A slight bit of hope came back into Franny’s voice. ‘No, Ma, Mia came early. She was premature. She’s Alfie’s baby, not Johnny’s. Look at her, Ma. Look at her face. You know Alfie. You can see that she looks like him. Go and look at her, please.’

‘But …’

‘Just do it, Ma.’

‘Okay, okay! Hold on …’ Irritated, Ma stood up, kicking the large tabby cat out of the way as she waddled over to the corner where Mia was sitting in her car seat. Holding the phone, she stared at Mia, seeing Alfie staring back at her.

‘Ma! Ma, are you still there?’ Franny called down the phone, knowing she had to play this right. After all, Mia might not be Johnny’s, but the fact was, Ma still had her.

Waddling back to her chair, Ma answered Franny, ‘Of course I’m still here.’

‘So, did you see? Can you see what I’m saying?’

Not wanting to admit it to Franny that rather than Mia being the image of her son, she was the image of Alfie, Ma tried to sound casual. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. All babies look the same to me.’

‘Maybe they do, Ma, but I’m sure the police would have something to say about kidnapping. Because that’s what this is. Mia has nothing to do with you, but you still took her.’

Ma laughed, though she didn’t feel as confident as she had done half an hour ago. ‘That’s ridiculous. You wouldn’t call the police – that ain’t what you lot do.’

Franny’s voice was cold and hard. ‘Believe me, Ma, I would do anything for Mia and I mean anything.’

Not liking how the conversation was going, Ma said, ‘I don’t want to speak to you anymore, I want to speak to Bree.’

‘Like I say, she’s too upset to talk.’

‘I’ll be the judge of that. I already know where she lives. Shannon told me. So maybe I’ll give her a knock.’

Franny’s head once again began to spin. How Shannon knew where Bree lived, she had no idea, but what she did know is that she needed to stay as calm as possible. ‘Do whatever you want, but she won’t speak to you.’

‘Then I’ll speak to Alfie.’

‘No!’ The minute she said it, Franny knew in that one little word, she’d spoken too quickly, had jumped too soon, had panicked too much. She chewed her lip, closing her eyes, hearing the pounding of her heart and hoping that Ma wouldn’t have picked up on her desperation.

A laugh came down the phone, loud and unpleasant. ‘Why not, Franny?’

Franny could feel that Ma had her on a hook. ‘Because, like Bree, he’s upset. Wouldn’t you be?’

‘Well, maybe getting a phone call from me will make him feel better.’