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finished。 He wandered back in the opposite direction。
When he reached the first patch of bushes on the bank； he saw that they were not moving； so he thought it was all right to approach。
‘Krystal；’ he said。
But the bushes were empty。 Krystal was gone。
Robbie started to wail and shout for Krystal。 He clambered back up the bank and looked wildly up and down the road； but there was no sign of her。
‘Krystal！’ he yelled。
A woman with short silver hair glanced at him； frowning； as she trotted briskly along the opposite pavement。
Shirley had left Lexie at the Copper Kettle； where she seemed happy； but a short way across the Square she had caught a glimpse of Samantha； who was the very last person she wanted to meet； so she had taken off in the opposite direction。
The boy’s wails and squawks echoed behind her as she hurried along。 Shirley’s fist was clutched tightly around the EpiPen in her pocket。 She would not be a dirty joke。 She wanted to be pure and pitied； like Mary Fairbrother。 Her rage was so enormous； so dangerous； that she could not think coherently： she wanted to act； to punish； to finish。
Just before the old stone bridge； a patch of bushes shivered to Shirley’s left。 She glanced down and caught a disgusting glimpse of something sordid and vile； and it drove her on。
XIII
Sukhvinder had been walking around Pagford longer than Samantha。 She had left the Old Vicarage shortly after her mother had told her she must go to work； and since then had been wandering the streets； observing invisible exclusion zones around Church Row； Hope Street and the Square。
She had nearly fifty pounds in her pocket； which represented her wages from the café and the party； and the razor blade。 She had wanted to take her building society pass book； which resided in a little filing cabi in her father’s study； but Vikram had been at his desk。 She had waited for a while at the bus stop where you could catch a bus into Yarvil； but then she had spotted Shirley and Lexie Mollison ing down the road； and dived out of sight。
Gaia’s betrayal had been brutal and unexpected。 Pulling Fats Wall … he would drop Krystal now that he had Gaia。 Any boy would drop any girl for Gaia； she knew that。 But she could not bear to go to work and hear her one ally trying to tell her that Fats was all right； really。
Her mobile buzzed。 Gaia had already texted her twice。
How pissed was I last nite？
R u going 2 work？
Nothing about Fats Wall。 Nothing about snogging Sukhvinder’s torturer。 The new message said； R u OK？
Sukhvinder put the mobile back into her pocket。 She might walk towards Yarvil and catch a bus outside town； where nobody would see her。 Her parents would not miss her until five thirty； when they expected her home from the café。
A desperate plan formed as she walked； hot and tired： if she could find a place to stay that cost less than fifty pounds … all she wanted was to be alone and ply her razor blade。
She was on the river road with the Orr flowing beside her。 If she crossed the bridge； she would be able to take a back street all the way round to the start of the bypass。
‘Robbie！ Robbie！ Where are you？’
It was Krystal Weedon； running up and down the river bank。 Fats Wall was smoking； with one hand in his pocket； watching Krystal run。
Sukhvinder took a sharp right onto the bridge； terrified that one of them might notice her。 Krystal’s yells were echoing off the rushing water。
Sukhvinder caught sight of something in the river below。
Her hands were already on the hot stone ledge before she had thought about what she was doing； and then she had hoisted herself onto the edge of the bridge； she yelled； ‘He’s in the river； Krys！’ and dropped； feet first； into the water。 Her leg was sliced open by a broken puter monitor as she was pulled under by the current。
XIV
When Shirley opened the bedroom door； she saw nothing but two empty beds。 Justice required a sleeping Howard； she would have to advise him to return to bed。
But there was no sound from either the kitchen or the bathroom。 Shirley was worried that； by taking the river road home； she had missed him。 He must have got dressed and set off for work； he might already be with Maureen in the back room； discussing Shirley； planning； perhaps； to divorce her and marry Maureen instead； now that the game was up； and pretence was ended。
She half ran into the sitting room； intending to telephone the Copper Kettle。 Howard was lying on the carpet in his pyjamas。
His face was purple and his eyes were popping。 A faint wheezing noise came from his lips。 One hand was clutching feebly at his chest。 His pyjama top had ridden up。 Shirley could see the very patch of scabbed raw skin where she had planned to plunge the needle。
Howard’s eyes met hers in mute appeal。
Shirley stared at him； terrified； then darted out of the room。 At first she hid the EpiPen in the biscuit barrel； then she retrieved it and shoved it down the back of the cookery books。
She ran back into the sitting room； seized the telephone receiver and dialled 999。
‘Pagford？ This is for Orrbank Cottage； is it？ There’s one on the way。’
‘Oh； thank you； thank God；’ said Shirley； and she had almost hung up when she realized what she had said and screamed； ‘no； no； not Orrbank Cottage …’
But the operator had gone and she had to dial again。 She was panicking so much that she dropped the receiver。 On the carpet beside her； Howard’s wheezing was being fainter and fainter。
‘Not Orrbank Cottage；’ she shouted。 ‘Thirty…six Evertree Crescent； Pagford – my husband’s having a heart attack …’
XV
In Church Row； Miles Mollison came tearing out of his house in bedroom slippers and sprinted down the steep sloping pavement to the Old Vicarage on the corner。 He banged on the thick oak door with his left hand； while trying to dial his wife’s number with his right。
‘Yes？’ said Parminder； opening the door。
‘My dad；’ gasped Miles ‘… another heart attack … Mum’s called an ambulance … will you e？ Please； will you e？’
Parminder made a swift move back into the house； mentally seizing her doctor’s bag； but checked。
‘I can’t。 I’m suspended from work； Miles。 I can’t。’
‘You’re joking … please … the ambulance won’t be here for—’
‘I can’t； Miles；’ she said。
He turned and ran away from her through the open gate。 Ahead； he saw Samantha； walking up their garden path。 He called to her； his voice breaking； and she turned in surprise。 At first； she thought that his panic was on her account。
‘Dad … collapsed … there’s an ambulance ing … bloody Parminder Jawanda won’t e …’
‘My God；’ said Samantha。 ‘Oh my God。’
They dashed to the car and drove up the road； Miles in his slippers； Samantha in the clogs that had blistered her feet。
‘Miles； listen； there’s a siren – it’s here already …’
But when they turned into Evertree Crescent； there was nothing there； and the siren was already gone。
On a lawn a mile away； Sukhvinder Jawanda was vomiting river water beneath a willow tree； while an old lady pressed blankets around her that were already as sodden as Sukhvinder’s clothes。 A short distance away； the dog…walker who had dragged Sukhvinder from the river by her hair and her sweatshirt was bent over a small； limp body。
Sukhvinder had thought she felt Robbie struggling in her arms； but had that been the cruel tug of the river； trying to rip him from her？ She was a strong swimmer； but the Orr had dragged her under； pulled her helplessly wherever it chose。 She had been swept around the bend； and it had thrown her in towards land； and she had managed a scream； and seen the man with his dog； running towards her along the bank …
‘No good；’ said the man； who had worked on Robbie’s little body for twenty minutes。 ‘He’s gone。’
Sukhvinder wailed； and slumped to the cold wet ground； shaking furiously as the sound of the siren reached them； too late。
Back in Evertree Crescent； the paramedics were having enormous difficulty getting Howard onto the stretcher； Miles and Samantha had to help。
‘We’ll follow in the car； you go with Dad；’ Miles shouted at Shirley； who seemed bewildered； and unwilling to get into the ambulance。
Maureen； who had just shown her last customer out of the Copper Kettle； stood on the doorstep； listening。
‘Lots of sirens；’ she said over her shoulder to an exhausted Andrew； who was mopping tables。 ‘Something must have happened。’
And she took a deep breath； as though she hoped to taste the tang of disaster on the warm afternoon air。
I
Many； many times had Colin Wall imagined the police ing to his door。 They arrived； at last； at dusk on Sunday evening： a woman and a man； not to arrest Colin； but to look for his son。
A fatal accident and ‘Stuart； is it？’ was a witness。 ‘Is he at home？’
‘No；’ said Tessa； ‘oh； dear God … Robbie Weedon … but he lives in the Fields … why was he here？’
The policewoman explained； kindly； what they believed to have happened。 ‘The teenagers took their eye off him’ was the phrase she used。
Tessa thought she might faint。
‘You don’t know where Stuart is？’ asked the policeman。
‘No；’ said Colin； gaunt and shadow…eyed。 ‘Where was he last seen？’
‘When our colleague pulled up； Stuart seems to have； ah； run away。’
‘Oh； dear God；’ said Tessa again。
‘He’s not answering；’ said Colin calmly； he had already dialled Fats on his mobile。 ‘We’ll need to go and look for him。’
Colin had rehearsed for calamity all his life。 He was ready。 He took down his coat。
‘I’ll try Arf；’ said Tessa； running to the telephone。
Isolated above the little town； no news of the calamities had yet reached Hilltop House。 Andrew’s mobile rang in the kitchen。
‘’Lo；’ he said； his mouth full of toast。
‘Andy； it’s Tessa Wall。 Is Stu with you？’
‘No；’ he said。 ‘Sorry。’
But he was not at all sorry that Fats was not with him。
‘Something’s happened； Andy。 Stu was down at the river with Krystal Weedon； and she had her little brother with her； and the boy’s drowned。 Stu’s run – run off somewhere。 Can you think where he might be？’
‘No；’ said Andrew automatically； because that was his and Fats’ code。 Never tell the parents。
But the horror of what she had just told him crept through the phone like a clammy fog。 Everything was suddenly less clear； less certain。 She was about to hang up。
‘Wait； Mrs Wall；’ he said。 ‘I might know … there’s a place down by the river …’
‘I don’t think he’d go near the river now；’ said Tessa。
Seconds flicked by； and Andrew was more and more convinced that Fats was in the Cubby Hole。
‘It’s the only place I can think of；’ he said。
‘Tell me where—’
‘I’d have to show you。’
‘I’ll be there in ten minutes；’ she shouted。
Colin was already patrolling the streets of Pagford on foot。 Tessa drove the Nissan up the winding hill road； and found Andrew waiting for her on the corner； where he usually caught the bus。 He directed her down through the town。 The street lights were feeble by twilight。
They parked by the trees where Andrew usually threw down Simon’s racing bike。 Tessa got out of the car and followed Andrew to the edge of the water； puzzled and frightened。
‘He’s not here；’ she said。
‘It’s along there；’ said Andrew； pointing at the sheer dark face of Pargetter Hill； running straight down to the river with barely a lip of bank before the rushing water。
‘What do you mean？’ asked Tessa； horrified。
Andrew had known from the first that she would not be able to e with him； short and dumpy as she was。
‘I’ll go and see；’ he said。 ‘If you wait here。’
‘But it’s too dangerous！’ she cried over the roar of the powerful river。
Ignoring her； he reached for the familiar hand and footholds。 As he inched away along the tiny ledge； the same thought came to both of them； that Fats might have fallen； or jumped； into the river thundering so close to Andrew’s feet。
Tessa remained at the water’s edge until she could not make Andrew out any longer； then turned away； trying not to cry in case Stuart was there； and she needed to talk to him calmly。 For the first time； she wondered where Krystal was。 The police had not said； and her terror for Fats had obliterated every other concern …
Please God； let me find Stuart； she prayed。 Let me find Stuart； please； God。
Then she pulled her mobile from her cardigan pocket and called Kay Bawden。
‘I don’t know whether you’ve heard；’ she shouted； over the rushing water； and she told Kay the story。
‘But I’m not her social worker any more；’ said Kay。
Twenty feet away； Andrew had reached the Cubby Hole。 It was pitch black； he had never been here this late。 He swung himself inside。
‘Fats？’
He heard something move at the back of the hole。
‘Fats？ You there？’
‘Got a light； Arf？’ said an unrecognizable voice。 ‘I dropped my bloody matches。’
Andrew thought of shouting out to Tessa； but she did not know how long it took to reach the Cubby Hole。 She could wait a few more moments。
He passed over his lighter。 By its flickering flame； Andrew saw that his friend’s appearance was almost as changed as his voice。 Fats’ eyes were swollen； his whole face looked