It’s a strange experience telling this kind elderly woman my story, but I can sense that she’s listening carefully and not judging me.

‘That’s not good, is it?’ Thea says. ‘Remember you can talk to me any time you like. I’m used to listening.’ She leans towards me slightly, as if about to share a secret. ‘The doctor is a psychiatrist, you know.’ She looks at my face and sees something there. ‘Oh, don’t worry. I’m not suggesting you need his help, but I often used to speak to his patients when they were in the waiting room, so their barriers were well and truly down before they went in for their consultations. He’s helped many people find the right way as a result of the cutting-edge techniques he pioneered. I’m so proud of him.’

Thea glances at where her husband is sitting across the aisle, his head resting against the window, eyes closed. I can feel how much she loves him and I’m envious. But Ian is now back in my head, and as I turn away to take in the sight of the first of over two thousand stupas and pagodas on the plains of Bagan, I wonder what I’m going to have to do to get rid of him.

Maybe it’s the sight of all those shrines, or maybe it’s the wine, but the words are out of my mouth before I’ve had time to consider what I’m about to say.

‘I’m beginning to feel I’ll never be rid of him. Sometimes I wish he was dead.’

Thea pats my leg again, displaying not a hint of surprise. ‘Might be best for everyone,’ is all she says.

CHAPTER 9

9

One of Tom’s least favourite tasks was attending a post-mortem, particularly when the body was that of someone so young. But he was hoping Amy Sanders would be able to give him something – anything – to work with, because in the case of the woman found at Pennington Flash they had nothing to go on at all.

They still had no idea who she was, and nobody who fitted her description had been reported missing in the last few weeks. The team had started the laborious task of checking through older missing-persons records, both locally and from further afield, but it felt as if they were looking for a needle in a haystack. Given that across the country more than three hundred thousand people were reported missing each year and the authorities were often not informed if they returned home safely, it was a mammoth undertaking. Without having something to help them narrow their search down, it was likely to be a long job unless they struck lucky.