Holly knew she’d missed her chance. She should have pulled the trigger. She’d been so close, had almost bypassed herself and managed to exert enough pressure to fulfil the task. But she couldn’t have fired on Maggie while she still held Penny. And Maggie was right; with witnesses to the execution the police would have soon captured her. Surely that wasn’t what Babysitter wanted.

‘It’s OK, ssshhh.’ Maggie soothed Penny.

Penny grumbled a little but seemed reassured by her mother’s presence.

Holly knew it was dangerous to become part of Maggie’s game plan. She’d already got Penny back. She had much less to lose. If Holly were Maggie she’d try to escape as soon as possible. But, for the moment, it made sense for them both to run and stay out of the police’s way until they’d agreed on a story to tell them. And they could contact Babysitter to see if that was something they could bargain with. But she already suspected what his response would be.

She tugged off her black wool watch cap, and Maggie glanced briefly at her flattened auburn curls.

‘Eyes front,’ Holly barked. The air cooled her hot scalp but made her feel dizzy. The painkillers? She looked beyond the snow swirling in front of the headlights to the blackness ahead. Maggie was driving them into the country, and the streetlights were already becoming further spaced out. She gazed briefly upwards. Was the drone still overhead or were they now out of its range? If Babysitter had been watching what had just happened it would have appeared that Holly had taken Maggie hostage. Not that it had been Maggie’s suggestion. As far as he was concerned Holly could be relocating her in order to carry out his instructions.

That was still an option. But maybe that was the last thing he wanted if it meant Holly’s arrest and interrogation might compromise his possible role in the murders in East County. ‘I’m going to contact him now.’ She struggled her phone out of her pocket while she kept the barrel firmly on Maggie. ‘Don’t take your hands off the wheel.’

Maggie nodded. ‘I’m not going to do anything to endanger Penny.’

Holly believed her. Even though her child was strapped in she didn’t think she’d attempt to escape while they were doing sixty. Not until she’d heard the outcome of her dialogue with Babysitter anyway.

Several witnesses now involved. Have taken Maggie prisoner. Please advise.

Holly sent the message.

‘What did you say to him?’

Holly wiped the cold sheen off her face but didn’t answer.

‘Come on. This is going to take both of us to work out who the hell he is and why he’s doing this to us.’

But Holly didn’t want to give Maggie even the vague notion she was about to buddy up and wouldn’t use the gun. ‘Pick up your speed. Once they speak to your neighbour they’ll be coming straight after us.’

Maggie puffed the snow off her fringe. ‘We should head into West Acre.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Nature reserve. Means we can get off this road.’

‘OK.’ Holly was already suspicious. ‘Where is it?’

‘Just coming to it.’

---

They drove in silence until the sign came into view.

Holly studied the image of a happy family having a picnic by a pond. ‘Won’t it be closed?’

‘The aviary will be but you can drive through the forest any time.’

‘Let’s do it then.’

Maggie made a right, and they hit a narrow gravel path bordered by potted trees.

Holly briefly checked on Penny. Her eyes were open, and she seemed happy enough. Where was Abigail now? Had she endangered her even more by not pulling the trigger? ‘What’s on the other side of the forest?’

‘Riverton. Just farms and a few houses but the forest will take us at least half an hour to clear.’

‘Don’t slow down then.’

The car juddered as it dropped into a dry ford and then went back up a steep slope. The ticket booth for the aviary appeared under overhanging branches but Maggie took a left fork and they followed a more uneven track that wound its way around the larger trees of the forest.

Holly’s phone vibrated, and she opened the message that had arrived from Babysitter.

Too cosy for you in the house, Holly? Must be getting awkward in that car. Change of plan. Just get yourself as far away from having to answer any questions as possible. New instructions soon.

‘What does he say?’ Maggie asked warily, when she knew Holly had had enough time to read it.

‘Looks like he’s reconsidering.’

‘OK – what did he say specifically?’ She clearly didn’t believe her.

Holly figured it was better to placate her so she wouldn’t try anything as soon as she got a chance. ‘Take a look.’ She held out the message for her.

Maggie squinted at it.

‘You wear specs normally?’

Maggie nodded. ‘I left them at the house. Didn’t have much time to remember them,’ she added caustically.

They were back on the straight for a while and then came to a short wooden bridge. The car rumbled over it.

Holly grunted as it juddered her wound.

‘So your name’s Holly.’

Holly realised Maggie had just seen it in Babysitter’s message.

‘Holly what?’

‘Just Holly.’

‘Come on. You know everything about me.’

Holly raised the Browning again.

‘What?’

‘Credit me with some intelligence.’

‘What did Babysitter tell you I’d done?’

Holly frowned, but knew exactly what Maggie was talking about.

‘That’s how he makes it easier. He told me something about Janet Braun to make me believe she was less than human.’

Holly didn’t reply.

‘Tell me your surname.’

‘Don’t ask that again.’

Maggie doubled the speed of the wipers. Even under the trees the snow was falling thickly. ‘Don’t believe what he told you. I knew it was a lie when I broke into Janet’s home. But I needed to believe it. I couldn’t have done it otherwise.’

‘But you didn’t go through with it.’

Maggie kept her attention on the road. ‘No.’ She nodded, as if convincing herself.

Holly still doubted Babysitter would have given Penny back to her if she’d let Janet Braun live. But she hadn’t heard the name on the news. Was the body still waiting to be discovered? But if things had got out of hand as they had tonight it was a hope she could still cling to. ‘Tell me the truth about Janet Braun.’

‘I have.’ Maggie didn’t blink.

Holly shook her head, and the car continued to swerve them from side to side while the wipers chopped at the screen.

She glimpsed at her watch.

Less than six and a half hours until sunrise.

Penny gurgled in the back, and Holly resisted the temptation to turn and check on her again. She hoped that Abigail was sleeping, that she didn’t even know her mother wasn’t nearby.

Her phone buzzed. Instructions had arrived.