Quickly she put her things back and lay down on the bed. Only just in time.

The doctor came in, accompanied by a nurse, checked her out and said, ‘We know you’re awake, Mrs Prichard.’

‘Head hurts,’ she muttered. ‘Lights hurt my eyes.’

Someone held her eyelids open again and shone a light into her eyes.

‘Doesn’t look as if she’s got concussion, but you can’t always tell. Her speech is slurred.’

‘That could be because she’s been drinking. Could you take a blood sample, please, Doctor?’

Gail forced herself not to protest or move as someone stuck a needle in her arm.

‘I’ll go and arrange her admission, just for a few hours, to make sure she’s all right. She’s got bruising on her forehead, so something must have whacked her.’

When everything was silent, Gail peeped again. The policeman had resumed his pacing. She got off the bed and picked up her things. When he started to walk away down the corridor, she slipped out of the cubicle and ran in the opposite direction in her stockinged feet, heart thudding, expecting to hear shouts behind her.

Just before teatime there was a knock on Mary’s door and when she opened it, she found two policewomen on the doorstep. She looked at them in sheer terror.

‘May we come inside, Mrs Prichard?’

‘What’s happened? My husband—?’

‘This is not to do with him. It’s about Gail Prichard. She’s your daughter-in-law, I believe?’

‘Yes.’ She led the way inside, shuddering with relief. If anything happened to Brian, she didn’t know what she’d do. ‘Please sit down.’

‘We’re trying to locate Gail. She’s not at home but one of the neighbours gave us your address and as you don’t live far away, we thought we’d just pop round. I wonder, have you seen her today?’

‘No. I saw her yesterday at the custody hearing, but not today. Why?’

‘She’s had a car accident.’

‘Oh, no! She wasn’t hurt, was she?’

‘Fortunately no one was hurt, but blood tests showed she’d been drinking.’

‘Gail does drink too much.’

‘She was taken to hospital, but she ran away and we don’t know where she is now. We’re hoping you can help us.’

‘No. No, I can’t, I’m afraid. She didn’t come here. Oh, I wish she had!’ Mary sagged back in her chair, one hand pressed against her chest.

‘Are you all right, Mrs Prichard?’

‘Yes. Just – shocked. Heart pounding. Could you pass me my handbag, please?’ She sprayed the stuff the doctor had given her under her tongue and waited a moment or two until her heart slowed down a little. ‘It’ll be because of the hearing.’ She explained how Gail had lost custody of the children the day before.

‘Do you have a phone number and address for your son?’

Mary went to find the information Tom had given her.

As the officers were leaving, one gave her a card. ‘You will let us know if your daughter-in-law contacts you? Our number’s here.’