Before too long, there was the sound of a car’s engine slowing and stopping on the other side of the gate, the beep of the intercom, a metallic voice asking for identification. The driver made a cheery response to the receptionist that Lauren couldn’t quite make out. She held her breath in the short pause that followed, praying that whoever it was had official business, that their ID was all in order and that they would be let through. Then, there was a crunching of gears and a high electric whine as the gate drew slowly back. Lauren let her breath out carefully in a long stream, flattened herself against the wall and hoped the driver wouldn’t turn their head in her direction. They didn’t. After the car drove by into the grounds, there was easily enough time to slip through unseen before the gate clanged shut again.

Chapter 39

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Harper’s phone started to ring, and she prayed it wasn’t Amy, calling to apologise or explain. She had no wish to hear any kind of explanation, not that she was owed one. Harper was so cross that she almost didn’t look at the screen, but when she did she felt a little stab of disappointment. It wasn’t Amy, whom she was hoping to enjoy ignoring. It was Thrupp.

“What is it, sir?”

“Your girl, Lauren Tranter. She’s abducted her babies. She’s missing. I’m on the way to the unit now but she’s got a head start on us.”

“She’s escaped from the secure unit? How on earth—”

“Apparently, she drugged a nurse. She was hoarding her medication. They don’t know how much of this tranquilliser the woman was spiked with, but she’s out cold. Maybe a few days’ worth.”

Harper swallowed hard. The spilled tea, the medication not taken but disposed of. Lauren must have saved some of the capsules up, then used them to drug the nurse. She should have said something. But how could she have known that Lauren was planning something like this? Avoiding your meds was one thing. Hoarding them to be used against someone else was quite another.

“When did it happen, sir?”

“About thirty minutes ago.”

“Surely she can’t have gone far? She won’t be moving very fast with a stroller in tow. We should start small, search the unit first.”

“No stroller,” said Thrupp. “They found the pushchair abandoned in a bush. She must be carrying the babies in her arms.”

“She’ll have to rest, then. To put them down. Is she definitely on foot?”

“As far as we know. She had no phone, no way of arranging to be picked up in a vehicle. I’ve authorised a helicopter. They should be operational within the hour. What’s she thinking, Jo?”