‘And you really think you can go through with it all? You stabbed Natalya and Reeve to death, but those were simple, frenzied attacks. You fucked up. Do you really think you can hack a body apart and then carefully and precisely dispose of each part without making more mistakes?’

‘I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,’ Ethan said, quite coldly. ‘I’m used to dead bodies, Detective. It’s not something that many fourteen-year-olds have to see, but as a boy it was something I became used to. Too used to.’

‘Ethan, you must realise that’s not ok. No teenage boy should have to witness that!’

‘She didn’t mean for me to see. But it’s one of those memories that never dulls. A defining moment. You know the strangest part? I wasn’t even that scared. To this day I don’t even know whose body it was. That was never important.’

Dani daren’t look at Jason. She didn’t want to do anything to alert Ethan, but she could see small movements out of the corner of her eye. She had to keep Ethan talking.

‘Natalya. Her death makes sense,’ Dani said. ‘You had her down here, but she escaped. But Reeve? What happened, Ethan?’

Ethan gave her a resolute look but said nothing.

‘Did he see something he shouldn’t have?’ Dani asked. ‘Or was it that he was suspicious because two women he’d known were killed?’

Still Ethan said nothing, though the steady look on his face suggested perhaps Dani’s deduction on Reeve was right. But Ethan wasn’t going to give her anything more on that subject. She had to try something else.

‘I can’t believe this is what your dad wants for you.’

‘You know nothing about him,’ Ethan sneered, Dani doing her best to try and hide her relief that she’d got him talking once more.

‘Actually I think I do,’ Dani said. ‘I know what he went through. And you have a sister too, don’t you? Surely she’s not part of this?’

‘Annie? What makes you so sure she’s different? She’s young, but she’ll be part of this if that’s what Mum wants.’

Dani shook her head in disbelief.

‘Does your dad know?’

Ethan didn’t answer. It seemed like he was about to look down to Jason…

Dani burst out laughing and Ethan’s eyes fixed on her in a cold stare.

‘Your dad. Is that why your mum married him? Because of his past? Because he was a victim of a murderer?’

Once again Ethan said nothing.

‘Fuck, Ethan, she’s so twisted. Your dad is nothing but another plaything for her. And she’s probably been using his knowledge of killers all this time just to keep one step ahead. Ethan, she’s crazy. But you can still save yourself. Save your sister from that life too.’