‘Oooh, naughty Sammy. His smashed his milk, did he?’ I interpreted. ‘And his poor mum had to clean up all the milk.’

‘No,’ Julia interrupted. ‘I just remembered. I cleaned it up. A full bottle of milk. Sammy was pouring it out and it went everywhere.’

As I was leaving, I decided to ask her outright.

‘Was it you on the Weekend Wrap last night?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘The TV show. It was all about Bella.’

‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t know about it. Will it help with the search?’

‘Seriously, Julia? One of the playgroup mums was on TV talking about playgroup. It was you.’

‘I didn’t want to tell you.’ Tears pooled in her eyes and she grabbed for my wrists. Was she going to admit it? ‘I was in hospital yesterday afternoon. I’ve been having lots of pains. I’m scared there’s something wrong and the baby will come too early.’

A stab in my abdomen. A phantom memory of my own pregnancy.

I should have comforted her but I couldn’t. If something happened to the baby, it would be my fault for causing the distress. I couldn’t bear the thought of another casualty. My face wet with tears, I bolted back to the car.

When I got to Imogen’s house, she brought up the Weekend Wrap program straight away.

‘I can’t believe one of us would do that. We support each other. That’s the unspoken rule.’

‘Who do you think it is?’

‘It has to be Tara.’

‘Do you think it will help find Bella? Or will people stop looking?’

‘No, no, they’ll keep looking. I’m so sorry, Lexie. It was our fault.’

Kind, caring Imogen; blaming herself for Bella’s disappearance. It definitely couldn’t have been her on the television.

I asked the twins the same questions as Morgan. They weren’t interested in talking to me until I produced two lollipops that I’d taken from Bella’s birthday stash.

‘We had lollipops at playgroup,’ Matthew said.

‘No, we don’t have lollipops at playgroup unless it’s a birthday party,’ Imogen reminded him.

‘We did,’ Thomas argued.

‘When? Last Thursday?’

The twins turned to each other and laughed. Then they put a finger over their lips.

‘Shh, secret,’ they whispered together.

‘You can tell me the secret,’ I said. ‘It might help us find Bella.’

The boys spoke at the same time.

‘No telling,’ said Matthew.

‘Lollipops for a treasure hunt,’ Thomas blurted out.

‘Inside the playgroup room?’

The twins nodded. Matthew pushed his brother’s shoulder. ‘Sammy said not to tell.’

Lollipops from Sammy? It wasn’t like Mel to bring sweets to playgroup.

‘Were you playing outside at all?’

‘Hide-and-seek! Bella hiding!’ Matthew shouted.

‘Dora doll.’ Thomas began singing. ‘Dora—da da da—Dora. Backpack, backpack.’