‘Please, Matt, don’t look at me like I’m crazy. You know me, you know I’m a rational person. But I know in my bones that Bella is Holly. She’s mine.’

‘What DNA test? How the hell did you get Bella’s DNA? Christ, is that what you were doing breaking into Shaun’s place?’ He sighs heavily and puts his beer can on the coffee table. ‘I can’t even get drunk properly.’

‘What else did the Morrises say?’ I sit back down on the edge of the sofa, chewing the skin around my fingernails.

‘I spent the afternoon with them at their place. Sounds like they’ve had a hell of a time recently.’

‘They’ve had a hell of a time?’ I shake my head in disbelief at the thought of them all chatting away together. At the thought of Matt going behind my back. Talking about me.

‘You’ve really got it wrong about them, Rachel. They were nice. Understanding. I told them what you’d been through and they were shocked.’

‘You told them! About Holly?’

‘I had to. It was the only way I could explain your actions. People don’t just break into other people’s houses for no reason. When I told them your story, they were lovely. Kate even cried. She said she felt terrible for giving you a hard time.’

I bite back a retort. I don’t believe her act for a moment. Of course she’d pretend to be sympathetic. What else would she do after Matt told them my suspicions? They’re hardly going to admit to it.

Matt flexes his fingers. ‘There’s another reason why Kate and Shaun were so cagey when you started talking about Bella at dinner that night…’

‘Oh?’ I wait to hear what other lies they’ve fed Matt.

‘Bella isn’t their biological daughter. She’s adopted.’

For a second, I’m not sure I’ve heard right. ‘Adopted?’ I almost laugh. That proves my theory even more.

‘It’s not common knowledge,’ Matt continues, ‘and Bella doesn’t know yet, which is why they were understandably upset when you started asking questions about her at dinner.’

‘They would say that though, wouldn’t they? They’re not going to admit that they took my daughter! The fact that they’re now saying she’s not even their biological daughter makes me even more sure they’re guilty. They’re just saying she’s adopted to wriggle out of a DNA test.’

‘They showed me proof, Rachel. Her adoption papers, baby photos, they even have a baby book with everything documented. I was embarrassed that they felt the need to prove it to me. I told them I didn’t need proof. Poor people. So you see, Rachel, they wouldn’t have all those things if they’d taken her when she was a toddler, would they?’