Page 120 of Final Betrayal

As she turned back, a gust of wind blew litter into her face and the sky decided to take that moment to spill its load down on top of them. She pulled up her hood as the rain pounded on her head. ‘It’s just a sewer.’

‘No, it’s not.’ McKeown hunched down beside Kirby. ‘It’s definitely an entrance to a tunnel.’

‘It’s still a sewer,’ Lottie insisted. She leaned over Kirby’s shoulder. An insane thought flew into her brain. Could her girls be hidden there? ‘What are you waiting for?’ she said with renewed urgency. ‘You found it. Down you go.’

Kirby gave McKeown a nudge with his elbow. ‘You discovered the shadow on the CCTV footage. I think you should go. Have you got a flashlight strapped to your other ankle?’

Boyd pulled a pencil torch from his inside pocket and handed it over. McKeown took the light and pointed it down into the darkness.

A voice echoed back up at the four detectives.

Lottie tottered against Boyd, and McKeown looked at Kirby.

Then they heard it again.

‘Get me out of here.’

McKeown radioed for assistance while Kirby trotted across the car park to the cordoned-off scene at the courthouse. He came back with a couple of fire personnel and a ladder.

Lottie was on her knees, torch in hand, directing it into the tunnel. The muddy face of Conor Dowling stared back at her from possibly five to ten metres below ground.

‘Are you okay?’ she shouted.

‘No. I need to get out of here.’ His voice was hoarse. From shouting, she thought.

‘Any injuries?’

‘I’m thirsty and starving.’

The rain thundered down and water flowed into the hole.

‘Hurry up,’ Lottie told the assembled crew.

After the ladder was shunted downwards, a fire officer climbed down to make sure Dowling was strong enough to come up under his own steam.

‘Is there anyone else with you?’ Lottie asked.

‘No,’ echoed the reply. Closer now. He was climbing the ladder.

Lottie offered her hand as he reached ground level. He ignored it and hauled himself up and out. He lay on his back, inhaling fresh air. A squad car with uniformed officers arrived. Boyd took a heavy jacket from one of them and, after lifting Dowling to a sitting position, threw it over his shoulders.

‘You’re coming with us,’ he said. ‘You’ll be checked over at the station.’

Lottie kept her focus on Dowling. He was shivering and dirty. But his eyes were alive and piercing. He returned her stare before turning to glance at the courthouse.

‘What happened over there?’

‘I thought you could tell us that,’ Boyd said.

‘Nothing to do with me. I was working below ground. Tried to get back out, but the entrance was blocked. I’ve spent all night in that dark hole, imagining that I would never be found.’

‘Maybe you should have stayed in prison,’ Lottie offered. ‘Go with McKeown. I’ll talk to you in a while.’

While Dowling was escorted to the car, Lottie remained standing at the opening to the tunnel. The fire officer made to remove the ladder.

‘Leave it,’ she said. ‘I want to have a look.’

Boyd put a hand on her arm. ‘I think Amy and Penny’s killer used this tunnel.’

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