When April had told Tara that Molly was safe, the relief had been intense, but it wasn’t to last. After calling off the search, Tara was jogging back towards the lighthouse when she saw the message from April saying Faith hadn’t stopped and was driving home.

Fuck!

Tara ran as fast as her aching legs would carry her back to the car, but it took more time than she would have liked. Sweat dripped off her face as she peeled off her jacket and threw it onto the passenger seat, and as she prepared to drive off, she heard the muffled sound of her ringtone.

‘Shit, shit, shit,’ Tara said as she searched through folds of material to find her jacket pocket. Her hands were clammy and when she found her phone, she couldn’t connect the call. ‘Shit,’ she said again.

‘Mum, is that you?’ asked Molly.

Tara’s lips trembled as she put the phone to her ear. ‘Yes. Yes, it is, sweet pea. Are you OK?’

‘Hmm-hmm.’

‘Are you still in the car?’

‘Yeah. We’ve just pulled up outside a big house. April and Faith are standing on the doorstep talking.’

‘OK, I’m on my way and in the meantime, I need you to stay in the car,’ Tara said as she wedged the phone under her chin and fumbled with her seat belt. Why was she so terrified? There would be arguments and there might be threats, but that didn’t mean Molly would be drawn into them. Nick was weak, she reminded herself. But still. ‘If anything happens that makes you scared, I want you to run to a neighbouring house.’

‘Which one?’

‘Any,’ Tara said. The car lurched forward as she set off for Woolton at speed. ‘Don’t worry about April and Faith. You look after yourself, do you hear me?’

Tara hadn’t meant to raise her voice.

‘I’m s— I’m sorry,’ Molly said.

The sound of her child weeping on the other end of the phone tore at Tara’s heart. ‘Don’t be sorry,’ she said. ‘None of this is your fault.’

‘But I’ve caused so much trouble.’

‘If anyone’s to blame, it’s me,’ Tara soothed. ‘I lost my temper when I should have given you the time you needed to talk.’ Her voice broke when she added, ‘I’m listening now.’

There was a pause in which her daughter’s attention was pulled elsewhere. ‘Yeah, OK,’ Molly said, replying to someone else.

‘Who was that?’

‘April. She’s just told me to stay in the car and now she’s sneaking around the side of the house. Faith’s gone inside. What’s going on, Mum?’

‘Don’t worry, it’s something and nothing,’ Tara said. ‘Talk to me, Molly. Tell me what’s wrong.’

There was a long pause. ‘It’s not about my bedroom, or a dog,’ mumbled Molly.