‘He warned me… Becky warned me… I had to make a choice.’

‘A choice? What kind of choice?’

‘We’re about to find out.’

‘And what about the Bad Place, Karin?’ Sasha said. ‘Something happened there, something you haven’t told me. Something that makes Ian Carrington hate you.’

‘We’re wasting time.’

Karin stepped towards the farmhouse, but Sasha grabbed her arm.

‘My daughter is in there! Tell me now!’

Karin said quietly, ‘Whatever happens, make sure the kids get out.’

Sasha didn’t like the sound of that. ‘We’re all leaving, we’re all going home.’

Conscious that her team could turn up at any minute, and not wanting the whole situation to turn into a standoff – she thought again of Becky’s horrific death – Sasha stomped quickly towards the building.

‘Let’s go in.’

Screeching gulls wheeled in the sky as they approached the front door, stepping out of the sun and into the cool interior. The hallway was dark, dank and musty and the floor was covered with fallen plaster and litter – old cans, broken glass, sodden cardboard stained with white mould. Scratching noises came from somewhere near, mice scuttling behind the walls.

‘This place is unsafe, careful where you step.’

There was a kitchen to the left as they came in the door.

‘He’s here.’ Karin stopped to look at the empty room. ‘The layout is the same as the Bad Place. The kitchen was at the front as you came in, like this, and there was a narrow central hallway past the stairs. There’ll be a door that leads to a cellar. I know he’s here.’

Sasha led the way to a door behind the stairs, as Karin had predicted. It was ajar, a soft light came from behind it, and they heard Carrington’s voice.

‘Let me go down first.’ Sasha stepped forward. ‘Ian!’

‘Down here!’ he called back casually.

‘Mum!’ shrieked Angel from below and Sasha’s nerves spiked, she had to physically stop herself rushing down the rickety stairs. The rotting wooden steps, soft with damp, bowed beneath her feet. Despite the endless sunshine beating down on the world above, it was cold in this room beneath the earth and the bare brick was chill to the touch.

When she got to the bottom, Sasha saw Ian Carrington standing behind three straight-backed chairs. Tied to them with masking tape were Sammi Manning, Lucas White and Angel Dawson.

‘Mum!’ Angel screamed. ‘Please!’

‘Hello, Angel.’ Sasha tried her best to sound calm and in control of the situation, despite the terror she felt for her child. ‘Has he harmed you?’

Angel shook her head. ‘I just want to go home.’

‘Lucas?’ she asked the boy, who nodded, tight-lipped but trembling, trying to stay strong. Tears bulged in his eyes.

‘Sammi.’ Sasha smiled at the ashen-faced girl whose disappearance had led them all here. ‘We’re going to get you home, all of you, okay?’