Got to keep her talking. Think of something. Think.

‘That picture downstairs, of you at the end of a school show? The one that Mark Ruddington posted on Facebook?’

‘What about it?’

‘You played Lady Macbeth, didn’t you?’

She nodded, lowering the shotgun for a moment as she recalled the lines.

‘What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?’

‘And what about Ben’s blood?’

‘What about it?’

‘Do you think you’ll ever be able to wash that off your hands?’

She frowned, summoning another line from memory.

‘What’s done cannot be undone.’

I dragged myself towards her, my shattered leg trailing blood. Fear and pain. This is it. You have to disarm her or kill her, for William to have a chance. Can you do it? Can you kill her with your bare hands?

Yes. No choice.

Bring her close.

‘You don’t have to do this, Beth.’

She took a step forward and raised the gun to point at my head again.

‘Sorry, Joe. But I do.’

‘It’ll be my word against yours, and you’ll win hands down,’ I said quickly. ‘You’re much better at this than I am, you’ve shown that this week. You win.’

‘It’s the final act, Joe.’ She stared down the barrel at me.

‘My word against yours, Beth. Think about it. Who in their right mind is going to believe me? No one.’

She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted.

A new voice – young, unsteady, fighting sobs – cut in from the landing beyond the door.

‘Yes they will, Joe. They will believe you.’

This time there was someone standing in the doorway.

Alice.

Chapter 84

84

She was crying.

‘Mum,’ Alice said, fighting back a sob. ‘How could you?’

Keeping an eye on me, Beth turned her head slightly to talk to her daughter.

‘Go downstairs, sweetie, I’ll be there in a minute. It’s not safe up here just now.’

‘HOW COULD YOU DO IT?’ Alice screamed from the doorway, pink mobile phone in her hand.

Beth was unmoved.

‘You don’t know what’s going on here, Alice, go downstairs now, please. I’m not going to ask nicely again.’

‘I do know what’s going on.’

‘No,’ Beth said firmly. ‘You really don’t.’

‘I know everything.’

‘How long have you been listening?’

‘The whole time.’

‘That’s not true, is it Alice? Aunty Mel checked the landing a minute ago and you weren’t there.’

‘I was in my room.’

‘So you’ve not heard anything, then.’

‘I heard what you said about Dad!’ Alice screamed back, her voice cracking. ‘What you did to him!’

‘I don’t know what you think you heard, Alice, but you’re confused.’

‘It’s in your own words, Mum!’

‘What are you talking about, sweetie?’