as she gets up.

He laughs, softly. ‘Maybe. But I’m happy, while it lasts.’

‘I hope for your sake it lasts forever. But whatever happens we’ll still be here, Danny. We’ll pick up the pieces afterwards.’ I squirm backwards as she steps down from
the hut. Roberta is a perfect Beach blonde, in a bikini so small it must have shrunk in the wash. Would he be happier with a girl like her, instead of me?

After a minute or so, Danny climbs out of the hut too. He has to crouch to fit his powerful body through the doorway. I think he’s heading for our rock.

I give him a head start, then squirm out of my hiding place. As I walk towards the edge of the Beach, I wonder whether it’s better to tell him what I heard, or to pretend
everything’s good. When I reach him, he smiles up at me, as though he already knows I was there.

‘Hey, Danny.’

‘Hey, beautiful.’

I blush. I always blush when he says that, because it isn’t true. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t been around much. It’s been a strange time.’

He says nothing, but keeps looking into my eyes. I look away first.