‘Yes?’ Fran turns to me, her eyes bright. ‘Anna, what is it? You can tell me.’ A hint of the old Fran peeps back through.

‘I don’t have anything to back up what I’m about to say, I should probably tell you that first.’ My fingers knit together so tightly my knuckles go white.

‘Anna, please, whatever it is it can’t be worse than what’s already happened to this family, can it?’

‘I think Dominic might be lying.’ I blurt the words out, in a rush of relief. ‘I thought about things after we talked in here the last time and well . . . things simply aren’t adding up for me. The more I think about it the more I think that he might . . . he might have something to do with Laurel’s disappearance.’ I close my eyes for a moment, waiting for Fran to shout, storm off, anything . . . but there is only silence. When I cautiously open my eyes, she is staring at me, one hand covering her mouth.

‘Anna . . . what do you mean?’

‘He wasn’t at the hospital that night – you know that already. He asked me not to say anything to you, and he told me he spoke to the police, only I don’t think he did, and if he did I don’t think he told them the truth.’

‘So where do you think he was?’

‘I don’t know. But Pamela – I saw her after I read the text message from her on his phone, I asked her what’s been going on between the two of them – she said he was supposed to meet her that night, the night Laurel went missing, only he never showed up.’

‘Really?’ Fran is frowning, her neat brows drawn together in a deep V. ‘So, do you think Pamela is involved?’