The Survivors, стр. 52

Kieran could see the concern but, behind the flicker of the eyes, something else. A calculation. What does this mean for Liam?

‘I don’t know, mate,’ Kieran said, honestly.

‘Did Renn say anything else?’

‘He barely said anything at all,’ Mia said, and Sean looked over. ‘I’m pretty sure he only confirmed the camera thing for Liv because he felt bad about what her mum said earlier. Trish cornered him outside the station. Was going on about how they need to take things seriously this time. I guess she still thinks he and Sergeant Mallott didn’t do enough for Gabby.’

Sean turned his torch over in his hands, his face troubled. ‘I thought they did take things with Gabby seriously. It all felt pretty thorough considering –’ He stopped awkwardly. Didn’t glance at Kieran. ‘Considering everything else going on during the storm.’

‘Yeah, they did take it seriously,’ Mia said, her voice hard and flat. ‘I had to go into the police station with my parents three times in those days before Gabby’s bag was found.’

‘That many?’ Sean looked surprised. ‘What for?’

‘Because the librarian told them Gabby and I had been arguing.’

‘Were you? What about?’

‘Nothing,’ Mia lied. ‘We weren’t.’

She didn’t look at Kieran, and he didn’t look at her. They had already had this conversation, within the first year they’d been together, on what was the anniversary of the storm and of Gabby’s disappearance. They had been in Kieran’s student flat, trying to go about things as normal but both becoming increasingly withdrawn as the day stretched out. Mia had been making dinner and finally dropped the knife she’d been using on the cutting board with a clatter.

‘I didn’t tell the police the truth,’ she said. ‘Back then, when they asked what Gabby and I were fighting about.’

The words seemed to come out of nowhere but Kieran could tell they had been brewing all day. Longer. For years, probably. He looked up from the couch and waited. Surprised, but at the same time, strangely not. The day of the storm had been so surreal, he felt there was nothing about it that could surprise him now.

Mia breathed out. ‘We were arguing about you.’

‘Me?’ So Kieran could still be surprised, he was interested to find.

‘I had this stupid –’ Mia rolled her eyes. ‘God, I don’t know. Schoolgirl crush. On you. It was ridiculous. You didn’t even notice I was alive back –’

‘Mia, I did –’

‘No.’ She held up a hand to cut him off. ‘You didn’t. And that’s exactly how it should’ve been. I was fourteen, you were eighteen. So it’s fine. But all the girls in our year knew you – you and Ash anyway – and I’d told Gabby that I had this thing for you. Then on the day of the storm, in the library –’

Mia fiddled with the partially chopped vegetables in front of her.

‘Gabby said she’d found out you and Olivia were sneaking around together. And I was so jealous, which was so stupid, because it’s not like I was even on your radar.’ She sighed. ‘But it was partly the way Gabby told me as well. We were supposed to be best friends but she was so gleeful. Like she knew it would hurt me but she couldn’t wait to tell me anyway.’

Mia began chopping again.

‘Anyway, I told her I didn’t believe her, even though I kind of did really. She got upset, I got upset. I wanted to go home. She followed me. It was obvious I was annoyed and she spent half the time trying to convince me she was telling the truth and the other half apologising. And after all that, she was right. You told me yourself, you really were meeting up with Olivia.’

Kieran had stood up and gone over to her. ‘I’m sorry.’

Mia had wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist. ‘No, it’s not your fault. And it wasn’t Gabby’s fault. I’m just sad that that was the last time I ever saw her. I wish it had been different.’

‘Why didn’t you tell the police this when they asked?’

‘Because I was fourteen. And both my parents were in the room with me the whole time I was being interviewed, and I was too embarrassed. And I knew if I’d told the truth my mum would have been worried because, you know –’ Mia shrugged. ‘None of the mums in Evelyn Bay were the biggest fans of you and Ash back then.’

Kieran had pictured Mia’s mum. Regal, softly spoken, very kind. ‘I thought Nina liked me?’

‘She does,’ Mia said. ‘Now.’

Kieran thought about this as he looked at Mia standing in front of Fisherman’s Cottage. The cellophane around the flowers rustled. The house looked lifeless once more.

‘But the police spoke to heaps of people in those days when we were all searching for Gabby,’ Sean was saying. ‘I mean, how many times was your dad called in, Kieran?’

‘A couple, I think,’ Kieran said quickly, not wanting to get into that again. ‘Liv said her mum had had a bit of trouble coming to terms with things. Maybe that’s all Trish really meant.’

‘Okay, but Jesus –’ Sean’s face darkened. ‘I know she’s been through a lot, but join the bloody club. We’ve all had to come to terms with stuff we didn’t want to.’ He took a breath. ‘Sorry. I’m sorry. That sounded really harsh.’ He shook his head as though to clear it and looked at Kieran. ‘Are you guys going home? I was actually on my way to your place.’

‘Oh really?’ Kieran said. They started walking.

‘Your mum called me. Said she’s clearing stuff out and has a couple of life jackets she’s getting rid of.’

Kieran pictured the cupboards still filled with all the trash and treasure that no-one had yet begun to tackle. ‘Yeah, not long left now until the move.’

Sean didn’t answer. He was distracted, staring hard at the road in front of them as they walked. Finally he took a breath.

‘Listen, mate, I’m sorry