Jake was holding Florence’s hand. She looked like she’d been crying. I bent down to talk to her.

‘Hello, Florence. Gigi is just in the kitchen. She’ll be happy you’re here to play.’ I ushered her through. Gillian and Gigi looked up from the book. ‘Gigi’s friend’s come to join.’

Gillian patted the space on the sofa next to her. ‘Come on then, love, don’t be shy, come listen to the story.’

Florence went to sit down with them.

I shut the kitchen door and went back to Jake in the hallway. I hung my bag up on a hook.

‘Frederick’s gone. We found Florence alone in the house. He must’ve walked out straight after you.’

‘He just left her? How was she?’

‘She was hysterical. Completely distraught about Daddy leaving. We calmed her down with a biscuit and I said I’d bring her here. You need to call Camilla. She knows you. There’s a better chance she won’t freak out as much on hearing from you that her husband’s a psycho traitor who just abandoned their two-year-old home alone to go on the run.’

I thought of Camilla and her fragile nature. I started thinking a lot about Camilla and how everything I knew about her was most probably wrong.

‘I’d better get back. Hattie managed to speak to Dugdale. He says he was shocked but believes Frederick being the Snake makes sense. Frederick did bring him the actual Tenebris web address and the login card, but only after the rumours about Tenebris had begun circulating. It was just a matter of time before the Security Services would be tasked with shutting it down.’

I nodded. The pieces seemed to fit. If Frederick knew that Tenebris’s time was limited, exposing them was worth it. Especially as doing so gave him a way in to Eight, a way to get close to Peng and secure one final big payday.

‘I’ll get Camilla here and find out what she knows.’

I pulled out my phone as Jake let himself out.

Camilla answered on the second ring.

‘Hi, Camilla, it’s Alexis. Frederick had to go out so Florence is with me. She’s absolutely fine but you need to come to my house now. I’ll text you the address.’

‘I . . . I’m coming. I’ve just got out at Turnham Green tube. I’ll be there as soon as I can.’

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

CAMILLA WAS THERE within five minutes. She must’ve run the whole way here. She pushed the buggy with Arthur strapped in into our hallway. I called Florence out from the kitchen. She ran to Camilla and she scooped her into her arms.

‘Daddy left me, Mummy. He left me all alone.’

Camilla looked from her daughter to me.

I nodded. Her jaw clenched.