When Tara spoke about Lexie being the perfect mother, the producers flashed up old photos of Marty and Lexie dressed up to the nines for a charity ball, Lexie pushing Bella on a swing, all of them cuddling up together as a family. Picture perfect. They were images that Tara had snapped from photo frames inside Lexie’s house.

In the commercial break, she called Josh’s mobile again. No answer still.

‘Where are you?’ she shouted into the voicemail, wishing he was home, that she was wrapped in his arms. ‘Call me, you bastard.’

She watched the rest of the program without moving. At the end, it cut back to Jasmine Driver in the studio. The presenter had tears in her eyes.

‘There has still been no sighting of sweet little Bella Parker. Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them. Someone must know something. How can a child simply disappear from a room full of mums?’

Fuck-a-duck, was Jasmine blaming the playgroup mums? No, it wasn’t the mums’ fault, and it definitely wasn’t Tara’s fault—she was trying to help. It was Lexie’s fault: she had left the gate open either accidentally or on purpose.

Tiptoeing softly to her bedroom, listening for Daisy’s wail, Tara switched on the computer and typed out a quick blog post.

BLOGSPOTCRAZY HAZY DAYZ

Where is little Bella?

Did you see the Weekend Wrap report about Bella’s disappearance? What do you think? We’re so devastated. Every minute, we’re waiting for the news that she has come home. My beautiful daughter is crying herself to sleep every night. She’s scared to be alone.

My heart breaks for Bella. Where can she be?

It’s Bella’s birthday in five days. We’ve already bought and wrapped a present for her. We’ve planned a party. But she’s not here.

Bring Bella home for her birthday!

Short and sweet but that would get the comments rolling in. And hopefully some would share it to other platforms. Bring Bella home for her birthday—Tara repeated the line to herself. Imagine if she, Tara, managed to do that: what no-one else could do. Her social media presence, her interview, the photos, all of that was making people pay attention, inspiring them to find a lost little girl.

Yawning, Tara checked her Moschino watch. Nine thirty. Could she sneak an hour’s sleep before the next feed? She changed into her PJs, crawled into bed and checked her mobile again. No text, no call, nothing. Maybe Josh had forgotten to charge his phone.

As she started to doze off, Daisy cried out.

In the darkened nursery, with the baby attached to her breast, Tara had a moment of regret. Would her comments really help find Bella?

And where the fuck was Josh?

38 LEXIE

38

LEXIE

MARTY HADN’T SAID WHAT I KNEW HE’D BEEN THINKING.