Rex realised it was a woman imploring him. Darker roots peeked beneath hair layered with dust, but he could discern little else about her, not even her age. If he took in any detail at all, it was the torn nails hanging from her bloodied and blackened hands as she gripped the child.

The girl looked to be around the same age as his granddaughter. Could she be the very one he had seen earlier? If that were the case, it would almost be better living with the torture of not knowing her fate. The child’s lifeless body was covered in dirt and blood, her head was tilted backwards and her little mouth gaped open. She made no response when she was thrust into his arms, and he was grateful that her eyes were closed. He was too afraid to look death in the face.

9

Leanne had made a point of checking her socks for holes before setting off to meet Claudia, only to be faced with a new challenge while swapping her boots for guest slippers. Her laces had become tangled and she was bent over for so long that when she straightened up, she felt hot and flustered.

‘Sorry about that.’

‘I have the same problem with my riding boots,’ Claudia said pleasantly, with no trace of the nerves that had plagued her during their first meeting. ‘Come through, there’s fresh coffee brewing.’

When Leanne had phoned to request the interview, Claudia couldn’t have been more accommodating and agreed to meet Leanne first thing on Monday morning. She had ensured that the reporter drove through the security gates unheeded, and she had been waiting to welcome her guest when Leanne reached the top of the stairs.

There was a marked change in Claudia’s appearance too. Her dark hair had been pulled back into a smooth, shiny ponytail, her make-up was immaculate, and she wore a perfectly pressed polo shirt. Her beige jodhpurs emphasised the sway of her hips while Leanne trundled behind.

‘I didn’t know you were into horse riding.’

Claudia gave a throaty laugh. ‘Neither did I, but Bryony offered the use of one of her ponies. She’s teaching me to ride,’ she said in her best telephone voice. ‘It’s surprisingly good exercise.’

Instead of continuing to the kitchen, Claudia opened the door to a sumptuous sitting room and directed Leanne to one of the two sofas facing each other on opposite sides of a large, Afghan rug. There was a heavy oak coffee table taking up the space between, and a tray had been set with two china cups as big as bowls, as well as the French press.