‘One time he nearly killed me,’ she croaked. She glared at Geraldine with a strange intensity, her eyes swollen and bloodshot. ‘He was going to kill me,’ she repeated in a hoarse voice. ‘If the police hadn’t come when they did, he would have killed me. That’s what he does, he kills people.’

Her breathing was fast, and it was clear she was becoming hysterical. She clambered unsteadily to her feet and swayed slightly before she sank down into the chair again.

‘Tell me, where did he hurt you?’

Jessica shook her head and groaned. ‘Here,’ she said, pointing at her heart. ‘And here,’ she added, indicating her head. ‘He screwed me up royally. You may not believe it, but I was happy before I met him. My life was normal. Normal! And now look at me.’

She dropped her head in her hands again. Geraldine waited.

‘I’m sorry,’ Jessica went on after a few seconds, speaking in a stronger voice, and seeming to pull herself together. ‘They shouldn’t have bothered the police. It was just a silly row. We were under a lot of pressure, worrying about – about everything. Bills, you know. Have you found her yet? Why haven’t you found her? Why are you wasting time here with me, talking about Jason?’

She was becoming hysterical again, her voice rising to a shrill peak.

‘We have a large dedicated search team looking for her,’ Geraldine assured her. ‘We’re questioning everyone who might possibly have known you or your husband, and anyone who might have seen what happened. Where is your husband now?’

Jessica shook her head. ‘He hasn’t come back. I don’t know where he is. And if he never comes back, that’s fine by me,’ she added, her voice hardening. ‘I never want to see him again.’ She glared at Geraldine. ‘I’m going to change the locks on the doors. I should have done that a long time ago.’

‘Jessica, does Jason know where Daisy is?’

Jessica shook her head. ‘He said he only put up with me because of her. He wasn’t interested in me. He’s never cared about me. Now she’s gone, he’ll never come back, will he?’ She burst out crying again. ‘I want my baby, I want my baby.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Geraldine assured her. ‘We will find her.’

She hoped her words would prove true, but of course there was no way of knowing if the baby would ever be found and, if she was, whether she would still be alive. It was looking increasingly unlikely.

‘Would you like to press charges?’ she enquired gently.

Jessica looked puzzled. ‘Press charges?’