Chapter 106
As before, I didn’t drive into Spero, but parked the car off the road, just behind the tree line.
Whatever was happening at the school, I didn’t think it would be a good idea to announce my presence.
I was halfway to the gate when I heard a series of muffled bangs, the first of them nearly lost against the thunder.
Only two big exterior lights burned at Spero, and those were close to the gate, so the rest of the campus was umbrous, the outlines of its buildings barely distinguishable from the night sky except when lightning flashed, though the sudden brightness was so blinding that I was forced to shield my eyes.
Three vehicles were parked in the lot, Edward Kenney’s big BMW the farthest away.
The others appeared to slouch, and I saw that the right-side tires on both were flat; only Kenney’s tires were intact.
Halfway between Santopietro’s cottage and the BMW, a body lay face down at the edge of the lot.
I knelt and turned the head enough to be able to see the features.
Roger Teal stared back at me with his intact eye.
I restored him to the gravel. Over by a sugar maple, a second body was lying on its back, its mouth open wide to accept the rain—Santopietro—and near the path to the cottage was a third man, Edward Kenney.
I checked each for signs of life and found none.
I heard a roar from the parking lot as the BMW kicked into action.
Before I could react, it was speeding off.
I was about to go after it when a stream of students appeared from the main dormitory, all barefoot and wearing pajamas, some of them crying.
I shouted for them to get back inside, but a fire was blazing in the rooms on the second floor.
I ran to the nearest of the kids and asked if there was anyone left in there.
An older student did a head count and confirmed one boy was not accounted for.
“Only Leonard isn’t with us,” he said. “Leonard Levesque.”
“Where is he?”
By now the fire had properly caught and the first of the windows on the upper floor exploded, spangling the night air with glass. The older boy pointed to the main school building, where more flames were visible. Silhouetted against them was a boy.
“That’s Leonard. He’s the one starting the fires.”
Leonard Levesque didn’t move as I approached. He was entranced by what he’d done. Only when I was beside him did he acknowledge me.
“Are they dead?” he asked.
“Is who dead?”
“Santopietro. Renders.”
“Santopietro’s dead. I don’t know about Renders.”
“Who are the others?”
“Roger Teal and Edward Kenney.”
Leonard Levesque wiped his eyes clear of rain and tears.
“Teal was one of the men who took me. Are you sure he’s dead?”
“I’m sure.”
“Good.”
“Why are you burning the school, Leonard?”
“I have to make up for what I did,” he replied. “Otherwise, they won’t ever leave me alone. I think they might kill me.”
“Who’ll kill you?”
“The dead boys.”
His eyes glittered madly, reflecting the flames, as though he were burning up inside.
“What did you do, Leonard?”
“I told Santopietro about Scott and his girlfriend,” he said. “I’m sorry now.”
“Why?”
“Because he and Renders raped her in the cottage.”
“How do you know?”
“I watched them do it, from the window. It felt good at the time, but I was sad later. I wanted to hurt Scott because everybody liked him more than me. I wanted to get him into trouble, but I didn’t think they’d do what they did to his girlfriend. You believe me, right?”
“It doesn’t matter what I believe.”
“I hate this place.”
I heard a crash as part of the dormitory roof collapsed. The fire, freed, soared into the night sky, and the flames hissed in the falling rain.
“That’s okay,” I said. “Once you’re done, there won’t be much of it left to hate.”
I went over to where the older boy was corralling the rest of the kids in the rain.
“What’s your name?”
“Jamie Hanscomb.”
“You’re in charge now, Jamie. Take the boys to the shelter of the trees beyond the campus. I’ll call nine-one-one.”
I didn’t want the kids to remain on the property in case the fire spread. I didn’t think it would, not with the rain, but I couldn’t be sure.
“Are you going to stay with us?” Hanscomb asked.
“I told you, you’re in charge. Help will be here soon.”
“Where are you going?”
His voice trembled. He might have been older than the rest, but he was still only a child.
“To find Mr Renders,” I replied.
“When you do, will you tell him something for me?”
“If I can.”
“Tell him to fuck off and die.”