‘I didn’t… I swear…’

‘You. Knew,’ Carly said, louder this time.

‘It was complicated. We were in a terrible situation. I thought we were doing the right thing for you all. If you were a parent you’d understand—’

‘And whose fault is it I don’t have a family of my own? That I can’t bear the thought of ending up like Leah. Terrified that every time Archie is out of her sight someone will take him, and I would be like that. Scared that I’d brought a child into a world that is full of monsters. You, Mum. You’re a monster.’

‘Don’t say that. I…’ Her mum was crying. It was the first time in years Carly had felt any emotion from her.

‘Was it really only ever meant to be me that was taken? Not Leah or Marie?’

‘Yes. Just you.’ Her mum’s voice was thin.

Carly waited. Prepared to listen. Desperate to understand.

‘Are you going to tell anyone? The police?’ her mum asked. Questions not apologies. Worried for herself, not for her daughter. Carly let the phone drop from her hand. She scrunched herself into a ball of sorrow.

Later, Carly’s phone buzzed with a message. She unfurled herself and rubbed her sore eyes before picking up her handset, convinced it would be her mum.

It wasn’t.

The text was from Marie.

So sorry for what we put you through. Back to where it all started. My final dance. You don’t have to worry about me again.

Carly didn’t hesitate. She scooped up her car keys and raced to Norwood. It was dark when she arrived. Shining her mobile ahead of her for light, she made for the room they’d been held captive in. Carly felt fevered. Detached. As though she was having a hallucination. The room was smaller than she remembered but empty. Dizziness engulfed her and she realized she wasn’t breathing. She didn’t want to breathe this filthy fucking air. She ran back outside.

‘Marie!’

Where could she be? Had she got it wrong and she wasn’t at Norwood at all? Her eyes scanned the text. Two words sprang out: last dance.

‘Marie!’ Carly raced towards the ballroom. Her feet slip-sliding in the mud. Skidding on the steps. She crunched over broken glass, hurdled over upturned benches in the cinema briefing room.

Marie was in the ballroom, slumped on a pile of blankets. Her belt tightened around her arm, needle protruding from her vein. The expression on her face was peaceful, happy almost. Carly dropped hard onto her knees. Fingers fumbling for a pulse, but the blood in Marie’s veins was still. Carly held her for a long time. Loving her and hating her all at once. Envying her too. She had found the peace they’d all craved.

She didn’t know what to do. Again, she was left feeling to blame. Carrying the burden of guilt. If she hadn’t given Marie the money she’d still be alive. It was always her fault.

Always.

She was furious that again one of the Sinclairs had done something else to try and ruin her. She felt like she was broken.