There was no chance that she wouldn’t worry. Paul looked at me, one eyebrow raised.

‘They said they’ll fill me in when I get there. They said not to worry.’

‘Well then,’ Paul said, ‘if the police say not to worry, there’s no point in wasting any energy on worrying now, is there?’ he said before urging Beth to hurry up getting ready.

‘But I really don’t feel very well,’ she said, clutching her stomach.

She knew he’d not ask too many questions if he thought there was any chance it was her period that was ailing her.

‘Rachel, are you sure she’s fit for school?’ he asked me.

‘I’m pretty sure she’s absolutely fine and isn’t it better to have the school look after her than to leave her alone?’ I said, nodding towards Beth while I spoke.

‘But, Mum, I really, really don’t feel great. I’ve awful cramps and I’m afraid I’ll just start crying every five minutes.’

Paul shrugged his shoulders, absolving himself of any further parental responsibility with a smooth: ‘Your call, Rachel.’

‘But I’ve got to go to the police station; I can’t bring you with me,’ I told her.

‘I’ll lock all the doors and windows and go straight to bed. I’ll only answer the door when I know it’s you or the police.’

‘She’s a sensible girl, Rachel,’ Paul said, already filling his briefcase and getting ready to leave. ‘Besides, the police have said this is all just precautionary. We can’t change the course of our entire lives because of this. We can’t live in fear.’

I was so tired, my brain so fuzzy. I could have argued with him, but what would it have achieved except to upset Molly, and me into the bargain?

‘Okay then, Beth. You stay in bed.’ I glared at Paul as I spoke. ‘I’ll be back from the police station as quickly as I can and you must promise me not to open the door to anyone. Not a single soul! And keep your phone at your side. If anyone even remotely suspicious comes to the door, you call the police, okay? Don’t hesitate.’

She looked at me, solemn with just a hint of fear in her eyes as if she’d bitten off more than she could chew.

‘Okay, Mum, I will. I promise I’m not faking.’

I didn’t have the patience to console her, so I just turned my attention to getting Molly ready.

‘What does sausagepuss mean, Mammy?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Sausagepuss! You just said it to Beth. Anyone sausagepuss comes to the door?’

I wanted to pull that child to me and keep her this innocent forever.

‘It’s like a sausage dog, only a cat instead,’ I said with a giggle and she ran off to grab one of her soft toys, a well-loved cat, from the sofa.