‘Just a minute,’ Sabih replied.

‘I’m doing my shoelace,’ Harri said.

She checked she couldn’t be seen from the house, and produced the radiation detector from her bag.

‘What’s that?’ Sabih asked.

‘I’ll tell you later.’

She switched it on and pressed it against the chassis over the back wheel. The display started dancing almost immediately, flashing numbers that were well beyond the normal threshold, but not quite at the level Dr Abiola had told her to look out for.

Harri gasped. She felt sick. Her worst imaginings were coming to pass.

‘What?’ Sabih asked.

Harri switched off the device and slipped it back in her bag.

‘We need to get to the office,’ Mandy shouted.

Harri stood and peered into the back of the Land Rover, but the privacy glass made it difficult to see anything clearly. She saw a lump beneath a blanket, but couldn’t make out distinct shapes.

‘What is it?’ Sabih asked.

‘I think I’ve found something,’ Harri replied.

‘What?’

‘Any chance?’ Mandy asked tartly.

‘Coming,’ Sabih replied.

Harri sensed someone watching her, and glanced up to see Ben Elmys and Elliot Asha in the upstairs window.

‘H, what are you doing?’ Sabih asked.

‘I can’t tell you now. Let’s come back later,’ Harri suggested. ‘When there aren’t too many eyes on us. I’ll tell you then.’

Sabih nodded, his eyes landing then pulling away from the upstairs window. He and Harri started down the drive towards Mandy and Nessa.

‘Sorry about that. Can you give me a lift to my car? It’s parked in the next lane,’ Harri said.

Mandy tutted, but Nessa smiled and nodded.

‘I’m sure Mandy won’t mind,’ the younger woman said.

Before she climbed into Mandy’s car, Harri looked back at Longhaven. Ben and the boy watched her, and she wondered whether Sabih was right. Had she simply been a pawn in whatever game Ben was playing? She got in the car, feeling dejected and betrayed, and wondered how she was ever going to be able to trust anyone ever again.

Extract from a transcript of a recorded safeguarding interview

Subject: Elliot Asha

Case Officers: Amanda Booker, Nessa Dooley

AMANDA BOOKER

Thank you for talking to us, Elliot.

ELLIOT ASHA

I have to, don’t I?

AMANDA BOOKER

You don’t have to do anything.

ELLIOT ASHA

Kids always have to do things.

AMANDA BOOKER

Do you understand why we’re here?

ELLIOT ASHA

You’re checking on me. Ben said you’d come, because I’m adopted.

AMANDA BOOKER

We need to make sure Mr Elmys is providing a suitable home environment.

ELLIOT ASHA

I’ve lived here since I was a baby.

AMANDA BOOKER

You like it here?

ELLIOT ASHA

It’s my home. That chair you’re in, my mum used to sit me on her knee and cuddle me while we watched TV. My dad and I found a secret hiding hole beside that fireplace. Every happy thing that happened to me happened here. I don’t ever want to leave it.

AMANDA BOOKER

No one will make you leave.