‘Did he hurt you?’ Mimi said.

‘He . . . he tried to . . .’ Callie’s voice broke away. She couldn’t say it.

Mimi took her daughter’s face in her hands and looked her in the eyes. ‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘You don’t have to say it right now. We’re going to talk about everything, but right now, I need to get you somewhere safe.’

She could see that Callie understood and she nodded. Then Callie dropped down and Mimi pressed herself back against Tony to give Callie the room to climb out. Once Callie had squeezed her way through, Mimi bent over and leaned through the two front seats to the back.

Tara was cowering down in the corner, she looked like she’d shrunk to half her size just from the way she had folded in on herself in fear.

‘Is your seatbelt still done up?’ Mimi asked.

Tara nodded.

‘Okay, hang on, I’ll get you out.’

Mimi reached back, found the button and unclipped her.

‘Can you climb towards me?’

Tara shook her head. ‘I can’t,’ she said. ‘I’m scared.’

‘It’s okay,’ said Mimi. ‘I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you.’ She pushed her way further between the front seats so that she could get hold of Tara. ‘Put your arms around my neck. I’ll pull you through.’

Tara made a small movement towards Mimi and that’s when Mimi saw all the tiny cuts on her face and she wanted to cry. Her poor brave daughter, all cut up and telling Mimi she was okay. She was a warrior. And Mimi wished like hell she’d never let her go in a car separate from her.

‘Come on,’ said Mimi, ‘grab hold of me. You can do it.’

Tara did as she was told and Mimi tried to ease her through to the front gently, so as not to hurt her. Tara let out a whimper. ‘My wrist hurts,’ she said.

‘Stay strong. We’ll look at it once you’re out,’ Mimi reassured her.

Once Tara was through, Mimi got her to crouch down ready to climb out like Callie had.

Tara glanced nervously at Tony, still unmoving in the passenger seat. ‘Is he okay?’ she asked.

‘Don’t worry about him now. I’m going to check on him next. But first we need to get you out.’

Tara began to crawl through the gap. She was almost out when she let out a squeal and Mimi was about to ask her what was wrong, what was hurt and then she saw it. Tony’s hand gripping Tara’s leg, pulling her back. He must have come to and grabbed at her in confusion.

‘Let go!’ Mimi bent over and shook his shoulder. ‘Tony! Let go!’ His hand opened and Tara’s leg disappeared through the windscreen. She was safe.