‘So why are you speaking out if you are scared?’

‘People need to know the truth.’

The truth was that I had relied on this woman. I stared at the shadowed face; the speech, the gestures—none was familiar. A process of elimination. Imogen and Mel wouldn’t do this, I was sure. That left Tara and Julia. Unless it was someone from another playgroup who’d met me once or twice.

How could any one of them think I’d done something to Bella? They knew how much I loved her! But the woman on television was twisting every situation to suit a different truth. Bella’s broken wrist. Victoria’s disappearance. Me walking up to the shops.

‘She was always going up to the shops to buy stuff.’

Twice—and do you know how hard it was to leave my child in someone else’s care? I was right not to trust you!

The commercial break suddenly came on, an advertisement blaring about a new European car. Mel excused herself to go to the toilet.

It couldn’t be Imogen on the television—it had to be Julia or Tara. The ads finished and the playgroup mum was back. Without Mel by my side, I felt more vulnerable. Mel knew the real me; she’d defend me against this woman.

The front door slammed and I prepared myself to face my husband. What sort of mood would he be in?

‘Is that you, Marty?’

‘No, it’s me.’ Mel came back into the room, swathed in a long purple scarf—Bella’s favourite colour. ‘I was feeling the cold. Just had to get this from the car.’

The reporter asked about the moment that Bella had disappeared.

‘Lexie must have left the gate unlocked herself. Either that or …’

‘Or what?’ prompted the reporter.

‘Or she set the whole thing up herself.’

The program finished. Mel turned it off and I stared at the black screen.

‘I can’t believe Tara or Julia would do this …’

‘Or Imogen,’ Mel added.

‘What do you think happened, Mel?’ I asked eventually.

Did Mel know about the discovery of the shoe and the water bottle? It hadn’t been reported in the news yet—the female detective had asked us not to share the information until they’d finished another search elsewhere. I wanted to hold the shoe, to feel closer to my Tinker Bell, but the police had already sent it off for testing. An image of Bella with one shoe made my blood run cold. She needed two shoes.

‘I don’t like to say this, Lexie, but you must have left the gate open and Bella tried to follow you.’

‘But why haven’t we found her then?’

‘Do you think … ? No, I don’t want to upset you.’

‘WHAT?’

‘Do you think …’ Mel stopped and took my hands in hers. ‘Can you really trust your husband?’

‘Why would you say that?’ I whispered.