‘Hello.’ Margaret nods to everyone, before Fran guides her over to the sofa. Dominic says nothing, just nods back, his face devoid of any emotion. I perch on the edge of Kelly’s armchair, in the furthest corner of the room. I’m still not sure how I feel about all of this and want to fade into the background a little.

‘Before we begin,’ Margaret’s voice is soft and low, almost soothing, ‘do you have something of Laurel’s? Something that is special to her, that I could just hold on to? It would give me a better sense of her, that’s all.’

‘I’ll go.’ Dominic leaves the room, returning a few moments later with Bom, Laurel’s stuffed tiger teddy in his hands. I notice his fingers shake as he passes it to Margaret. Margaret takes it from him, bringing it briefly to her nose before she holds it tight against her chest. Fran is seated on the edge of the Chesterfield armchair opposite the sofa, and now Dominic comes to stand behind it, one hand on Fran’s shoulder. Margaret closes her eyes and exhales slowly, and I feel the air around us thicken with something I can’t quite put my finger on. Anticipation, maybe?

‘Oh, she’s pretty,’ Margaret says, her eyes still closed, Bom tight to her chest. I glance at Kelly, who gives a tiny shrug and I realise we are both thinking the same thing. Laurel’s face has been all over the news – everyone has seen her, of course you know she’s pretty.

‘She’s a little monkey,’ Margaret smiles a little, and Fran twists round to look at Dominic.

‘Yes, she is,’ Fran says, her voice thick with tears. ‘A proper little madam.’

‘She loves it outside . . . playing. She likes the woods, the trees. Getting mucky.’

I find myself nodding along with Dominic and Fran, despite my scepticism. She does love getting dirty – Lord knows the amount of times I’ve had to throw her clothes in the machine before Fran sees them and freaks out.

‘There are woods where she is now.’ Margaret’s voice has taken on a different tone, but still her eyes are closed, her breathing coming slightly faster in her chest. Fran’s face has paled, and I look at Kelly, but her eyes are fixed on the psychic. ‘There are woods, and stone. It’s not close by. There are lots of fields around. Very flat.’

Kelly reaches for the notebook on the mantelpiece and starts to scribble things down and I find my heart is beating faster in my chest. Maybe there is something in this? Dominic’s forehead shines and he wipes the sweat with the back of his hand.

‘Is she OK?’ Fran is leaning so far forward on her chair it looks as though she might fall at any minute.