As the shock subsides, I begin really questioning whether or not Kate’s daughter Bella could actually be my missing daughter Holly. She’s roughly the same age as Holly would be now, and she looks like her too – same dark hair and heart-shaped face. Same green eyes. But it can’t possibly be… can it?

‘Mum, why have you stopped walking?’ Jess tugs at my hand. ‘You’re being weird again. I hope Amy didn’t notice. I like her. She might be my new best friend.’

‘Sorry, darling. A lot on my mind.’

‘Is it work?’

I can’t help smiling at my daughter’s concern. ‘No, no. Nothing for you to worry about.’ My two don’t even know about Holly. Jess was a baby when it happened, and I didn’t want to bring that kind of distress into their lives. Maybe I was wrong to keep such a big thing from them, but I did what I thought was right at the time. Perhaps I’ll tell them when they’re a little older. Or perhaps new circumstances will mean that I’ll have to tell them sooner. But what do I mean by that?

I start walking again, gradually dismissing my thoughts about Kate’s daughter as ridiculous. It would be far too much of a coincidence, and Kate doesn’t seem the type to snatch a child. Not at all.

But what if she is? How would you even tell?

I quicken my pace, to the relief of my kids, and try to put the whole thing out of my head. But now that I’ve opened the floodgates, all these memories of my lost daughter keep coming back, crowding my brain until there’s no room for anything else. Asking that insistent question over and over again.

What if? What if? What if?

3

As soon as we turn into our narrow side street, I spot Matt’s van parked outside our little whitewashed terraced cottage, two wheels up on the pavement to allow traffic to pass. Not that it’s a busy road – normally we only get residents and visitors coming down here. I usually love it when Matt gets home early – he works long hours in his job as an electrician – but today I’m distracted and could really do with some alone time to get my head together and think about Bella Morris. And about Kate, and who she is. What she’s like. She seemed like a perfectly lovely woman. The kind of person who could become a good friend. But looks can be deceiving.

‘Dad’s home!’ Jess cries and starts running down the street.

Charlie lets go of my hand and follows behind. ‘Daddy!’

His excitement is infectious, and I can’t help smiling. ‘Stay on the pavement!’