Free Innocent Graves by Peter Robinson

few questions about Deborah. Megan nodded, eyes turning a little glassy at the mention of her friend’s name.
    “Were you very close friends?” he began.
    She nodded. “We’re both day-girls and we’ve known each other for years. We both live in the same area.”
    “I thought you must be boarding,” said Banks. “Why aren’t you at home?”
    “I had a dizzy spell at assembly, then I … I got all upset. Nurse says I should rest here for a while, then I can go home at lunch-time. There’ll be nobody there, anyway. Mummy’s away in America and Daddy’s at work.”
    “I see. Now can you tell me what happened yesterday after the chess club. Go as slowly as you want, there’s no hurry.”
    Megan chewed her lower lip, then began, “Well, when we’d put all the boards and pieces away in the cupboard and made sure the room was tidy, we left the school—”
    “Was this the main building?”
    “Yes. We hold the chess club in one of the upstairs classrooms.”
    “What time?”
    “Just before six o’clock.”
    “How many attended last night?”
    “Only eight. Lesley and Carol are doing a play with the theatre department, so they had rehearsals. The others are all boarders.”
    “I see. Was there anyone else around?”
    “A few people, coming and going, as usual. The school is always well lit and there are always people around.”
    “Okay. Go on.”
    “Well, we walked down the drive to Kendal Road. There’s only one main gate, you see. The school’s surrounded by woods, and there’s the river on the west side. It was so foggy we could hardly see the trees around us. I must admit I was getting a bit scared, but Debs seemed to be enjoying herself.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Oh, she liked things like that. Spooky things. She liked to tell ghost stories in graveyards, just for fun.”
    “Do you know if she ever went inside the Inchcliffe Mausoleum?”
    “She never said anything to me about it if she did.”
    “Okay. Go on.”
    “We crossed the road. I live on St Mary’s Hill, behind the shops,so Debs and I always said goodbye at the bridge.” She put her hand over her eyes.
    “Take it easy,” Susan said. “Take your time.” When Banks looked down, he noticed that Megan was gripping Susan’s hand at the side of the bed.
    Megan took a deep breath and went on. “That’s all,” she said. “We said goodbye. Debs was running backwards, just showing off, like, then she disappeared into the fog.” She frowned.
    “Was there something else?” Banks asked. “Did you notice anyone else around?”
    “Well, like I said, it was so foggy you couldn’t really see more than a few feet, but I saw a shape behind her. I remember thinking at the time there was something odd about it, but I put it down to the way Debs had been scaring me with her stories of ghosts taking shape from the fog.”
    “You mean you thought you were imagining it?”
    “Yes. Seeing things. But I know I wasn’t, if that makes any sense.”
    “You’re doing fine, Megan. What kind of shape was it?”
    “It was a man’s shape. A tall man.”
    “What was he doing?”
    “Nothing. He was just standing on the bridge looking down the river towards the town.” She paused and her eyes lit up. “That’s it. That’s what was strange. He was looking over the bridge towards the town, but he couldn’t possibly see anything, could he, because of the fog. So why was he standing there?”
    “Did you think that at the time?”
    “No. It just came to me.”
    “Did you see what he looked like?”
    “Not really, because of the fog. I mean, he was like a silhouette, a dark figure. His features weren’t clear, and he was in profile. He did have a bit of a big nose, though.”
    “Could you see what he was wearing?”
    “An anorak, I think. A bright colour. Orange or red, maybe.”
    “Did you see him approach Deborah?”
    “No. He was just behind her. I don’t think she’d seen him because she was still running backwards and waving