From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Thursday 26 May 8:57 PM
OMG. Did you see this? Adeline’s in Year 9 at school and she’s the sister of Cleo’s friend, Carmella. I feel sick.
From: Alice King Alicekingofthejungle@gmail.com
Friday 27 May 7:33 AM
Hi Celia
First morning of punishment. Just got back from cleaning the damn chapel windows and have about 500 more to go. My fingers are FROZEN! And all I could think about was that Adeline girl. Tess told me. Totally creepy. Even Tess’s freaked. Got to go and have a shower to thaw out before class. Will write more later. Actually, I’ll CALL you later – probably tomorrow. Neeeeeed to talk to you. Have your phone ready!
x
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Friday 27 May 7:52 PM
Hi Alice
I’d love to speak to you. I didn’t actually recognise Adeline from the picture, but Cleo did.
Mum came and collected us early from school and then we made a massive gingery curry for the Taranto family. Tonight, we left it steaming in a big pot on the Taranto’s front steps, even though we could hear voices inside and there were police cars banked up along the street. The garage was open and the house just looked so dark and cold and empty.
Our household is now in official lockdown and Mum’s drawn up a list on the fridge headed ‘New Order,’ which names all the things we used to be able to do but can’t do anymore. Like babysitting the Handel kids next door? Banned. I was hoping it might extend to putting clothes on the line but she’s not falling for that.
Mum’s also made us unblock her on Facebook and she went straight onto Jaime’s wall and started commenting on the best-looking boys in the play rehearsal photos. Can you hear Jaime screaming about that one from up there?
The biggest change under the New Order is that Dad’s asked my cousin to help out – especially when Dad’s away. Dad wanted to cancel the conference, but he didn’t think he could with business the way it is, so hole-in-the-foot-Andrew seemed like a good solution. It does make me feel a bit safer, even if Andrew wasn’t much of a soldier (I mean, he did shoot himself).
Jaime hit the roof about that too, because “she IS” a babysitter and she’s “definitely too old” for one. Dad told her to think of Andrew as more of a bodyguard (who limps) and that if she wants to hit Broadway and the Big Time, she’d better get to used to it. She said she could cope as long as Andrew follows a long way behind and doesn’t talk into one of those headset mikes. Then she flounced off to do jetés in the rumpus room. Dad winked.
I’ve spent ages on the internet tonight, but there’s not much information on Adeline out there – just this aching silence. I did find one article where the police said it’s likely a serial killer is involved, but at this stage it would be ‘hasty to draw conclusions’ . . .
School sent home a letter saying we’re not allowed to talk to the press unless we go through the school media liaison officer. I’m glad they spelt that bit out, because Mum might have used it as a photo op to promote her pasta.
Let me know if you hear anything else.
Love CC x
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Saturday 28 May 8:30 PM
Hi Alice
It was great to speak to you, even if we did get cut off. You sounded quite different from what I expected – quieter or something. If Dad’s business ever gets better he might loosen up and take the bar off the phone or top up my credit so we can chat as long as we like. Sorry for screaming, but Jaime wanted the phone and punched me really hard. I can understand you thinking it was brotherly-type behavior but does that mean you’ve been thinking Jaime was a boy all this time? Alice, she goes to ASHBOURNE!
After you called, Cleo and I wanted to get a choc top. Mum drove us and then tried to boss me into getting popcorn. I hate the way she does that. She always says she doesn’t want anything and then has ‘just one bite’ until whatever I ordered is gone.
Driving there was strange. Now the posters of Hallie that are still up are being covered by posters of Adeline in an ugly game of snap. Unlike the Knights, the Tarantos aren’t going on TV, but the police are everywhere. Mum said the Tarantos are spending most of the time with their priest praying for Adeline’s safe return. They’re pinning a lot on Hallie being found and ignoring the bit about the fact that she was left for dead.
Stay safe, Alice.
CCB x
From: Alice King Alicekingofthejungle@gmail.com
Sunday 29 May 7:35 AM
CC,
It was fab talking to you too and of course I know Jaime’s a girl – I don’t know why I said that. SOZ. I was being quiet ’cause I was hiding in the alcove, which is pretty close to Sister Catherine’s room – say no more! And sorry about running out of credit.
Anyway, when I got back to my dorm, mousy ol’ Daniele was REALLY annoying me with her silence MORE THAN EVER – I guess ’cause I’d just been chatting with you about your haircut and all.
So, while she was sitting there on her bed reading, I tied my ponytail into a long plait and then said, ‘Hey, Daniele, check this out’. I had the scissors ready and the moment she looked up I hacked my plait clean off. But apart from her eyes growing wide and her mouth dropping open, she didn’t make a sound. Nothing. She could at least have fainted!
Then I started laughing and couldn’t stop. I felt completely insane. Laughing like a hyena with no hair. But seriously, if people can justify shaving their heads to support leukemia, then I can justify cutting off my ponytail to support you.
I’m sorry I’m no good for Adeline news. I know it’s really intense for you down there, being at the centre of this awful stuff. I was woken early this morning by crows in the trees outside and it creeped me out ’cause you know how the collective name for a flock of crows is a murder? I can’t get it out of my head. Now, every time I hear those crows I think of MURDER. And I really thought when Hallie was found it would be the end of it. Can’t she provide enough clues to get that sicko arrested? I mean, WHY can’t she? Poor Adeline Taranto. Her poor family.
Any other news I’ve got, like nuns or focaccia wars, feels trivial by comparison.
Plus, to be completely honest, the stuff that’s happening with my mum is starting to make me sadder and sadder. What if she simply dies from grief?
Alice xxx
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Sunday 29 May 4:13 PM
Hey Alice
I’m sorry to hear about your mum. She won’t really die, will she? My mum’s not sick (well, not officially), but with Dad about to go away, she’s taken security to a new level and had grates installed on most of the downstairs windows. They do make me feel safe though, welded on.
Mum says I’m highly strung at the moment and that if I don’t stop jiggling, she’s going to take me to Dr Reid. To be honest, I’m not sleeping. Apart from worrying about being labelled a loser chicken, things are creepy and, I don’t know, everything’s so miserable and soggy with all this rain. We used to get so scared of a bogeyman who wasn’t any more real than an imaginary friend and now he’s actually here, right here, with a name. At times like this, I just want to be with family, even Jaime, so it must be hard for you to be stuck up there in Mildura. Please keep writing though, Alice. I love your emails.
CC xx