‘Sadie?’ I take a deep breath. ‘I’ve been thinking, and I have an idea, only I think it might be upsetting, so I’ll apologize now before I say it, OK?’

Sadie frowns but doesn’t say no.

‘What if… what if the reason they never found Caro’s body is because Caro never died? What if she’s still alive?’

‘What?’ Sadie goes white, her hand flying to her mouth. ‘What do you know?’

‘Nothing – not really,’ I say. ‘Please, Sadie, don’t say anything to anyone. You know everything that has been happening to me – the letter calling me a bitch, Rupert and Caro’s wedding photo appearing on the mantelpiece… it’s been getting worse. I found Lola on the driveway. She was dead.’

‘Oh my God.’

‘And I gave all Caro’s clothes away to the charity shop, but when Rupert and I came home from our weekend away they were all hanging back in the wardrobe.’ Now I have started talking I can’t stop, the relief at being able to potentially have an explanation for all that has happened making my words tumble out. ‘At first, in the very beginning I thought maybe it was my ex – we had a really nasty break-up and he’s not the kind to let things go – but everything that has happened has been related to Caro. As if someone is trying to scare me off Rupert, to get me to leave him. What if it’s Caro? What if she isn’t really dead?’

‘Oh my God, Emily.’ Sadie stares at me, her face pale. ‘I don’t know… I mean, it could. I suppose. It’s not impossible.’

‘Thank you.’ I smile at her, relieved that her first reaction isn’t to call me bonkers. ‘You don’t think I’m crazy?’

‘No,’ she says quietly, ‘but what are you going to do? Are you going to leave Rupert?’

‘What? No, of course not. I’m going to find out as much about Caro as I possibly can. If there’s even the slightest chance that she is still alive then I’m going to find her.’