‘If you don’t mind, we’ll get one of our team experienced in working with children to have a good talk to Molly about it. Try and get as many details as possible.’

‘Of course,’ I said. ‘And Beth?’

‘As I said, she’s okay, but she did have a scare. Someone tried to break into your house, it seems. She heard someone rattling the back door and then the front. She was so scared she hid in the bathroom. When our team arrived to fit the alarms, whoever it was ran off, but not before he’d managed to smash a hole in your French doors.’

I didn’t think I could take any more panic, any more worry. Everything was so completely out of control. I was dizzy trying to think about it all.

‘I don’t understand any of this,’ I said, feeling my legs give way.

I sat on one of the small chairs in the playroom and tried to steady my breathing.

‘We’re doing our best to get to the bottom of it,’ Constable King said, but she looked as confused as I was.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Rachel

We were travelling back home in the police car with Constable King when my phone rang and I saw Paul’s name flash up on screen. I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t know what I could possibly say to him at that time. How I could be civil to him.

I was tempted to let the call go to voicemail, but I knew, for all his faults, he would worry if he couldn’t get a hold of us. I was angry, but I wasn’t cruel.

He had a right to know that his daughters had been in danger and that the threat I had warned him about was real.

I answered the call, could hear that he was driving – the hum of traffic in the background giving it away. I spoke first, trying my best to keep my voice steady. I didn’t want to alarm Molly more than necessary.

‘Paul, some things have happened here today. I don’t want you to hear it from someone else.’

‘I’m driving home now. I’ve had a call from the police. They want to see me. Is that what you’re talking about, because I swear Rachel, I’ve no idea what’s going on or what they would want to speak to me about.’

I bit my tongue. I wouldn’t tell him where I had been, or about the images I’d seen of him with Clare. That was not a conversation I’d have within earshot of our daughter, never mind a police officer. ‘There was an incident at Molly’s daycare,’ I said. ‘A man approached her. She was behind the railings and he didn’t touch her but he gave her a real fright.’