“Natasha,” said Harper, more softly, “it’s in your interest to talk to me. At the moment it looks very bad for you. You’ve been arrested on suspicion of abduction, but the charges could be much worse, in a case like this, involving babies.”

The voice, when it came, was deeper and louder than before. “You were there,” she said, “why don’t you tell me what I was doing.”

“I only know what I saw. I want you to tell me what happened, from your side.”

“It won’t make a difference,” said Natasha, reaching for the drink in front of her. “You’ve already made up your mind about me. Haven’t you?” She sipped the liquid, spat it back. “That’s disgusting,” she said, dropping the cup back on the table between them so that some of it spilled, a pale pool on the grey plastic laminate. The whitish film of cold milk that had formed on the surface of the beverage slipped up the side of the cup and hung there, dead sagging skin made of lactose, proving her point. Harper frowned at it for a second.

“I’ll tell you my theory, if you like,” she said.

“I can’t wait,” said Natasha, crossing her arms.

“I think you’ve got a grudge against Patrick. I think you took his kids to get back at him.”

“Who’s Patrick?”

“You know who he is. I saw you together, at his office, a couple of weeks ago.”

Natasha said nothing for a long time. The solicitor blew his nose repeatedly, coughing, apologising, coughing again. Harper sighed, looked at her watch. She was about to get up and leave when the suspect spoke. The voice was suddenly small and girlish.

“I told you at the time. I knew you wouldn’t believe me. Nothing I say makes any difference.”

“I need you to tell me again. For the record.”

Natasha’s voice was so quiet then that Harper had to lean in to hear the words.

“I was saving them.”

“Saving them.”

Natasha nodded. One dark eyebrow twitched. “That’s the truth. I thought I’d be thanked for it, not arrested.”

“What do you mean, you were saving them?”

“I mean, I didn’t take them. I found them in the stroller in the woods, hidden out of sight. I was trying to bring them back to where the police were and I took a short cut across the river, only, I got stuck. And then you came.”

“Did anyone see you? See you find them, I mean. Can anyone corroborate your story?”

She shook her head. “No. I was alone. And that’s why it doesn’t matter what I say. Does it?”