up and sits on the bed, hugging and rocking and kissing her. Ruby sits next to them, playing with Mabel’s fingers and pulling silly faces.
‘Pass me my phone, Rubes,’ says Amber after a while. ‘I should call Mum and let her know. Don’t want her to find out from the television.’
Ruby leans back and picks the handset up from the bedside table. ‘We should get a message to George, too. As soon as we’re allowed out, I’m going to see Lewis. I don’t know if he can hear me, but I’ll tell him anyway. Who knows? It might even help.’
Amber takes the phone and clicks it into life. ‘Oh my God!’ she gasps. ‘It’s Seth! He’s sent me a text!’ She reads it out.
I’m in the park, by the play area. Meet me there and I will explain all.
Love you always, S xxx
PS Don’t forget to delete.
She puts Mabel back on the bed and starts tearing off the paper jumpsuit. ‘I knew it was him, I just knew! I’ve got to go to him now, got to see him before—’
‘No, no, you can’t,’ says Ruby. ‘You’ve got to tell DI Benedict …’
But Amber isn’t listening. She rips off the gloves and shoe coverings, picks Mabel up again and sprints down the stairs. Ruby chases after her, calling out to her to stop. A uniformed officer tries to intercept her on the landing, but she shoves him to one side and, with Mabel glued to her hip, thunders down to the ground floor, flinging open the front door.
There is a split second’s pause as the media reacts to the extraordinary sight before their eyes, followed by an electrical storm of flash photography. People shout out, even scream at her, but she can’t hear a word they’re saying. Lowering her head, she makes a run for it, sprinting across the road and into the park. Mabel jiggles about on her hip, as if riding horseback.
Amber rushes towards the play area, quickly glancing behind her at the police who are trying to hold back the press. DI Benedict, sweaty and alarmed, is heading towards her, accompanied by the FLO and two uniformed officers.
‘Amber! Where are you going? Stop! Wait for us!’ Sally cries.
Ruby is a few paces behind her. ‘Amber! Be careful!’ She shouts at DI Benedict. ‘She’s gone to meet Seth! He’s waiting for her.’
And there he is, sitting on the low wall of the sandpit, playing with a small object in his hands. It’s a key on a piece of string. He puts it down as he sees Amber hurtling towards him and stands up, opening his arms wide, waiting for her to fall into them.
‘Darling,’ he cries. ‘You came. I knew you would.’
‘Thank you, thank you,’ she says breathlessly. ‘Thank you for bringing her back to me.’
But before they can embrace, the officers arrive. Seth doesn’t resist as they bear down on him, even offers his hands for cuffs. DI Benedict brings up the rear and breathlessly tells him his rights.
‘There’s an address in my pocket, on a piece of paper. That’s where Terri is,’ Seth says calmly. ‘I understand why you’re arresting me, but I didn’t abduct Mabel. I rescued her.’
‘Oh yeah? Why didn’t you call the police if you knew where she was?’ Benedict says, directing an officer to search Seth’s pockets. ‘Leave the job to the professionals.’
‘Here it is, sir.’ The officer holds up a scrap of paper.
DI Benedict whips it out of his hands. ‘Get a SOCO over here right now,’ he orders. ‘I want that key bagged.’
The two policemen grip Seth on either side as they wait for backup. Mabel leans forward and reaches out with her chubby little hand, trying to touch him.
‘Stand back,’ DI Benedict barks, putting himself between them and almost pushing Amber away. A patrol vehicle enters the park and drives slowly up the path towards them.
Amber can’t bear to see her friend cuffed and cowed. He’s a hero, not a criminal. ‘Tell me quickly,’ she says. ‘What happened?’
Seth spurts it out rapidly. ‘I had an idea it was Terri, but I wasn’t sure. I went to the cottage and snooped around, saw her with Mabel. I wanted to call the police but I was frightened of how she’d react. I know what’s she like. She’s mad … dangerous. I didn’t want Mabel to get hurt.’
‘That’s enough,’ says DI Benedict. ‘You can tell the rest of your story at the station.’ The car draws up.