The door swings opens and DI Beynon, and DS McKay enter.

‘Finn,’ Beynon says, unzipping her tartan jacket, seemingly unaware of anyone else in the room. She drags up a chair, and Finn opens his eyes. ‘Do you remember me?’

‘Inspector Beynon,’ he says, his voice husky.

‘That’s right. It’s good to see you’re improving, Finn. Listen, we’d like to talk to you, if you feel up to it. Is that OK?’

He nods.

‘So let’s begin at the beginning, shall we? You were out alone? Even though you knew there was a killer about.’

‘Looking for Maddie,’ he mumbles.

‘But you didn’t find her.’

He shakes his head.

‘Do you remember who hurt you?’

Finn moves his eyes to look at Julia, who is still clasping his hand.

This is it. This is the moment I’ve been dreading.

‘Someone attacked Amelia,’ he says, turning his eyes to me. I step backwards, hoping the wall will absorb me.

‘Someone?’ Beynon glances at me briefly.

He swallows hard, and lifts his eyes to the ceiling. ‘Whoever it was wore that awful mask.’ His voice fades.

‘Take your time, Finn. No rush.’

‘I cried out to them to stop,’ Finn went on. ‘And they took off. But when I bent to help Amelia, she … she …’ He blinks several times.

Please don’t say the words. Please, Finn, I didn’t mean to hurt you.

‘Did Amelia stab you, Finn?’ Beynon is leaning forward, as close as she can get to him without climbing onto the bed.

‘She was in a dreadful state – confused.’ Finn’s voice quivers. He lifts his hand. ‘I’m so thirsty.’

Julia jumps up, and pours water from a jug into a glass, then helps Finn take a sip. ‘Amelia thought I was going to hurt her,’ he says.

I tense. I shouldn’t be here listening to this. But Beynon seems unaware of her surroundings, her focus fully on Finn.

‘And then what, Finn?’ she goes on, insistent.

He pauses for a long moment. ‘Someone stuck the knife in me.’ He closes his eyes, and winces as though feeling the blade going in again, his face ashen.

‘Someone?’

‘Someone in a mask.’ There’s a beat before he continues. ‘The next thing I know, I’m on the bench, wearing the mask, bleeding out, and Amelia is there too, propped up against a tree.’ He’s becoming breathless.

‘You really should leave him alone now,’ Julia says. ‘He’s been through so much.’

‘Do you know who it was in the mask, Finn?’ Beynon persists, ignoring Julia. ‘Who stabbed you?’

He shakes his head.

‘Can we go back to why you were you out there in the first place, pal?’ McKay chips in, rubbing a hand over his bearded chin.

‘I got a text message from Maddie saying she knew who the killer was, that she needed to see me.’