Minnie Davis
Absolutely. She’s really into women helping women.
Amanda Bailey
I dunno. Wary of using amateurs.
Minnie Davis
Me too. Till I met this girl.
Amanda Bailey
They get clingy, demanding, resentful, then vengeful
Minnie Davis
BUT they throw themselves into it and work their butts off for a mention in a book about their favourite murder. Also, they get through to people naturally suspicious of journalists. This girl is smart and so easy-going. Anyway, you, me and Craig should get together for drinks.
Amanda Bailey
So much to do on this. Been reading all night, sending the first phase of emails. Now have to send targeted messages, arrange interviews, reach out to the fiction people. Argh! Need, need, need to find the baby!
Waterstones order, 11 June 2021, books for research (receipt filed for self-assessment):
Cultishby Amanda Montell [pre-order as released 22 July]My Angel Diary, Books 1–4 by Jess Adesina
Cults That Killby Wendy Joan Biddlecombe Agsar
Cults UncoveredEmily G. Thompson
White Wingsby Mark Dunning
Terror, Love and Brainwashingby Alexandra Stein
Email to social worker Sonia Brown, 11 June 2021:
TO:Sonia Brown
DATE:11 June 2021
SUBJECT:Favour
FROM:Amanda Bailey
Hey Sonia,
I’m writing about the Alperton Angels case. Need to contact the teenagersHolly and Jonah, but in particular the baby they rescued. Where did it go? And where is it now? If it was born in 2003 then it’s eighteen this year so you should be able to find out where its last care placement was, especially if it was adopted.
I’m reading news reports from the time and they give nothing away about the young people. Names, images, birthplaces – all obscured ‘for legal reasons’. If Holly was capable of looking after her baby, I assume they would have been supported in a unit? Or it could have been placed separately. Either way, I’m looking to trace the baby first and foremost, then the teenagers.
Amanda
Text messages between Sonia Brown and me, 11 June 2021:
Sonia Brown
They’ve shut down access to archives.
