‘I couldn’t do it,’ says Michael. ‘I thought about it and I couldn’t. You know what, Lorna? Maybe I’m not a complete monster. Liberty is the only thing that’s ever made me human.’

‘Very touching.’

‘Annalise should have done as she was told,’ says Michael. ‘If she hadn’t run out of the cottage it never would have happened. I warned her what I did to the other girls.’

I feel sick. ‘Other girls?’

Michael lowers the gun. ‘Girls I met at the shows and took to the cottage.’ He watches the window. ‘Why isn’t she at the gates yet?’

‘The gates are closed,’ I say, following his eyeline. ‘Why are they closed? You need to open them. How will Liberty get out?’

Michael doesn’t say anything.

Realization dawns on me. ‘You’re not going to let her out.’

‘Of course not. Come on now. What if she talks?’

‘You separated us.’ I feel furious with myself. ‘In case we fought you. You couldn’t have two against one.’

‘Very good, Lorna. You’re getting how it works.’

‘The police know Liberty’s here—’

‘According to the testimony of a crazy woman.’

‘Let her go, Michael. Open the gate.’

‘Are you telling me what to do now? Where do you think that will get you?’ He lifts the gun.

‘Nowhere,’ I say, my voice breaking. ‘But … you had a party yesterday. People will have seen her here—’

‘So what? Liberty came to my house. Then she left. There’s nothing to suggest any harm came to her here. Everyone at the party saw us getting on like a house on fire. And you know how the police feel about searching my woods. They wouldn’t want to offend me by doing that, would they?’

I lunge for Michael, my hands finding his throat. He struggles to move the rifle under my chin but I press my body against his so he can’t get a good angle.

‘You can’t do it, Lorna,’ says Michael. ‘You might be stronger now, but you can’t kill another human being. It’s wired through you like writing in a stick of rock.’

‘You’re wrong. I could do it for Liberty.’

‘Do it then.’

‘You really think I won’t?’ My hands tighten.

‘You can’t kill me,’ says Michael, his voice becoming raspy. ‘You know why? Because I’m not real. There’s nothing here to kill, Lorna. And you know it. This is just a body. Michael Reyji Ray lives beyond this body. The idea of him is loved by millions. You kill me and I’ll become a martyr. Liberty’s mother will have caused the death of a legend. The world will tear your daughter apart. The fans will hunt you both down like dogs.’