how, although she thinks she probably knows who’s responsible. All she wants to do is cuddle her precious baby and never, ever let her go again.
The atmosphere outside is feverish. Amber can feel it rising like heat to the top floor. Press and public know something big has happened inside number 74 but not exactly what. The police have yet to release a statement and everyone is being kept on tenterhooks.
It won’t stop them making up stories, though: one of the sisters has killed the other; Mabel’s corpse has been discovered under the floorboards; Lewis has woken from his coma and confessed to burying her in their non-existent garden. They probably have their hopes pinned and cameras poised for a shot of a body bag being wheeled out of the front door. The journalists are already composing their headlines, mulling over alliterative possibilities – Mabel, missing, murder, mummy, monster. Amber smiles inwardly. Those are not the words they need today. How about miracle, marvel, magic?
She hears muffled footsteps on the stairs and Detective Inspector Benedict enters in full protective gear, panting heavily. ‘Everything okay?’ he says to the SOCO. ‘Have you finished?’
‘For now. We’ll take some more swabs at the hospital, with a doctor present,’ the woman says. They exchange a knowing glance and Amber shudders involuntarily. She cannot even allow such thoughts to enter her head.
‘Okay. The ambulance is waiting outside – the media don’t know what to make of it; they’re whipping themselves into a right old frenzy.’ He grimaces. ‘God knows how I’m going to get the three of you out of the house without causing a riot.’
‘Nice problem to have, though,’ says the SOCO, putting the swabs away and labelling the containers. ‘Makes a change to have a happy ending, don’t you think?’
‘Makes no bloody sense,’ DI Benedict mutters under his breath.
Amber can tell he’s not convinced by the account she gave him at six o’clock this morning. ‘She was just there, sitting in her cot,’ she said, her voice liquid with tears of joy. ‘Like she’d never been away. It’s a miracle!’
‘No. Somebody put her there. She didn’t let herself in and climb up the stairs.’ There was an unpleasant tone to his voice; he didn’t sound at all pleased or even relieved. ‘You must have heard something,’ he added. But they hadn’t, neither of them. They’d been fast asleep at the top of the house.
Maybe DI Benedict thinks it’s all a big con: Amber faked the abduction, hid Mabel in some mystery location and then pretended to find her again so that she could sell her story to the media and make loads of money. It’s an absurd idea, but seeds of worry are scattering themselves through her mind. If nobody believes her, if she ends up being prosecuted … George is already in prison; what will happen to Mabel?
‘She’s getting cold; she needs fresh clothes,’ she says. ‘They’re downstairs in the nursery. Can I go and get them, please?’
The detective shakes his head. ‘You’ll compromise the scene. Tell us what you need and I’ll get someone to bring it up.’
‘I’ll do it,’ says the SOCO, snapping her samples case shut. ‘I’ve got a little one, I know what to choose.’
‘Thanks,’ Amber replies gratefully. ‘Everything’s in the drawers under the changing unit.’
‘Okay. Be back in a tick.’ The SOCO leaves the room and goes downstairs.
‘How long do we have to wait?’ asks Ruby. ‘I need to get back to the hospital.’
Benedict sighs. ‘You can’t just appear at the door with her. The media will go crazy and you won’t know what to say.’
‘Yes I will,’ Amber replies. ‘I’ll say my best friend Seth brought her back and I’m the happiest mum in the world.’
‘No, no, you won’t. You can’t mention Seth. You don’t know it was him.’
‘I do!’ Her eyes shine with happiness. ‘It has to be.’
‘That’s pure supposition.’
‘He’s right, Amber,’ interjects Ruby. ‘We don’t even know if Seth and Terri took her in the first place.’
The SOCO comes back. ‘Here you go.’ She hands over a small pile of tiny clothes. ‘And congratulations, it’s amazing news. I’m really happy for you.’
‘I’m glad somebody is.’ Amber shoots a rueful glance at DI Benedict.
‘I need to speak to the communications team,’ he says. ‘Work out a strategy. I’ll be back. In the meantime, stay here, please. Sally’s just arrived. I’ll send her up with some tea.’
DI Benedict and the SOCO go back downstairs, leaving the three of them alone. Amber dresses Mabel, then picks her