Maggie watched Haden’s expression distort as his whole frame jerked and thought he might be having an attack. But as soon as he dropped to his knees and rolled onto his side she could see the owner of the taser that his body had been blocking.

It was the man who had threatened her in the car. The man who had taken Penny from the lot. Babysitter. Pauly. And he had a red fire axe in his other hand.

Howie turned as Babysitter dumped the gun connected to the wires, and it clunked to the tiles. ‘Pauly, what the fuck is this?’

Babysitter didn’t hesitate and swung the axe at Howie.

‘Don’t, don’t!’ Howie held out his hands to bootlessly protect himself, but the blade lodged into his chin and sternum, pinning his head firmly to his chest, the thud and crunch sickening.

Maggie reversed away from them as Howie remained motionless. She was totally exposed.

Babysitter put his boot against Howie’s chest and yanked the blade free. Howie teetered, but remained standing, suspended in shock.

Lester had retreated to where Holly was hanging. ‘It’s me, Pauly. Remember? Lester.’

Babysitter strode over to him, knuckles white on the handle.

‘Fuck!’

Babysitter raised the axe and swiped it at the side of Lester’s terrified face. It pulverised his left cheekbone but then bounced away. Lester fell against the wall screaming.

Babysitter brought the axe down, and this time it lodged deep in Lester’s left shoulder. Blood gushed out of the wound and started filling up his latex catsuit.

Babysitter put his boot against his gashed features and waggled out the axe.

Maggie registered Howie clutching himself and heading into the darkness beyond the movie light, a trail of blood behind him.

Babysitter slammed the axe into his spine, and it flattened him to the floor. Howie lay sprawled on his front, whimpering, and Babysitter stood on the back of his head and hauled the blade from him. He arced it repeatedly at his prostrate form, the impacts on bone making the soles of his loafers bounce off the tiles.

Maggie counted eleven blows long after he’d started.

Babysitter’s attention returned to Lester. He was sobbing and now looked like he was wearing a dark red suit.

Maggie closed her eyes as he silenced him with equal ferocity. The sound of metal striking his limbs made her cringe with every blow.

‘Maggie,’ a breathless voice whispered at her ear.

She kept her lids closed and felt the draught of his hot, sour, irregular panting against them.

He gulped and sniffed. ‘Open up.’

She complied and saw he was standing beside her, his face only an inch from her.

He leaned forward on the handle of the axe and allowed the blade to take his weight. His dark bomber jacket glistened, and there was a fine spray of blood over his square features and split nose. The backs of his hands were red and sticky, and his exertions had clearly drained him. ‘Been a while since I’ve been down here.’ He swallowed. ‘Lester hasn’t changed. Think he dyes his beard now though.’

Maggie twisted her head to look at where Lester lay against the wall. The axe had mashed his face and shoulders, his catsuit had been shredded and his blood was rapidly pooling around him.

Maggie met Holly’s stunned expression. They were both helpless.

‘Don’t know this guy.’ Babysitter turned to where Haden was still curled on the floor. ‘But anybody working for Howie…’ He hefted the axe again and chopped into Haden.

‘Stop!’ Holly yelled.

Babysitter looked down at Haden and drew in a faltering breath.

Maggie couldn’t retreat any further, and there was no way she could free herself from the metal loop above her. ‘We’ve done everything you asked of us.’

Babysitter nodded. ‘You didn’t find me though. I found you.’

‘You’re Pauly. You worked with these…’ Maggie couldn’t find the words.

‘I worked for them. Major difference. I was in front of the camera. But then I became a babysitter.’

Maggie took in Howie’s splayed corpse behind him.

‘Fifteen years old and happy to let anyone else have their turn in front of the cameras instead of me.’

‘These people.’ Holly tried to keep her voice steady. ‘They’re vermin. Whatever they were doing here had to be stopped.’

Maggie knew Holly was trying to sympathise with him, but suspected it was futile.

‘I brought kids here. Duped them. To protect myself.’ He looked around him. ‘I trapped them, like Tom Fresnade trapped me. He was a councillor at camp. When the orphans’ bus rolled in it must have been like Christmas to him and Howie. That’s when they got me. They knew how to select. I wanted older friends who would stand up for me. I didn’t want to be the helpless kid. Would have done anything to be them. They gave me beer and cigarettes and made me part of their scene. They took me to the smokery to party. That’s where they started all this – before their old man died. Lester spiked my drink. Showed me the recording the next day.’ Babysitter put the axe on the trolley, and it made the implements on it bounce and rattle. ‘I brought in the other kids. And after I watched them go through the same ordeal, I gave them Pepsis and told them it had all happened to me and that I was still fine. And when they cried like I had I didn’t have any sympathy for them because they reminded me of who I’d been.’

Maggie watched the vein pump at the side of his neck as he examined the tools on the trolley.

‘But Tom Fresnade was my saviour. He drove me out to Highcliff one night. Told me I was getting too old. Howie wanted me gone. Dead gone. Even though I could never talk – after all, I had helped transport enough bodies down to the mill to Connor. I’d dropped out of high school. Nobody would have missed me, but Tom let me go. Said he’d tell Howie he’d done the job. He gave me money and told me to get on the bus. When I left him he was more scared than me. He saved my life that night. I don’t think Howie ever allowed him to stop. I like to think he gladly gave himself to the water after diving in to save Rich Temple’s kids. Chances are though, if he hadn’t he’d be lying here now.’ He gazed down at Haden’s body. ‘Howie’s diversified in the time I’ve been gone. His client base is worldwide now. Not just a sleazy cabal of local businessmen.’

‘Please,’ Holly implored. ‘Tell me where Abigail is.’

‘Abigail will be spared. She was always a means to an end.’

The two women locked eyes. Another trick?