‘But they … they got her out, didn’t they?’ I say, my body pulsating with terror. ‘They got her out … of the car …’

They don’t answer.

‘Elsp,’ I scream, yanking at the wires. ‘Please … you have to … tell me she’s …’

Claire puts her hand on my arm. Her skin feels clammy on mine. I push her away.

‘I’m begging you,’ I cry, tears clouding my eyes. ‘She’s my … baby … She’s my … she’s my life.’

Elms pushes his glasses up with the tip of his index finger, then fixes his eye on me.

‘I’m very sorry, Maggie,’ he says, his voice as spare as a telegram. ‘But I’m afraid your daughter died at the scene.’

A high-pitched sound, like the air being released from a balloon, fills the air. Only after a couple of minutes do I realize that the noise is coming from me.

‘I’m so sorry, Maggie,’ says Claire.

‘She wouldn’t have felt anything,’ Elms says. ‘It would have been like going to sleep.’ But his eyes don’t meet mine.

I start to rock, forwards and backwards; as though movement will suspend the horror.

‘We realize this is the worst possible news,’ says Elms. ‘And we are so terribly, terribly sorry.’

I look up at him but all I see is Elspeth. My beautiful girl.

‘No,’ I say, shaking my head. ‘No. You’re wrong. She wazere, just … just on bed. Wet hair. She’s cold. She … she needs me.’

Elms shakes his head.

I look across at Claire. Her eyes are full of tears.

‘Help,’ I whimper. ‘Help … me … find her.’

‘Maggie, she’s not here, love,’ says Claire, wiping her eye with the back of her hand. ‘She’s not here.’

And then something rises up inside me. A hot burst of anger.

‘This is crazy,’ I cry. ‘I saw her. She was here. Going to go find her.’

I throw the covers back and try to get out of the bed.

‘Maggie, don’t,’ says Claire.

I try to jump down but the wires hold me back. I grab at the drip in my arm, try to yank it out, but Elms grabs my arms tightly.

‘Let me go,’ I cry. ‘Please just let me go.’

‘Oh God,’ whispers Claire, beside me.

Elms holds me down as Claire adjusts the drip. I catch his eye. And something about his expression confirms it all. My Elspeth, my beautiful Elspeth. I start to scream. My body jerks. Elms shouts something to Claire but I don’t hear what he says.

‘No,’ I cry as they try to guide me back on to the pillow. ‘Not Elspeth. Not my baby. No, no, no.’

‘Quickly, Claire,’ hisses Elms, still holding me down.

I look up into Claire’s face as she prepares to administer the sedative. Her eyes are swollen with tears and her bottom lip is quivering.