99. Now

Bevan grabs a passing police officer, a young man with hollow cheeks. ‘Get them down to the station.' She points at me and pushes Lydia, in cuffs, towards him. ‘Croft! Car,' Bevan barks.

Croft, guiding Ava and Ash out of the house, looks up.

Bevan strides over to the officers guarding Tristan on the back of an ambulance and her lips move fast.

She's going to Oakridge, I realise. She thinks there's a chance Theo and the girls are still there. My legs buckle, and Bevan comes back and hauls me up. ‘Okay?'

I look at her.

‘No. Not okay,' she says. Her mouth makes a flat line, but then she's walking away again.

Lydia, being led towards a patrol car, mouths Go! at me, and I head for my Mini as Croft pulls his car round the harp sculpture and Bevan opens the passenger door. But she sees me and stalls. ‘Frances, where are you?—'

But I slide in. I press the ignition as Mina thuds into the seat beside me.

‘What are you doing?' My phone is ringing. It must've fallen beneath my seat.

‘Coming with you.' She slams the door shut.

‘Mina—'

‘Go!'

I push my foot on the accelerator as Bevan and Croft come level with us and we shoot down the rutted lane towards my daughter.