For the first time in years, Alex marvels at how it all happened. How fast things got out of control. Coaxing the kids into the bath, stripping them to their underwear, hands shaking as she took the photos. Heading into the library, eyes down as she logged on to the network using the fake account. Staring at the door while the files uploaded. Deleting the images. Doing it all over again. The money, though, the money had come, and that had felt good.

They had some rules. Never the same house twice. Never talk about it. They would stop as soon as uni finished.

But once Louise Carter went missing, it all fell apart. Evelyn was convinced the photos she’d taken of the toddler had led to her kidnapping. She wanted out, but she didn’t want to go quietly; she wanted to scream it from the rooftops, burn it all to the ground.

Alex gets off the bus. She slides on her cheap sunglasses and looks both ways up the street. A short row of shops on either side, like in a country town. She gets out her phone, orientates herself. Walks toward Laker Drive. She barely notices the older man a few metres behind her, his white hair stuffed into a baseball cap.

She needs her old friend now more than ever. They were far from innocent, but they were still victims. They were threatened and Nicole was driven into hiding. They had their voices taken away. But Alex has found hers. It’s time to admit what they did. It’s time to expose everyone involved in the dark, twisted mess. With Nicole’s help she is going to blow it all up.

She reaches the end of the dirt driveway. The trees whisper.

Alex hopes her friend is ready to be brave.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ONCE AGAIN, HUGE THANKS GO TO MY AGENT LYN TRANTER, PUBLISHER Jane Palfreyman and editor Kate Goldsworthy. I know I am very fortunate to partner with such a formidable trio of writerly women.

Thanks also to Deanne Sheldon-Collins for her helpful advice on the draft and the wonderful team of editors, proofreaders and book-birthing experts at Allen & Unwin. I am eternally grateful to have so many talented people cheering for my books.

David Hurley deserves a shout out for letting me tag along with him to court and answering questions about being a journo, as do several experts who provided invaluable insight into their professional worlds. The maddening reality checks and attention to detail is much appreciated.