Sighing, she frowned and walked into the church itself, suddenly aware of how cold she was. She shivered, the gloom of the day made worse by the heavy stone of the building. Her footsteps echoed as she walked on the highly polished marble floor, under the large Corinthian column and past the two large statues of angels. She took a seat on one of the wooden pews.

She stared up at the gold dome at the front of the church. None of it was supposed to turn out like it did. None of it was supposed to hurt anyone. All she had done was try to help, hadn’t she? If Bree had listened, if Vaughn hadn’t wanted to bring her down, none of this would’ve happened, and she hated them for it. Hated them for putting her in this position. It was also because of them Mia was missing.

The pain came back in her chest as she started to shake. She still didn’t have the first clue what she was supposed to do, where she was supposed to turn. Maybe it’d turn out that she had to go to the police after all. But apart from the letter warning her specifically not to go to them, the problem was the police would have questions about Mia. Questions that she didn’t have the answers to, or rather answers she wouldn’t want to tell them.

She’d never felt so helpless in her life. Never. Hopefully, whoever wrote the letter would be in touch. But it was the waiting that was the problem. Waiting on hope, not certainty. The waiting part was killing her.

‘Franny? Franny?’

Turning around, Franny frowned as she saw it was the girl from the club. Wet and dishevelled and with half her front teeth missing. She scowled at her, irritated that the girl knew her name. Vaughn must’ve told her.

Angrily, she growled, ‘Whatever it is, I’m not in the mood. Now I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me alone. I came in here to get a bit of peace.’

Dressed in only a tiny denim mini skirt and a long-sleeve thin red cotton top, and with holes in her satin dolly shoes, Shannon shivered as the rain dripped down her neck. She smirked. ‘Not sure if praying will help. Maybe talking would.’

With simmering anger, Franny stood up from the pew, moving towards Shannon. ‘Not with you it wouldn’t. Now please, go away, and if you think you’re getting any money from me, think again. Go and beg elsewhere.’

Clearly not in the least concerned by what Franny had to say, Shannon stared at her, full of hostility. ‘Vaughn was right about you, you’re a nasty cow.’

‘You know nothing about Vaughn and you know even less about me.’

Not to be put off, Shannon chewed on her gum as she spoke. ‘I know he’s my friend.’