“The calendar on your fridge?” I ask. “Honey that thing is so big you can see it from the window.”
Faye nods. “Maybe she took a photo from the kitchen window when I was out. Our sister is one very messed up individual. I think we were very lucky to escape growing up in that household. Rachel Lacey is evil and she passed it on.”
“I think you’re right,” I agree. “I can’t get over Dina and Magnus being together. They must have stayed in touch after they met as kids. But all this time… I knew nothing.”
“And they are a very dangerous pair, believe me.” Faye reaches for my hand. “Magnus sought out my daughter and seduced her. God, he could have been watching me for weeks or months or even years. The two of them stalking me. Claire, I need to find them, I need to get Penny back. Will you help me?”
Blood rushes into my ears. In order to find Penny, we would need to find Magnus. Fear creeps up my spine as I’m transported back to that night on the moors again. The cold night air as I huddled behind a rock watching the torch beam searching for me.
I get up and pace the room, not sure how to reply.
“Here we go. Just what the doctor ordered.” Nathan walks into the bedroom with three cups of tea on a tray. “You look a bit less like roadkill now,” he says, placing the mugs on Faye’s bedside table.
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” Faye’s face is unsmiling but there’s humour in her tone.
“This whole story is going to hit the news soon,” Nathan warns, slurping his tea. “You might need to call your agent because the press will start hounding all of us.”
“Oh God.” Faye lets her head fall back on the pillow.
I watch her carefully. Nathan doesn’t know that Penny is missing. There’s concern etched on Faye’s face, and I can tell she’s worrying about Nathan finding out. The more people know, the greater the chance the police will find out.
“I’ve spoken to Jess and told her I’m going to stay a few extra days,” he says.
Faye clears her throat, “Oh really? There’s no need to?—”
“Of course there is,” Nathan says. “You’re not well and there’s a bloody maniac on the loose. And Penny still isn’t back from her retreat.” He frowns. “Which is strange, don’t you think? The signal can’t be that badallthe time. She should have received my messages by now.”
Faye pauses, searching for her words. “Listen, Nathan… Claire has agreed to stay with me. Haven’t you, Claire?”
I hesitate but then smile and nod, “Yes, of course.”
Nathan looks me up and down. There is still some way to go before he trusts me, I can tell.
“Mummy Faye, it’s not a problem?—”
“It’s fine, stop fussing over me. Claire and I want to spend time together. And you’ve been away from Jessica and Kiri for too long. You must get back.”
He frowns again. “But what about?—”
“Penny? I spoke to her earlier and she said she’ll be back tomorrow.” Faye’s eyes settle down on the duvet in front of her as she says this.
“Oh, her ladyship has finally got in touch, has she? Where the hell has she been? Does she know what’s been going on?”
Faye waves her hand dismissively, “Yes, yes, she knows everything. She’s travelling back tomorrow morning. It’s not her fault, Nathan. She did warn us that she wouldn’t have any signal.”
“I suppose that’s true… well, ask her to phone me, will you? She hasn’t replied to any of my messages. And you’re sure you can cope without me?”
Faye smiles. “Yes, I’m sure.”
Nathan makes Faye promise to call him if she needs anything and then leaves the room to go and pack his bag.
Once the door closes, Faye lets out a heavy sigh.
“I thought he’d never agree to that,” she says.
I walk back over to my sister, lying in her bed, small and frail, battered and bruised. To think Magnus did this, and now he has her daughter. I shudder at the thought of what Penny might be enduring. It’s too terrible.
Magnus has crossed a line, endangering Faye and her family, and he’s ruled my life for too long. I remember the dead rabbits he used to hide in my wardrobe when he was a boy. The knives he would leave in strange places for me to find, the suggestion of violence hanging in the air without the need to make the cut. I think of the day Jack died and all the rage and abuse he hurled at me, the threats he made against me. And he followed through with them, didn’t he? He almost killed me. And that’s when I realise that deep down in my heart, I know this won’t be over until one of us is dead.
