‘Yeah, I know, but …’ Ruby swallows hard. ‘The thing is, I think I left it in the front door when I came back from the park. The next morning, when I got up, I noticed a few odd things. The baby monitor wasn’t on, and a clean, empty bottle was sitting on the draining board, which I was certain I hadn’t given to Mabel …’ She pauses. ‘I know it sounds absurd, but I think the abductor let themselves in that night and spent time with her.’
‘Oh my God,’ gasps Amber.
Sally can’t contain herself a second longer. She reaches for her notebook. ‘This is completely game-changing. Why didn’t you mention it before, Ruby?’
‘Because she’s only just made it up,’ growls George, banging the mantelpiece. ‘It’s bullshit. She knows you lot are closing in on her and this is a last-ditch attempt to throw you off the scent.’
‘Shh, let her talk.’ Amber intervenes, recognising the ring of truth in her sister’s voice. The tone is urgent, but steady. And she’s not blinking rapidly like she used to when she was a teenager and trying to lie to Mum.
Ruby deliberately turns away from George and focuses on Amber. ‘I didn’t say anything at the time because I was embarrassed and I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t capable of looking after Mabel.’
‘Which you obviously weren’t,’ barks George. ‘There was an accident. Admit it!’
‘Please can we listen to what Ruby’s saying here,’ says Sally. ‘It could be important.’ George makes a loud huff of disgust and strides out of the room. ‘Go on, Ruby.’
Ruby pauses for a few seconds, then continues. ‘When exactly did you find the key? And where was it?’
Amber thinks, letting the memories come forward. They arrive hesitantly at first, but then there’s a rush of remembering as the pieces suddenly slot into place. Yes, Ruby’s story makes sense. She can corroborate it, even enlarge upon it.
‘Well?’ prompts Sally.
‘George found it on Thursday evening,’ Amber says, feeling her throat constrict as she forces the words out. ‘It was in the saucer of a flowerpot in the kitchen. I couldn’t believe it had been there all the time and I’d missed it. I wasn’t suspicious or anything; just blamed myself for not looking properly.’
‘Did you go out any time on Thursday during the day?’ Sally says, writing everything down.
‘Yes, I went to the mums’ meet-up, got back soon after lunch, and …’ She hesitates, replaying the moment in her head. Why hadn’t she put two and two together? Why had she blamed her own shortcomings instead, just as Ruby had?
‘And what?’ presses Ruby.
‘I put a load of washing on before I went out. When I got back, there was this clean, wet sock on the floor, just beneath the washing machine, like somebody had opened the door and it had fallen out. Only the programme was still going when I left so I couldn’t understand it. I know it sounds really stupid now, but I thought it was me, that I was going mad.’
‘So the abductor let themselves in with the key while you were out, snooped around a bit …’
‘A very risky thing to do,’ muses Sally. ‘They must have had some guts.’
Ruby’s speech gathers pace. ‘It was a rehearsal! They were getting ready for the abduction. Staking it out.’
‘But why leave the key?’ says Amber. ‘That doesn’t make sense.’
‘They must have made a copy. They left the original to lull you into a false sense of security. Otherwise you might have changed the locks.’
‘Clever,’ says Sally, rising. ‘Right now, it’s just a theory, but given that you both had strange experiences – and that the timing works out – it’s definitely worth pursuing. I’m going to talk to the boss right now. We’ll need you both to add to your witness statements.’
Ruby nods. ‘No problem.’
‘I told George about the sock,’ adds Amber. ‘He dismissed it – said I’d just got muddled up. I was really worried. I thought my depression must be getting worse. That’s why I went to the yoga retreat. I was trying to sort my head out.’
‘Then we’ll need George to make a statement too,’ Sally says as she leaves the room and bounds down the stairs.
The sisters remain seated, staring at each other. Amber feels excited because something has shifted, and she feels closer to finding Mabel. But the thought of the abductor letting themselves into the flat twice without them realising is also creeping her out.