‘Lorna, I do not approve of this. It is not okay with me. This isn’t about rent or anything like that. It’s about your education and me caring about you. I swear to god, Lorna, if you go with him now, don’t come back when it all goes wrong.’

‘Fine,’ I said. ‘Rent my room out.’

Michael turned to me with soft eyes. ‘The tour bus is parked right up outside. Shall we get going?’

I laughed in happy shock. ‘Your tour bus is outside right now?’

Michael put hands on my shoulders. ‘We took a detour to come get you. To steal you away in the dead of night.’

‘What if she’d said no?’ Dee asked.

‘Soul mates don’t say no,’ said Michael with a flicker of a wink. ‘Go pack a suitcase, princess. Let’s get going.’

As I flung things into a bag – some clothes, books I was reading for school and all my make-up – Dee stood behind me. ‘Please. Please don’t do this.’

But when her words had no effect, Dee swung the other way again.

‘Fine. Be that way. Leave me all alone. Just don’t come crawling back to me when it all goes wrong.’

‘It’s not going to go wrong,’ I promised her. ‘This is destiny, Dee. Last night was the most amazing night. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. It’ll be fine. Better than fine. Don’t you think after everything I’ve been through I deserve my happily ever after?’

Dee let me go with a face that told me I’d broken her heart.

As far as I know, she never took Michael’s money.

Lorna

I pace the kitchen, phone hot against my ear.

I’m calling the only other mother I know – Helen. And I don’t know her that well. She used to bring her daughter, Julianne, here for playdates when Liberty was younger, but Liberty hasn’t talked about Julianne in years. I know I’m clutching at straws. I need a Coke for all the straws I’m clutching at.

Liberty’s breakfast fruit plate sits on the breakfast table. I’ve left it there because clearing it away is like admitting Liberty’s gone. And that’s too painful.

Nick is on his way home. He was on his way to a personal training client when I rang him. Good guy that he is, he turned his car right around and came home, promising his client a month of free sessions.

The police have come and gone. They told me that Liberty is legally allowed to visit her father. There is no reason to suspect that Michael Reyji Ray would hurt anyone. There’s nothing on record. It’s all fine. Leave her to it.

‘Michael Reyji Ray is not a good person,’ I said over and over again. I got the familiar looks of disbelief.