Page 107 of Dream a Little Dream

“So… are you saying he’s right?”

“No, not exactly. What I’m saying is that presenting a united front with Dave can make a difference. You two are the authority figures, modelling for Alice what boundaries look like and what’s acceptable. When those boundaries diverge, it can create confusion for her, and often, adolescents channel that confusion into defiance.”

Heather sighed, her irritation breaking through. “It’s just a party.”

“Yes, but if she knows her parents are in mutual agreement, she’s less likely to feel the need to test the limits. If, however, she senses there’s animosity, and a broken divide, then it could be an invitation for her to push back even harder. To rebel. Not only with this, but with other things, too. She may well use the opportunity to defy her father’s wishes, sneaking out when in his care, because you’ve validated her grievance.”

Heather waited a moment, then downed her drink. “She’ll hate me.”

“Not forever.”

“Her dad’s not letting her go, anyway.” She stood and held out her hand. “Another drink before dinner? I’ll text her later. Make sure she’s okay.”

Kenny clutched his drink to his chest. “I’ll stay on this one for now. And I promise no more psychoanalysing.”

“Maybe you can psychoanalyse this boy sending my girl flowers.” She scurried off to the kitchen, her voice sailing out as she made herself a drink. “No one sentmeflowers at fourteen.” She then returned, skating over to the window and drawing back the curtain where, behind it on the ledge in a vase, sat two red roses. “Roses. Atfourteen. Lucky girl.” She let the curtain fall back.

Kenny hovered the glass at his lips for a moment, desperately trying not to let his brain go where it wanted. Roses.Tworoses. With thorns.

Kenny’s heart thudded, and he desperately tried not to let his mind run away with itself. But it was too coincidental not to. So he had to ask, “Did he give them to her directly?” Because if he did, they might have a lead.

“They were on the doorstep when we got back from shopping today. Wrapped in newspaper.”

“How do you know they were for her?”

“Came with a card. Well, not a card you get from a florist. Pretty sure he clipped these from someone’s garden. But a plain card bought from Tesco.” She rolled her eyes. “Still had the ninety-nine pee sticker on the back.”

“Can I see it?”

Heather cocked her head. “You analyse handwriting now, too?”

“Yes.”

Heather got up, went over to the window, pulling back the curtain to take the card from next to the vase and handed it to Kenny. For some strange reason, he already knew. Because on the front were more roses. Like the one Roisin had crocheted for him. But he opened the card, reading the words that pummelled into him.

To Alice. Your my rose…love Aaron.

“Shit.” Kenny stood, grappling for his phone in his pocket. It wasn’t just the name proving this was related, nor the roses. But the consistent use of the grammatically incorrect ‘you’re’. “Call Alice. And Dave.Now.”

“What?” Heather shook her head. “What’s going on?”

“Call them.Now. Get them both here.” Kenny slammed his phone to his ear and when it answered, he frantically said, “It’s me. We got victim two.”

chapter twenty-two

Psycho

Aaron sat on Kenny’s doorstep, head in his hands.

If the bastards hadn’t taken his phone, maybe he’d be doing something,anything,more than sitting here like an idiot, waiting and hoping. His mind was a chaotic blur, fragments of memories, flashes of fear, and half-formed thoughts crashing together, leaving him numb and reeling. He couldn’t think. Couldn’tbreathe. Everything inside him was a tangled mess of panic and rage.

He neededKenny.

But he’d pushed him away when he should’ve let him in. Allowed him to pick his brain apart and make sense of this madness days ago instead of sulking and resisting. Because now Aaron was stuckhere, holding pieces he couldn’t put together, wondering if Kenny held the key to it all and hating himself for not letting him use it.

The surrounding darkness thickened, a shroud wrapping around him tighter, pressing in. He pulled out the pamphlet Drew had given him, the address printed in bold, stark letters. He knew this place. Could see it in his mind, etched into memories that had barely settled into focus. If he had his phone, he could look it up, confirm the details, but he didn’t. All he had were fragmented memories and instinct. And a sense that this was where everything had started.

Something in him clicked. Clenching his fists, he stood and grabbed his bag as he turned away from Kenny’s house. He followed the path down Kenny’s drive, steps brisk, outside lights switching on in his wake as if bidding him farewell. When he hit the end of the street, a bus pulled up, headlights cutting through the night.

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