Before he could formulate an answer, Penny said, ‘I made friends with that bitch. Helen. I wanted to see what she was like, why she had everything I didn’t. And do you know what I learned? She’s not fit – not fit to be a mother. Not fit to be Sean’s wife, either. I watched her with Frankie, saw her lose her temper with her, saw her ignore her while she was staring at her phone. She left her on her own in the house while she and Sean went out drinking! Is that something a good mother would do? No. No, it’s not.’ Her eyes blazed. ‘That’s why I had to keep Frankie. Because she’s mine, you understand me? Mine.’

‘She’s not your daughter, Penny. She’s Helen’s little girl. And Helen loves her very much.’

Penny shook her head. ‘No . . .’

‘Frankie!’

The scream made Patrick whirl around. Oh shit . . . It was Helen. She ran towards them across the rooftop. Those stupid hotel idiots. She screamed her daughter’s name again and rushed towards her. Carmella caught hold of her, holding her firm, despite how she thrashed and struggled. Penny stared at her, her lip curled with contempt, then she smiled.

‘You came,’ she said.

‘Give me back my daughter,’ Helen yelled. ‘What have you done to her? Frankie? Oh my god, is she dead?’

‘She’s fine,’ Carmella said, struggling to keep hold of her.

Penny said, ‘She won’t call me Mummy.’

‘That’s because you’re not,’ Helen panted. ‘You’re no one to her. Or me. I thought you were my friend! But you’re . . . you’re just a fucking ghost.’

Penny smiled. ‘It’s because you’ve brainwashed her. Poisoned her against me. Do you know how hard it was for me to watch you with her, the way you mistreated her?’

‘What?’

‘I watched you, all of you. And I listened to the way you talked about her at the gym, always moaning about how tired you were, how you wished you could have a break. Well, now you’ve got what you wanted. And I want you to tell her. You’re not her mummy any more. I am. She’s mine.’

‘No!’

‘Mine,’ Penny said, almost to herself.

She took another step backwards towards the precipice, then turned her face and kissed the side of Frankie’s head – and with that, Helen went crazy. She tore free from Carmella’s grip and raced towards Penny and Frankie.

‘Give her to me!’

Patrick tried to block her path, but she sidestepped him nimbly, and lunged at Penny, who screamed.

Patrick, who was facing Penny and Helen, felt the bullet graze his shoulder before he even heard the bang. He heard a gasp from behind him and cried out.

‘Carmella!’