Page 94

There’s shouting and barking as Tristan cries out in pain as he hits the ground. Uniformed policemen come running round the side of the house just as I hear a pounding far off below, at the front door.

Who called them? It’s too fast for it to have been a call from Mina’s phone.

Two officers kneel either side of Tristan and drag him to a seated position. I can’t hear what they’re saying. He yells and tries to stand but his leg buckles and then he’s sitting again and somehow now his hands are cuffed behind him.

A loud crash comes from downstairs and then footsteps thunder on the stairs and then the pounding starts again, louder now because it’s on the annexe door.

One of the police beside Tristan stands up and goes to collect the broken tape, brown ribbon blowing over the concrete.

Lydia grabs my wrist. ‘I’m sorry,’ she says, her eyebrows knitting together. ‘None of it was Georgia. I didn’t know Theo would take them. I thought they were safe.’

I stare at her as two policemen and Bevan come crashing through the door.

‘What did you do?’ I ask.