‘Apparently not. Close to catatonic and very cold, but unhurt evidently. No sign of her belongings and no ID. The officers who attended have had a cursory look and sealed off the area, but there’s no indication of where she came from.’

‘Naked women don’t just fall from the sky.’

‘Precisely, which is why it’s landed on my desk. I need to get ready and go. It’s no emergency but it’ll focus my mind.’

‘Coffee?’ He got out of bed reluctantly, and grabbed his shorts, pulling them on. He was athletic and muscular. She was glad that he wasn’t taking on any crazy challenges this year. He’d put bulk back on and they were busy planning their sailing trip to the Florida Keys. Her own body, strong from being back in the fells for three years, and graced with the absence of carrying babies, felt tired and she ached.

She nodded.

‘Have you thought about going ahead with NOMS? You really shouldn’t have her in your head. That’s why it’s appearing in your dreams, it’s a kind of PTSD. Anything that brings back a trauma as a direct memory or emotion is going to get into your head and stay there. It’s invading your place of safety – your home. Could the letters at least be intercepted?’ Johnny had worked with hundreds of soldiers who suffered from PTSD.

‘I don’t know how the hell she got my home address in the first place.’

‘Oh, come on, that’s the easy part.’

She agreed and stretched.

‘Do I look as though I’ve been boxing all night?’

‘It was only the last ten minutes.’

‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this. It’s escalating. Letters, poems, theories. It’ll be my active investigations next. Do you believe in mind control?’

‘You know I do. To what extent?’ Johnny asked.

‘Someone like that, possessing remote power over a victim or an accomplice? If she’s writing to me, who else is she in contact with? If it’s really her.’

‘I’m sure it’s not the first time. I do think it’s possible to exert that sort of control remotely. Hell, it’s the same as grooming terrorists in a way. Maybe it’s time to put her under surveillance and have a team investigate the true origins of the letters?’

She nodded. ‘It’s under my skin.’

‘I know it is. Let’s go for a run.’

‘I’ve got to be in the office by nine to brief the team.’

‘Come on then, the summer business has gone, it’ll be gorgeous up there. How about Steel Knotts? The sun is fully up and over the fells, the colours are incredible. You won’t even give The Teacher a second thought when we get up there.’