‘Please…’ I back away, holding my hands up to protect myself. ‘Please…’ I say again as he steps forward. My throat tightens. I can’t say anything else. Can’t scream. Instead, I turn and run. I’m back in the past running, running, running for my life.

Stupidly, I’m heading deeper into the building, away from the front door. My feet thudding against the hessian carpet. I can’t feel my body properly. I feel like I’m floating. Should I stop and ring the police? I round the corner and steal a glance behind me. I can’t see him.

But that doesn’t mean he isn’t coming.

To my left is the toilets. I slam through the door to the Ladies, praying he won’t risk following me here.

This time it is me sliding the bolt across the cubicle door.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Carly

Then

The second Carly heard the bolts slide open on the other side of the door she had ushered the twins behind her and stood, legs splayed, hands ready to fight.

The door remained shut. The clown laughing at them.

Think.

‘Yeah, I know.’ The voice, Doc’s, spoke again.

A pause.

Carly glared at the clown. Hatred curdling in her stomach.

‘I said I’ll fucking take care of it,’ Doc growled.

Silence.

Carly realized he must be on the phone. Moustache wasn’t with him but what had Doc promised to take care of?

Oh God, she was so, so scared. Her legs barely supported her.

The clown flashed her one last grin as the door began to swing open. Doc stalked inside. Carly wondered if he could hear the galloping of her heart. Smell the sourness of the girls’ urine in the corner. Her humiliation made her brave.

‘What do you want?’ she demanded of him, knowing that if it were her sisters he had come for she would die before she let him take them.

‘I’ve brought you some things.’ He held up a white plastic bag before setting it down.

‘I don’t mean now, I mean why are we here?’

‘There’s some more of those crisps and…’

‘We don’t want fucking crisps.’ Carly was furious. ‘We want to go home. We want proper food. We’re starving. A hot meal. The girls are only eight.’

‘My teacher said we need vitamins and minerals to grow,’ Marie said.

‘LET US GO!’ The words rocketed through Carly’s throat, leaving a burning sensation in their wake. Doc turned to leave.

You twist me around your little finger, her stepdad had said to her mum. She tried a different tack.

‘Please. I know…’ she began gently. Waiting until Doc faced her before she spoke again. ‘I know you’re a good man. I can tell. You don’t want to hurt us.’ It took gargantuan effort for Carly to smile. ‘My parents have money. Lots of it—’

‘I can’t let you go—’

‘But we’re children.’ Carly kept her voice soft. ‘You don’t want to scare children, do you? I can tell—’

‘Look. Don’t be scared. It’ll be okay, I promise. I’ll see what I can do about proper food.’