‘Not as yet. The procedure is to call you.’

‘Then I don’t … I don’t know where she is.’

‘Oh, goodness,’ said Mrs Hollande, echoing the panic in Tara’s voice. ‘Could she have gone back home?’

‘I’ll check with Iain, but in the meantime, can you speak to Lily?’ asked Tara as a search plan formed in her mind. She cut the engine and got out of the car.

‘Do you think we should contact the police?’

‘No,’ Tara said as she glanced across the road to the school entrance and willed her daughter to appear. When she didn’t, she added, ‘I don’t know … Can you speak to them?’

‘Leave it with me. And I’ll phone you straight back if I find out anything from Lily.’

Tara phoned Iain next and stayed on the line while he checked every room in the house. Molly hadn’t gone home. Or had she? By the time Tara had issued Iain with instructions to check the bus stops and search the park, she was standing in the middle of the flat. They had made a start pulling up carpets and preparing the walls so April could move in, but for now the rooms were utterly devoid of life.

Pressing a clammy hand to her brow, Tara recalled Molly’s parting shot the night before. ‘I won’t say anything to you – ever – again!’

‘No,’ whispered Tara. If a dog meant that much to Molly they would get a damn dog. She just wanted her baby back. She recalled their walk down to the lighthouse with Dexter pulling on his leash. Would she go back there? It was nearer than Pickering’s Pasture and deserted enough for a schoolgirl not to be noticed playing truant.

As Tara turned to leave, she spotted the colour charts April had left. Realising she should be with her friends by now, she tapped out a quick message to April asking if she could manage on her own. As soon she sent it, Tara knew that postponing wasn’t an option. Faith needed to be told and in an attempt to smooth the way, she sent a second message to Faith telling her to listen to what April had to say. It was all she could do, and she hoped it would be enough.

The police phoned while Tara was driving towards Hale Head. Apparently Mrs Hollande had been unable to glean any useful information from Lily and they were taking Molly’s disappearance seriously. With a pounding heart, Tara gave them a detailed description and explained as much as she knew.