Georgie clutches my hand as I sit in the living room listening to DS Bains. When the police found me they tried to make me go to hospital to be checked over but I assured them that the man hadn’t hurt me.

He’d run away as the police had closed in on the maze. They are searching for him but so far there has been no sign.

‘We were completely unaware that Mr Rivers’s son was living with him,’ says Bains, cradling a mug of tea in his hands. ‘In fact, those who came into contact with Geoffrey said that he made no mention of having a son. It was so many years ago that he disappeared from public record that our investigation didn’t unearth anything – then today my colleague, DS Lindsay, discovered a death notice for Mr Rivers’s wife, which mentioned a “beloved son, Gabriel”.’

It’s the first time I’ve heard his real name.

‘When we searched the upper floor of the house we found his phone,’ says Bains, placing his empty mug on the table. ‘It contained graphic images of Geoffrey Rivers’s dead body as well as many, many images of you, Miss Adams, which had been taken from your social media pages. It seems he was rather obsessed with you.’

I have already told Bains about the childhood connection with Gabriel, the party, the letters, his subsequent stalking campaign.

‘The call log shows a call made to your mobile last night,’ he continues. ‘Did you speak to him, Vanessa?’

‘He … he told me he was a police officer,’ I say, recalling the West Country accent on the other end of the line. ‘And that I was to attend West Hampstead police station at 1 p.m. today.’

Bains nods his head and writes something in his notepad. Beside me, Georgie squeezes my hand tightly.

‘We also found a collection of journals,’ says Bains, looking up, ‘in which Gabriel Rivers wrote about ways to kill his father. It’s clear that Gabriel had serious mental health problems.’

I sit in a daze while Bains gets up from the chair. I hear him say something about getting some rest and how I must still be in shock, but I don’t answer. All I can think about is Gabriel and his silent, sad life. Though he nearly killed me, there’s a part of me that still sees the small boy he must’ve been. The boy that rescued me that night at the party.

‘I’ll see you out, DS Bains,’ says Georgie, ushering him to the door.

I hear her, out in the hallway, telling him that she will keep an eye on me, that it’s all been such a terrible shock.

‘Is it safe to come in?’

I look up and see Lottie. She and Jack had been sidelined to the kitchen while Bains spoke to me and Georgie.