Poking Shannon in the chest, Ma said, ‘I know what your head’s like. That crack has sent you stupid. You sure there isn’t anything else you’ve forgotten?’

Giving Ma a small smile, Shannon shook her head, knowing full well there was one thing. But she hadn’t forgotten it; it was simply that she’d never talk about it. Not to Ma. Not to Charlie. Not to anyone. She’d made a promise. And no matter what happened, she’d never breathe a word. ‘No, there isn’t anything else, I swear.’

Suitably satisfied, Ma sniffed. ‘Right, well you know what you’ve got to do, don’t you? Go on then, Shannon … Move!’

18

‘Keep looking! Keep looking!’ Franny screamed as tears continued to fall down her face. It felt like she couldn’t breathe. She took a left turn down Regent Street, jumping the lights, driving too fast, not caring about anything else but finding Mia.

‘This is crazy, Fran, we won’t find her like this. She could be anywhere.’

‘Keep looking!’

Alfie’s voice was full of concern as he gazed out of the window. ‘I hate to say it, but we need to call the police, darlin’. You need to call your mate and tell her what’s happened.’

‘I can’t! I can’t … We just got to find her! We just got to find her … There! Look over there! That woman, with a baby.’

In the dark of the morning, at the edge of Regent’s Park, Franny pulled over, skidding the car to a halt, her wheels bouncing up on the kerb.

Dashing out of the car, Franny charged at the woman, dragging at her clothes as she screamed in her face.

‘Mia! Mia! Give me my baby!’

Terrified and confused, the woman began to step back, falling against the black metal railings whilst trying to fend Franny off as she continued to pull the baby out from her arms.

‘Give her me! Give her me! I said give her to me! She’s mine!’

Petrified, both the woman and the baby began to scream.

‘Franny, Franny stop! For fuck’s sake! What’s wrong with you!’ Alfie grabbed Franny, dragging her off.

In shock, Franny stared at Alfie and then at the woman and at the baby: black straight hair instead of soft bouncing curls. Olive skin instead of pale skin. A boy instead of a girl. Somebody else’s baby.

Tears ran down Franny’s cheeks as she called after the woman who’d rushed off, holding her baby tight to her chest.

‘I’m sorry, okay … I’m so sorry, I made a mistake. I don’t know what I was thinking.’

Gently, Alfie put his hand on Franny’s shoulder. ‘Get back in the car, Fran. Come on, babe, let’s go.’

Franny nodded and climbed back into the car in silence.