95. Now

‘I did this. I sent the police the tape and told them we were here after locking the annexe door. I'm sorry,' says Lydia. ‘I… You made me lie. Do you know what that did to me? To be responsible for Miss Smith's death? To hear all the rumours about Tristan and knowing all those women – it was all my fault? That night, my whole future… I was meant to be a doctor. I was meant to leave this place. Anything I've allowed myself… Rose's father didn't want me, no one… My husband left me. My job – I can't do anything, Frances. The guilt is always there.'

I don't know where to begin. ‘You did this? You kidnapped your own daughter? What rumours about Tristan? You did this because you felt guilty?'

‘I didn't kidnap anyone. You… Jenna tried to kill herself because you don't see her. You don't protect her from?—'

‘Tried to? Is she alive? You know she's alive?'

Bevan steps up to us. ‘Where are Jenna and Rose?'

By the window, I feel Ash, Ava and Mina watching us as Croft approaches them. Ava's hands pull at her cheeks, steeple over her nose, rub her eyes.

Lydia starts to cry and I grab her arm and shake her. ‘Where are they?' I ask, knowing that wherever she thought they were, they aren't there any more – not since Theo found them.

Lydia shakes her head. ‘They were fine when I last saw them.' She squeezes her eyes shut and her lips wobble. ‘Jenna cut herself, but not too deep. She?—'

‘Where?' repeats Bevan.

‘They were at Georgia's father's place, Oakridge. It's a retirement home in… I can't remember the name. But?—'

‘Tristan said his assistant has them,' I said, looking at Bevan. ‘Theo Darlington. He drives a black Porsche Cayenne. He's blond-haired, blue-eyed. Thirty-one. He's been grooming my daughter for years.'

‘Which number, Oakridge?' Bevan asks.

Lydia shakes her head. ‘This wasn't Georgia. I set this up.' She gestures at the blood in pools on the floor, in the bath. ‘This is syrup and food colouring. She's okay – she was okay. I sent the texts getting everyone here on a new phone.' She pulls a cheap-looking phone from her pocket and thrusts it at Bevan. ‘I locked in Ash and Ava. I-I sent the photos of Dan and Tristan to you and Mina. I dobbed Tristan in to the press. I stole your card and bought… I don't even know what I bought. I wanted you to feel something, Frances. I wanted you to understand what you'd done and feel some guilt for God's sake.' Her face swings from fear and regret to anger and back again.

She thinks I feel nothing? I want to hold up my dress and show her what I've done to achieve it.

Bevan speaks into a walkie-talkie and looks around the room.

‘This was all me,' Lydia goes on. ‘Georgia didn't… She has had enough punishment for nothing. She didn't know what I was planning.'

My head feels like it's been put on fast forward, buzzing, jumping. ‘Theo thinks he's just going to go around, deleting copies of this tape. Tristan wanted our phones. He implied that Theo would do something to them – the girls. Hurt them. If we didn't give him everything they wanted. And Theo's obsessed with my daughter. The moment he realises Tristan has been arrested, that the police know what he's up to… What if he feels like… Is he going to—' I say and then stop because I can't bear to finish the sentence.

What happens if the man who has been grooming my daughter, the man who has her… tied up? Locked in a room? What if he realises the police are onto him? What if he thinks he has nothing to lose?