‘My God! Is it bad? How is she?’

‘She was hit over the head apparently. No obvious weapon left behind. But she’s in hospital and having some kind of scan so they can see what’s what. Faith was very upset, a bit garbled, but she says the police will be in touch, that they want me home. It may have been a burglary, someone Prue disturbed, and they’ll need me to check if anything’s missing. And to give them my fingerprints.’

‘Oh, Madi, how awful. Poor kid, all on her own, and so far from home too.’

‘Not for long. Stuart’s driving like the wind from what I can gather. So long as they don’t get stopped for speeding, they’ll be with her soon. Come on, let’s get back. The car’s got enough petrol, and I need to get packed up, so I can leave today. I can’t believe this happened in my flat, Tom. Mine.’

‘Yes, it did, but that doesn’t make it your fault.’

‘No, it doesn’t, but what if …?’

‘What if what?’

‘I know it sounds silly, over-dramatic even, but what it wasn’t some random attack by a stranger?’

‘Why would anyone go after Prue? She wouldn’t hurt a fly.’

‘No, she wouldn’t. But what if it wasn’t Prue they were after? Who even knew she was there? Hardly anyone. Maybe what happened … was actually meant for me?’

‘Why would anyone target you?’

‘I have no idea, but I’ve been away a long time. They might have known that, known I have nice things, jewellery, thought the place was empty. Or it could have been … No, I’m just being stupid.’

‘What?’ Tom was grasping her hand now, concern written all over his face.

‘Well, I’d had the feeling for a while before I left that someone was watching me. I think I told you, I’d even started to think I was losing my memory, my mind … that something wasn’t … right. That’s the only way I can describe it. I’ve told myself it was the illness, the drugs, the worry of it all … But what if it wasn’t that?’

‘You think someone was after you? Deliberately trying to upset you?’

‘No. Yes. Oh, I don’t know. I’m probably wrong, but I have to find out. Who got into my flat. Why. And how. I ignored it, Tom. I did nothing. I let Prue walk into God knows what was going on there, and now she’s …’

‘Stop it, Madi.’ Tom helped her to her feet and bundled up his mac and flask, tipping the dregs of their tea onto the sand. ‘That sort of talk isn’t going to help anyone. Best get you back to Shelling pronto, okay?’

Madi stood on the doorstep at Snowdrop Cottage and looked back at it for the last time. She’d packed hurriedly, stripped the bed and bundled everything into the washing machine but she really didn’t have time to wait until it was finished so she could dry it. Her plan to take a leisurely stroll around the village and say her goodbyes had fallen by the wayside now. All that mattered was getting back home and finding out what was happening at Belle Vue Court. What state her flat was in, what state Prue was in …