‘We’ll be off, Beth. I’m glad you’re OK.’

Alice was in the hall with her coat on, two-thumb typing on her mobile. She had pinned her hair up off her forehead and the resemblance to her father was striking.

‘What was that about my dad?’

‘Nothing. You need to check on your mum.’

‘Been trying that. She keeps saying she’s fine.’

‘She needs looking after – don’t let her take any more pills, and definitely no alcohol.’

‘She doesn’t really drink.’ Her phone chimed and she checked the display.’ Anyway, I’m going to meet up with my friends.’

‘You’ll have to rearrange, your mum’s completely zoned out.’

‘She’ll be all right.’

‘She needs you here.’

‘I promised my friends.’ She was backing away from me, towards the front door.

I knelt to zip William’s coat up and when I turned back, the front door stood ajar. Alice was gone.

Mel’s mobile chimed in my pocket again.

Not going to stand me up again like last time are you?

xxx

7.14 p.m. Ben mob

I stared at the message, confused. Last time? What last time?

‘Daddy, come on,’ William said, pulling at my hand like he was leaning into a strong wind.

I hesitated a moment longer, then followed Alice out and pulled the heavy front door shut behind me.

Mel was standing by the tall white birdhouse halfway up the drive, arms crossed. She looked nervously at the door behind me, as if Beth might burst through it at any moment.

‘Well?’ she said in a half whisper.

‘You were right. Let’s go.’

Chapter 46

46

We split up at the mall, Mel taking up position in the front of a Starbucks on the ground floor of the main atrium, me and William taking the escalator up to a second-floor balcony where metal tables and chairs were arranged outside a mostly empty Costa Coffee. My heart was starting to thump in my chest. I was actually excited, elated almost, about the prospect of bringing Ben’s runaway train to a halt. I was leaving nothing to chance: I had my Nikon, plus zoom lens, to make sure I got him in focus. Three good pictures should do it. Bang bang bang. Press the shutter and just keep pressing it. Christ, one good picture would do it. One good shot of his face.

7.49 p.m. I put the camera’s viewfinder to my eye.

From my vantage point on the second floor, I could see Mel on the ground floor about sixty feet away, sitting at a table in front of Starbucks, sipping a skinny cappuccino. There was a copy of Metro that someone had left behind spread out in front of her. It was odd seeing her with a newspaper – she didn’t read them, not even free ones. She’d choose Heat, Closer or Hello! every time.