‘My release? What are you talking about? Jessica’s already in custody for a crime she didn’t commit, and now you want to take me as well? I don’t believe this. I refuse to go with you. I’m calling my lawyer.’

‘Good,’ Ian said. ‘He can meet us at the police station.’

Still protesting, Anne made her phone call before accompanying them to the police station. Daisy was transported in a separate vehicle with an appropriate car seat.

Anne’s solicitor was waiting for them when they arrived. A slickly dressed man in his thirties with a southern accent, he insisted on speaking to his client before they began to question her.

‘That evil witch put you up to this,’ Anne began when the interview commenced.

Geraldine and Ian had not yet posed a question but neither of them interrupted her. Anne was sufficiently agitated to make a blunder without any prompting from them. The lawyer narrowed his eyes and listened anxiously, ready to interrupt if it became apparent that his client was going to incriminate herself. On balance, Geraldine was fairly confident she would.

‘That Ella, she set this whole thing up. She’s crazy. We all know she lost her own baby, due to her neglect, and now she’s trying to get her hands on Daisy. She’s already stolen her from Jessica and attempted to run away with her. This is all down to her. She killed her partner because he mistreated her baby, and then she killed Jason and David, so she could keep Daisy. You can’t trust a word she says. She’s the one you should be going after her, not me or Jessica. Leave us alone. We’ve been through enough.’

Geraldine waited for Anne to finish before speaking. ‘Anne, you can’t keep this up. We know Jessica killed Jason –’

‘It was Ella. It was Ella.’

‘You know that’s not true,’ Geraldine said, hoping to persuade Anne to confess.

‘Then it was me, it wasn’t Jessica, it was me, and I’d do it again.’

‘My client is clearly distressed by this line of questioning,’ the lawyer cut in urgently. ‘We need to take a break.’

‘She’s distressed because she knows her daughter is guilty,’ Ian muttered. ‘She’s grasping at straws, blaming everyone she can think of to protect her daughter.’

‘This is not the place to cast judgement –’ the lawyer began. He glanced at Anne. ‘I need to speak to my client.’

‘You can’t be serious about needing a break already. We’ve hardly begun,’ Ian protested.