‘I need the toilet,’ she tells the officer guarding the door. He looks across at his colleague. When she nods the okay he opens the door. Fran holds her breath as she steps through it then, as soon as she’s out of sight, she runs, down the hallway, through the porch and out the front door. Renata has reached the waiting police car.

‘Renata!’ Fran barrels down the driveway. ‘Where’s my sister? What did you do with her?’

Out of nowhere a police officer steps in front of her, blocking her path.

‘Renata!’ she screams, ducking and twisting to try and get closer but the officer’s got her by the arm now and more are closing in, telling her no, asking her to return to the house. She watches, her heart twisting in her chest as one of Renata’s minders puts a hand on the top of her head, pushing her down and towards the open car door. Renata’s still not looking at her. She’s blocked Fran out, pretending she doesn’t exist.

‘You killed my sister!’ Fran shouts, straining against the men holding her. ‘She didn’t deserve to die.’

It’s as though someone has pressed pause on a film. Or maybe it’s just Renata that stops moving, because she’s the only person Fran’s looking at, a character in close up, freeze-framed in the scene. Then she’s looking directly at Fran and her lips are moving, her voice is amplified and every other sound is muted.

‘I wasn’t the only one who hated Jenna. I hit her, but I didn’t kill her.’

‘Who?’ Fran shouts. ‘Who killed her?’

A slow smile spreads across Renata’s face.

‘Damian,’ she says, then she ducks her head and climbs into the car.

Chapter 53

Now

FRAN