Angel Kiss - Laura Jane Cassidy [33]
‘So you’re open again?’ I said.
‘We are indeed,’ replied Ali, placing the final cupcake on to the stand. The little cakes had icing in assorted pastel colours; some had sprinkles and some had little edible butterflies on top. The Cupcake Café was one of the cutest places I’d ever seen. The walls were covered with pale pink polka dots, there were white tables with pretty placemats and chairs with pink cushions. Fairy lights were draped around the pillars at the counter and jam jars with little candles were scattered around the place.
I picked up a menu and read through it.
‘What can I get you?’ Ali asked. ‘We have a nice selection of teas and smoothies and pastries. And of course our famous cupcakes.’
‘I’ll have a strawberry tea. And a pink cupcake,’ I said. ‘And can I use a computer?’
‘Go ahead, use whichever one you like. Will I wait a while before I serve your tea?’
‘Thanks, yeah, just need a few minutes,’ I said.
There was a long table by the wall with three white Macs sitting on it. I sat down in front of the one nearest the window.
I messaged Hannah, Sophie and Ross, letting them know that things were looking up in Avarna, but didn’t tell them about any of the weird episodes. I told them all about Nick and Colin and the others I’d met up in the forest. I didn’t mention the girl in the trees though. I had pushed that whole experience to the back of my mind. After I’d messaged them I messed around on the Internet for a bit. I read through a couple of blog posts. Then I typed Beth Cullen into the search box. Even though I didn’t like thinking about what had happened to her, I couldn’t help wanting to know more. The first result was an article from theIrish Times, about Beth and three other women whose murders remained unsolved.
Following an extensive search, Beth Cullen’s body was found close to the Avarna mines in Co. Leitrim in late December 1986. Gardai investigating the murder questioned a number of suspects, but no one was charged. Twenty-two-year-old Ms Cullen had been shopping for Christmas presents in Carrick-on-Shannon and had been sighted cycling just outside the town at around 4.30 p.m. on 21st December. Her parents raised the alarm when she did not return home for dinner that evening. Her bicycle was recovered three miles from where her body was found …
‘Hi, Jacki,’ said a voice from behind. I closed the tab and turned round. Emily was standing there, looking like a mini-rainbow in a polka-dot skirt, a stripy coloured T-shirt and purple Nikes.
‘One chocolate cupcake, please, Ali,’ she said, and then propped herself on the chair beside me.
‘What you up to?’ she asked, logging into the computer next to mine.
‘Nothing much,’ I said, clearing the search history with two swift clicks.
She looked even prettier in daylight. Her hair was a stunning dark red and she had a perfect button nose. She was smaller than me, maybe about five foot, and her nails were painted bright blue.
‘Anything interesting happen after we left last night?’ I said.
‘Nope, not really. I went home pretty soon afterwards.’ If she knew about my freak-out, she didn’t say anything.
‘Have you heard from Nick?’ I asked. I wondered how he was doing. And how long it would take him to get over Sarah …
‘No, I texted him, but he didn’t reply. Nobody’s heard from him yet. Poor guy. And he goes to the same school as her and everything. I’m so glad I go to an all-girls school. No fear of bumping into any ex-boyfriends.’
‘You go to St Mary’s?’ I said, noticing the transition-year pin on her bag.
‘Yep, I’m going into fifth year. Are you going there?’
‘Yeah, I’m going into transition year. I’m glad you’ll be there. At least now I’ll know one person.’ I was so relieved. Knowing just one person, even if they were in a different year to me, made the thought of the first day at school slightly less terrifying.
‘St Mary’s is actually an all-right place. I think you’ll like it. I’ll introduce you to lots of people, don