Georgie breathed a sigh of relief. Watching Charlie through the CCTV monitor interact with the woman who had tried to kill her had been electrifying. The tension between them was . . . was inescapable. Then the reference to another red-haired girl.

She swallowed hard. Of course. Jessica Ellinder.

Mixed feelings clouded her thoughts. Anger that Elinor had put her through so much trauma, but dreadful pity about her upbringing. What was ten minutes of fear compared to five years of systematic abuse?

She was just a child, Georgie thought. She still is, in many ways.

Georgie wasn’t clear what the deal was between Fox and Charlie. Maybe just a little mutual attraction, nothing more. It wasn’t important now. Nothing was, except that she was safe, and Karl Jones was dead, Alexia was dead, Dominique was dead. If anyone ever deserved to die, it was those three. That was, in a weird way, a form of justice.

‘Miss Someday?’

She jumped. Hadn’t heard Tiff Rowlinson come in.

‘Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. But your boss is asking if you want a lift home.’

‘Yes,’ she said automatically. ‘Coming.’

‘Are you sure you don’t want to press charges against Fox?’

Georgie hesitated. They had enough for attempted murder, although there were extensive mitigating circumstances; there might even be the question of diminished responsibility. But in the end, it was a straightforward choice.

‘I’m sure. I think she’s suffered enough, don’t you?’

Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Priest sat at Sarah’s kitchen table trying to decipher the drawing Tilly had handed him. It looked like a monkey eating a bus.

‘It’s lovely,’ he said, handing it back. ‘Probably the best picture I have ever seen.’

‘It’s a golf course,’ she said with absolute conviction.

He looked at it again.

‘Hey,’ he said to her, while Sarah sat opposite. ‘Wanna come with me to the pet shop at the weekend. I need a new fish.’

‘I can help you name it?’ she asked, her eyes wide with the possibility.

‘Sure.’

She grinned, jumped down from the kitchen table and skipped back into the lounge.

‘Why do you need a new fish?’ Sarah asked.

‘Long story.’

In the background, the television was on low. Channel 4 News was showing footage of Dominque Elias confessing to paedophilia. The footage had been cut, although there would probably still be complaints. The full version was on YouTube. It was already viral. A reporter standing outside the Elias Foundation headquarters was asking Jack Oldham to comment on the ‘extraordinary’ story of how the footage was sent anonymously to every media outlet in the UK and in countries where the Elias Foundation had outreach centres. He was struggling to explain.

She put Jack’s business card on the table in front of him.

‘Thank you.’

‘Ah,’ said Priest, pleased. ‘You got the job then.’

‘The Elias Foundation is rebranding and I’ve got all the PR covered. It’s a great gig, Charlie.’