Anyway, I had to put Ben’s problems on one side for a while. And concentrate on those of Mary Griffin. I steeled myself as I approached her front door.

Inside the house, what was most upsetting was the state Amy was in. The little girl could not be insulated from her mother’s hysteria and she had become infected by it.

A good half-hour was needed to bring the pair of them into something approaching calm. By then I’d managed to get Mary on to a sofa with a large mug of tea, and Amy on the floor playing with her replacement Frozen figurines. But the little girl wouldn’t move far. She was constantly checking her mother was still there and clearly suspicious that I was about to spirit Mary away. Poor mite, I couldn’t blame her for her paranoia. No way she could understand the details, but she certainly knew something unpleasant had happened.

‘And there really is no one,’ I asked, ‘who you could leave her with, just while you recover?’

Mary shook her head. ‘He made me cut off contact with all my friends.’

‘Family?’

Another shake of the head. ‘Wouldn’t work. My mother would take Amy like a shot, but she’d spend all her time poisoning Amy’s mind against Craig.’

Which, given the behaviour of the little girl’s father, might by many people be seen as entirely reasonable. But I knew I couldn’t say that.

‘And the police …? There’s no way you might—?’

Mary shook her head violently.

‘But now if it can be proved that Craig set up the ex-con to—’

‘No! If I went to the police, he would literally kill me.’

Hearing the incipient hysteria in her mother’s voice, Amy looked up at her. The tiny bottom lip trembled. It wouldn’t take much to tip her over the edge again.

‘And you say,’ asked Mary, ‘that there’s no danger of Dodge bringing charges?’

‘No.’ I said the word ruefully, but she sighed with relief. ‘Incidentally, Mary, I’m sorry but I must ask this. There wasn’t anything with Dodge, was there?’

‘What do you mean?’ she asked in complete innocence.

I spelled it out. ‘Craig clearly thought there was something between you. Something sexual.’

‘God, no. Me and Dodge? He’s a lovely guy, but he’s never come on to me or anything like that. He hasn’t even looked me in the eye.’

‘No, that’s what I assumed, but I had to ask.’

‘Yes. I don’t think you understand Craig’s jealousy, Ellen. Dodge was the one who suffered this time and I feel really guilty about that. But Craig would have reacted the same if the person coming to the house had been just making an Amazon delivery. He doesn’t like me seeing other people. Any other people – particularly men.’

‘I thought that was probably it.’

‘It’s his way of showing he loves me.’ Her voice had taken on a pleading tone now. ‘Like all the other terrible things Craig has done. They’re all expressions of love.’