I glance into the shower room, my eyes falling on the pool of blood once more, before I carry on into Elise’s room. I crouch down bringing the torch to floor level – looking at the bloodstains on the carpet. I rise, spotting a rom-com paperback and Elise’s phone on the dresser, before heading towards the wardrobe, and yanking the doors open. A couple of pink jumpers, her pink padded jacket, a black jacket that looks more like something Lark would wear, and a pair of jeans hang inside. But there’s no sign of Elise.

I move towards the window where the curtains are pulled across, and take a deep breath before dragging them open, steeling myself, ready to jump back if a body should fall.

There’s nobody behind them – dead or alive.

But what I do see sends my head reeling. I fall backwards, dropping onto the bed. ‘Dad!’ I yell. ‘Dad, come here. Now! Please! Oh God, you need to see this.’

Chapter 26

Present Day

Me

Sometimes you come to me. Want sex. Other times, like now, you don’t look in on me at all.

Sometimes I think of ways I might kill you. But there’s nothing here that could do the job. You don’t even give me a knife to cut the food. You’re far too clever for that.

When I’ve finished eating chicken nuggets, and an apple – I quite like apples – I feel the familiar blurring of my mind. You’ve been drugging my food lately. I’ve no doubt of that. Are you going to kill me? Is that your intention?

But I must eat. Starving to death is a painful way to die.

I lie back on the pillow, my mind swimming. There’s no way out of this, I know that now.

My eyelids fall heavy over my eyes, and Misty curls beside me, warm and comforting.

Another day in hell is over.

Chapter 27

Present Day

Amelia

I flash my phone torch towards the macabre sight – smears of blood on floral wallpaper below the window, smudges of red on the painted frame, bloody fingerprints on glass.

‘Someone got out this way,’ I say, as Dad reaches my side. I fling open the window and a gust of snow swoops into the room. ‘Someone covered in blood,’ I go on, as the wind grabs the frame from my hand, and it slams against the side of the cottage, cracking the glass. I bring my torch closer to the open window. It’s a sharp drop down to snow-covered bushes. There’s something down there.

‘We need to look outside.’ I turn from the window.

‘Do you really want to go out there tonight, love?’ There’s doubt in his voice. Is he afraid? Or maybe he’s having flashbacks to a year ago, as I am. But for me those memories only make me more determined to find Ruth and Elise.