‘No. I need to hear him say it. I need to hear him say he lied about their plan, that he put the girls in even more danger just to save his own skin.’

Seeing Jack’s distress, Eliza realised she couldn’t keep this secret.

She couldn’t protect Wren anymore.

She turned to Con, grabbed his arm and took him outside the door.

‘Eliza, what are you —’

‘It’s time I told you the truth,’ she said. ‘But please . . . whatever you do, don’t tell Madison.’

She looked around and settled on a linen closet just across the hall. Con followed her into the small nook.

‘I have a confession . . . the fight between Jasmine and Madison.’ Eliza had to look away from Con’s eyes. ‘Madison approached me a few weeks ago. She asked that Cierra and Madison share a tent on the camp, and Jasmine and Bree too.’

‘That’s all?’ Con gave a dark laugh. He seemed rattled today. ‘They wanted to sleep in each other’s tents? You’ve blown the case wide open, thanks so much for —’

‘That’s not all,’ interrupted Eliza. ‘Madison told me that, on the second day of camp, Jasmine and her were going to have a fight. And that, afterwards, I’d have to send everyone else ahead, including Madison, and keep Jasmine, Georgia, Bree, and Cierra back with me. So it would be just us five, far at the back of the group.’

‘What? And you agreed?’ said Con.

‘I thought they just wanted to film something! It’s not that simple —’

‘Why would you agree to that, Eliza?’

‘Because Madison blackmailed me,’ she said quickly.

That stopped him. He took a second to process that. ‘With what? What could she possibly —’

‘What I’m saying is I’m sure Jack is telling the truth. Madison made me keep the four girls behind. They were capable of staging a fight. They would be capable of staging a disappearance.’

‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me this sooner? Georgia is dead!’

The door to Jack’s room opened and the nurse approached them. ‘He needs to see you – he won’t calm down. He says it’s about the girls.’

Con stomped inside, Eliza trailing behind. Another nurse was helping Jack drink from a glass of water, but when he saw Con he let it fall and it spilled down his side, his face pale but for points of colour on his cheeks.

‘It was Madison’s idea,’ said Jack. His face was still covered in sweat. ‘Cierra had to be part of it, ’cause Madison’s viewers know her. Georgia . . .’ Jack’s voice trailed off. ‘She thought it might help her museum. That in a few months, when they came out of the mountains —’

‘Months?’ said Con. ‘They planned on being missing for months?’

Even the nurses looked shocked, both watching Jack with morbid fascination.

‘Were they planning to kill Georgia?’ said Con.