How long had Aaron been in the woods before Karen started screaming? It had taken her a while to creep round the side of the house, pushing through the bushes that grew against the fence, afraid of spiders. Plus, she had been crying a bit, upset by what had happened. When had the screaming first started? She wasn’t sure. It was all so jumbled up.

The door to the nurse’s office opened, and on the other side she saw not her mother but Bill. And even though she’d only really known him for a few days, and even though it was weird he was hanging round their house when her dad was gone, a strange sort of calm came over her, like the same feeling she got when she was little and came home on a cold day to the fire lit and cartoons on and snacks ready on a plate. Her mother the way she used to be.

‘Hey, it’s OK,’ said Bill, as Cassie burst into tears.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

‘Is she OK?’

Cassie had been in her room when I got back from the police station, and was there again now, saying nothing in answer to my questions. Benji had fallen asleep, tired after the school week. Bill had gone to pick them up, made dinner, and was now washing up. Was this man too good to be true?

‘Hard to say. Maybe she shouldn’t go back to school for now.’

‘But her exams! Oh, why can’t something go right for once?’

Bill looked at me. ‘Where were you today?’

A dart of shame went through me. I knew what Bill would think of me if he found out I’d gone to the police station and sold Karen down the river. But I had to. I couldn’t see any other choice. ‘Just at the hospital. Thank you for getting her. Thanks for everything you’ve done this past week. I couldn’t have coped without you.’

He bowed his head. ‘Ali – I think maybe I should leave tomorrow.’

‘What? Why?’ Panic opened into my veins. He couldn’t.

He paused, looking away from me at the sink. ‘I think you know why, Ali. It’s just – too hard, after all these years.’