‘As you know, part of our job is sharing information with the international community and policing the dark web. It’s come to our attention that several of the images and videos, found on electrical equipment at Laurie Fell, have duplicated hits all over Europe. The database has matched the few we inputted on a tentative trial basis, as standard, just in case, if you will. And they’ve flagged links to a ring that is being investigated out of South America. It’s run by a web domain called The Chief.’

Chapter 56

Nellie put on her coat slowly. She felt as though everybody’s eyes were on her. The police woman behind the desk, who reissued her private belongings, seemed to be smirking at her. The officer who opened the door for her, and offered to call a cab, seemed to mock her and watch as she walked down the steps. She felt dirty and very alone. The lawyer from Tactika had already gone.

Her father would have known what to do, but then she realised that he would also have been angry with her for failing to follow basic rules. It had been so easy. Her instructions from George were abundantly clear, and he’d even started to tidy up with her, helping to carry bags and cart equipment to outhouses. He’d spent hours going through Bart’s computers and deleting things. She could guess what he was getting rid of. She was under no illusion what would happen next.

But no one would understand that it wasn’t her fault.

When faced with no choice, what does a person do? She didn’t feel sorry for any of the girls. They had to accept their position in life and get on with it, just like she had. She knew that everybody would feel sorry for the girls, and everybody would point their fingers at her. Bart was safe; he’d escaped. He would never be brought to justice. Donald would be better off dying in the hospital. So she was the one who’d be held accountable. These things had been done on her property, and she’d allowed them. She’d found the girls. She’d helped set up introductions, she’d taken money and enjoyed the lifestyle, all so it stopped happening to her.