Craddock would be at their door in seconds. Naya’s eyes were wide, darting around, unable to focus.
‘I don’t know,’ said Bobbie. ‘We’ll figure it out … we’re getting closer, remember?’
Naya took a deep breath and held up a well-manicured finger for attention. She seemed to reel in the crazy a little. ‘There is a ghost in the mirror.’ Bobbie nodded. Naya went on, ‘I guess I didn’t really believe it until now. I really thought it was Sadie punking us.’
‘It’s not. It’s all true. She’s watching us.’ Bobbie turned to Caine. Their eyes met and it finally felt like she wasn’t on the life raft alone. ‘It’s like she’s following us.’
Caine’s breath shook. Relief. ‘Least I’m not imagining it. I thought I was legit cracking up.’
Bobbie laughed a feeble, shaky laugh. ‘I wish we were.’
‘What the bloody hell is going on? This ain’t right. Like impossible. I don’t believe in ghosts.’
Bobbie filled Caine in on the limited amount she and Naya had learned that afternoon, which, when recounted, sounded like nothing at all. She finished on telling him about Bridget Horne’s incarceration at the Royal Seahaven.
‘Well, I’m coming with you,’ Caine said after she told him about her plan to visit.
‘You can’t,’ Bobbie said without any reason.
‘Why not? I’ve only got Sports Science on a Tuesday morning. They won’t even know I’ve gone. I can pick you up.’
‘You have your own car?’
‘Yeah – well, I drive my mum’s. Don’t you? I thought you lot was all minted.’
‘Piper’s Hall Ladies are not allowed cars on site,’ Naya said in her crisp mockery of the English accent. She still sat rigidly on the edge of her bed, but the colour had returned to her cheeks.
A plan hatched in Bobbie’s mind. ‘Listen. Naya, if we both sneak out tomorrow we’re more likely to be caught. If I go with Caine you can cover for me if anyone asks. Do you mind?’
‘Do I mind not going to a mental asylum to ask about ghosts? Gee, let me think … ’ She fixed Bobbie in an unimpressed gaze.
‘You’re actually the best.’
‘That doesn’t fix anything though – you still have to break out of this place – and it’s swarming with police.’
‘I’ll think of something. Caine, can you pick me up from the end of the cliff walk at like nine?’
‘Sure.’
There was a rap on the door and all three froze, staring slack-jawed at the exit. ‘Girls, it’s Mrs Craddock. May I come in?’
Chapter 11
Girl Talk
‘Hide,’ Bobbie breathed. She threw herself at the door. ‘Just a second!’
‘Why?’ The voice on the other side of the door was immediately suspicious. The door handle wavered. Bobbie pressed it shut. ‘Let me in, please.’
‘Get in the wardrobe!’ Naya hissed.
‘No effing way! There’s a
mirror
in there!’
‘Girls! What’s going on? I’m not in the mood for any shenanigans tonight, I can feel a migraine coming on.’
‘Bobbie’s naked!’ Naya hollered.
‘Oh thanks, Nay.’
‘I’ve seen it all before! Now please let me in.’
‘Caine, you’ll have to – there’s nowhere else,’ Bobbie pleaded in a whisper. Their mattresses were on those blocky bed things, with no room underneath for storage, so the other obvious hiding place wasn’t an option.
He gritted his teeth and a frown furrowed his brow. Muttering an array of expletives he opened the wardrobe and stepped amongst the clutter of shoes. ‘Sorry … ’ Naya sealed him in. Caine screwed his eyes tight shut as darkness engulfed him. Bobbie’s heart went out to him – there was no way she could be in there alone, face-to-face, with
her
.
Bobbie gave a nod and opened the door. ‘What a lot of nonsense.’ Mrs Craddock blustered into the dorm. ‘Lights out early tonight, ladies. Dr Price’s orders.’ Naya groaned, but she went on. ‘Use the bathroom now, and then you may read, but you
must
stay in your dorm. Obviously I don’t need to explain
‘I don’t know,’ said Bobbie. ‘We’ll figure it out … we’re getting closer, remember?’
Naya took a deep breath and held up a well-manicured finger for attention. She seemed to reel in the crazy a little. ‘There is a ghost in the mirror.’ Bobbie nodded. Naya went on, ‘I guess I didn’t really believe it until now. I really thought it was Sadie punking us.’
‘It’s not. It’s all true. She’s watching us.’ Bobbie turned to Caine. Their eyes met and it finally felt like she wasn’t on the life raft alone. ‘It’s like she’s following us.’
Caine’s breath shook. Relief. ‘Least I’m not imagining it. I thought I was legit cracking up.’
Bobbie laughed a feeble, shaky laugh. ‘I wish we were.’
‘What the bloody hell is going on? This ain’t right. Like impossible. I don’t believe in ghosts.’
Bobbie filled Caine in on the limited amount she and Naya had learned that afternoon, which, when recounted, sounded like nothing at all. She finished on telling him about Bridget Horne’s incarceration at the Royal Seahaven.
‘Well, I’m coming with you,’ Caine said after she told him about her plan to visit.
‘You can’t,’ Bobbie said without any reason.
‘Why not? I’ve only got Sports Science on a Tuesday morning. They won’t even know I’ve gone. I can pick you up.’
‘You have your own car?’
‘Yeah – well, I drive my mum’s. Don’t you? I thought you lot was all minted.’
‘Piper’s Hall Ladies are not allowed cars on site,’ Naya said in her crisp mockery of the English accent. She still sat rigidly on the edge of her bed, but the colour had returned to her cheeks.
A plan hatched in Bobbie’s mind. ‘Listen. Naya, if we both sneak out tomorrow we’re more likely to be caught. If I go with Caine you can cover for me if anyone asks. Do you mind?’
‘Do I mind not going to a mental asylum to ask about ghosts? Gee, let me think … ’ She fixed Bobbie in an unimpressed gaze.
‘You’re actually the best.’
‘That doesn’t fix anything though – you still have to break out of this place – and it’s swarming with police.’
‘I’ll think of something. Caine, can you pick me up from the end of the cliff walk at like nine?’
‘Sure.’
There was a rap on the door and all three froze, staring slack-jawed at the exit. ‘Girls, it’s Mrs Craddock. May I come in?’
Chapter 11
Girl Talk
‘Hide,’ Bobbie breathed. She threw herself at the door. ‘Just a second!’
‘Why?’ The voice on the other side of the door was immediately suspicious. The door handle wavered. Bobbie pressed it shut. ‘Let me in, please.’
‘Get in the wardrobe!’ Naya hissed.
‘No effing way! There’s a
mirror
in there!’
‘Girls! What’s going on? I’m not in the mood for any shenanigans tonight, I can feel a migraine coming on.’
‘Bobbie’s naked!’ Naya hollered.
‘Oh thanks, Nay.’
‘I’ve seen it all before! Now please let me in.’
‘Caine, you’ll have to – there’s nowhere else,’ Bobbie pleaded in a whisper. Their mattresses were on those blocky bed things, with no room underneath for storage, so the other obvious hiding place wasn’t an option.
He gritted his teeth and a frown furrowed his brow. Muttering an array of expletives he opened the wardrobe and stepped amongst the clutter of shoes. ‘Sorry … ’ Naya sealed him in. Caine screwed his eyes tight shut as darkness engulfed him. Bobbie’s heart went out to him – there was no way she could be in there alone, face-to-face, with
her
.
Bobbie gave a nod and opened the door. ‘What a lot of nonsense.’ Mrs Craddock blustered into the dorm. ‘Lights out early tonight, ladies. Dr Price’s orders.’ Naya groaned, but she went on. ‘Use the bathroom now, and then you may read, but you
must
stay in your dorm. Obviously I don’t need to explain
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