Nathan excuses himself and I lie back in the bed, trying to keep calm. As DS Oliver questions me, I stick to the truth as much as possible. I tell the detective every detail I can remember: the address I was taken to, the car Magnus was driving, the two duffel bags on the back seat. I just leave out one very fundamental fact – that this is a hostage situation.
His expression remains deadpan as he listens to my story.
“So, Mr Blackburn has an accomplice? Dina Lacey.”
“Yes. She’s my – and Claire’s – estranged sister.”
His eyebrows lift as he processes the complicated nature of my fucked-up family.
He takes more information and then asks for my permission to take some forensic samples. “We’ll take the clothes you were wearing and fingernail clippings, swabs and the like, and send it to the lab for testing.”
“But why? You know who is responsible for all this. Shouldn’t you be out there, hunting them down?” I gesture wildly with my arm. I am exhausted and losing my patience. I need to be out of here, I need to be looking for Penny.
“We’re building a case,” DS Oliver replies. “When we catch Magnus Blackburn and Dina Lacey, we want them to go to prison.” His steely glare fixes on me. “Don’t we?”
“Yes,” I agree.
DS Oliver is right. And I’m doing nothing to help bring them to justice. I’m withholding important information from the police. What is my endgame here? What can I actually do on my own? I could forget Magnus’s threats and tell DS Oliver everything right now. I could beg them to keep it out of the press. But would they listen? I imagine Magnus and Dina watching the news, seeing the police out there searching for Penny. I imagine him disposing of her, stalking Nathan, watching Kiri from the nursery gates.
I lean back as a swab pokes the skin in my cheek. I hate this. But I hate Magnus and Dina more than I hate anything in the world. There is only one other person who understands. Claire.
I can’t give up on Penny. I can’t. And the first step to finding my daughter might just start with my twin.
CHAPTER 61
THE GRAVEDIGGER
He doesn’t take the motorway, sticking to back roads and small towns. Dina switches radio stations every ten minutes, the music covering the thuds from the boot of the car. Whenever there’s a gap between songs, Penny’s panicked movements can be heard and Dina’s lip twitches with pleasure.
They buy food from a truck in a lay-by, pay cash, head down. They drive and drive, and finally, as the sun sets, he finds a quiet place to pull over. He checks they are alone, then he opens the boot, to reveal his gagged and bound fiancée.
“Hello, darling.”
She squirms. The tape over her mouth has held out despite her screaming and crying. He places a finger to his lips but she continues to thrash and cry. Then he takes a penknife from his pocket and holds it in front of her eyes. She goes quiet.
“If you want to stay alive, you have to do everything I say.” He reaches into the boot and grasps her wrists. Slowly, he hauls her out and carries her into the backseat, pushing her across to the opposite side so he can slide in.
Dina turns from the passenger seat and rips the tape from Penny’s mouth.
Penny’s bottom lip trembles. “Where are you taking me?”
“Shut up, bitch,” Dina spits from the front.
Penny stares at the stranger in the front seat. “Who are you?” she cries. “Tim, why are you doing this to me?”
Dina laughs.
“Oh, Penny.” Magnus lifts his hand and gently caresses the side of her cheek, feeling her soft skin. He places a finger to his lips. “You need to be a good girl and stay quiet. If you can do that, things will be much better for you.” He gets out the penknife, and plays with it in his hands. “If you can’t be quiet, things will get very messy around here.”
Penny shudders.
Her eyes are burning with hatred. Two dark marbles sparkling like polished onyx.
But she’s still and compliant. He places a water bottle to her lips to reward her.
“Good girl.” He strokes her hair and pulls a seat belt over her chest. He glances at Dina. “We’ll sleep in the car tonight. We can figure things out better in the morning.”
“What about her?” Dina directs her chin in Penny’s direction, talking about her as if she can’t understand.
