But the policewoman doesn’t appear to be listening. ‘Let’s talk about it when we get to the station. Right now, I need you to calm down and come with us.’ She’s trying to make me go with her out of the house. I don’t want to leave. I can’t go. What about the kids? It’s Christmas next week and I haven’t even bought their presents yet.

‘It’s the other way around!’ I cry. ‘You’re arresting the wrong person! It’s Kate and Shaun! They’re the ones who stole my daughter! They’re the guilty ones; not me!’ I grab hold of the stair railings with my cuffed hands. If I hold on long enough, they’ll have to listen to me. I’ll make them understand that I’m innocent.

‘Can you let go of the bannister, Rachel?’

‘Her name is Holly, not Bella! I’m sorry I broke into their house, but I had to get proof!’ I grip on even tighter. I’m not going to budge.

‘Rachel,’ she says, ‘you need to let go and come with us.’

‘I’m not going anywhere. You have to listen to me.’

‘We’ll listen to you at the station.’

‘No, please. Matt, tell them.’

‘If you don’t let go,’ the policewoman says, ‘we’re going to have to remove you by force.’

I shake my head. She can’t touch me, surely. Something like that must be against procedure. I strengthen my grip as the policeman takes a small black rod from his belt. He gives me a look that says don’t be stupid, but I’ve chosen a course of action now and I won’t back down. This whole thing is outrageous. ‘You can’t make me— Ow!’ I let out a string of expletives. I’m not one to normally swear but that hurt so bad.

‘Come on, Rachel. Let’s go.’

The pain in my fingers is intense. But it fades into irrelevance as I realise I’m no longer gripping the stair railings. His rap on the knuckles worked. The two police officers are leading me out of my house and into the street; into their car. I don’t know what’s happening, but I don’t feel well at all. I don’t feel at all like myself. Why isn’t Matt coming with me? He hasn’t even stepped out of the house.

And then I realise…

Before he answered the door Matt apologised to me. He said he was sorry and that he didn’t want to do this. And now it’s so blindingly obvious what has happened – it wasn’t Kate Morris at all; it was Matt who called the police.

It was Matt who betrayed me.

34

Then