‘That man is not my father. Fuck, my whole life has been ruined by that fucking man and I’m not even related to him. Barely related to you and Leah.’

‘That’s not fair.’

‘How can you talk to me about fair? You knew he’d planned it but even when were locked in that stinking room you didn’t tell us, Marie.’

‘I couldn’t. I was terrified we’d be split up. I thought it was for the best. Dad sounded so convincing. We’d have gone on holiday afterwards and everything would be okay.’

‘I can’t believe someone would be cruel enough to put their daughters through that and think a holiday to Disneyland would make up for everything.’

‘I didn’t know it would be so awful, Carly. I was terrified but I thought if I told you what was going on then we’d all be separated and the trauma of being tied up and shoved in the van would be for nothing. I didn’t know what to—’

‘You should have told us.’

‘I was eight! And if I’m honest, there… there was a part of me that… that was scared of him. Although he never threatened me, it was unspoken that if I ever told, he’d do something bad to me. And… and the thought that my own father might… might…’ Marie dissolved into tears.

Carly thought about how betrayed she had felt when she found out Simon was behind their fake kidnapping. How hurt and unloved – but ultimately she wasn’t his biological daughter. How must Marie have felt all these years, knowing that her natural dad had set her up? Carly felt herself softening.

‘I think you should have told me – someone – but it can’t have been easy for you knowing your dad was prepared to put you and Leah through such an ordeal… What?’ Marie had turned away, hanging her head as she swiped furiously at her cheeks.

‘Marie?’ Carly touched her sister’s shoulders. ‘What is it?’ But then it hit her.

The truth.

‘Oh God.’ Carly clasped her hands over her mouth. She was going to be sick. She shook her head from side to side. Marie sobbed, knowing that Carly had worked it out. Carly tried to breathe but her throat was burning with bile, nausea rising up as she kept swallowing it down. ‘Oh God.’ She couldn’t find any other words. She sank to a crouch. Her head in her hands. She was going to faint. ‘Oh God.’

It was all so blindingly obvious. The way there were only two men to snatch three girls. The insubstantial amount of food. One mattress. The single blanket. A lonely teddy bear. She began to cry.

Minutes passed until Carly raised her tear-stained face. Marie’s expression confirmed what she already knew but she had to hear her say it. ‘It was only ever meant to be me that was taken, wasn’t it?’ Carly had thought she’d closed herself off to hurt, but the pain she felt was unimaginable. She wiped her nose with her sleeve. ‘You and Leah? You were never part of the plan.’ She thought back to when they were reunited at the police station. Simon balancing a twin on each hip – thank God, thank God, thank God.