Maybe, she thought grimly, it would be worth trawling the death-certificate records for baby twins with those names. The desire to take other people’s babies could have been the action of a mother driven mad with grief. And that would explain why the perpetrator might be using that same phrase: remember their names. But why the forty-year gap between offences? Something must have triggered a second attempt at the crime. She had to look for more similarities, the links that might not be immediately obvious. It was the weather that had led to Amy discovering Victoria Settle’s story. But why would the heatwave have any relevance?

Harper pulled herself from the pool in one graceful movement. The water puddled at her feet as she removed her goggles. She remembered Victoria’s voice, then. She needs to put them in the water. Right under the water. Harper shook the drops from her face and went to get changed.

Retrieving her bag from the locker, she couldn’t help but check her phone, again, and there was nothing from Amy, of course there was not.

*   *   *

Harper drove up to the Tranters’ house, stood on the doorstep and knocked. The door swung open and Patrick stood there, sleep-ruffled and beautiful, his face wary.

She spoke first. “Mr Tranter.”

“Detective Sergeant.”

“I’ve brought your phone back.”

“Oh.”

He held out his hand for the plastic-bagged device.

“The police have ceased investigations on the case; I don’t know if anyone has been in touch …”

He nodded. “Your boss called me. He said it was on the cards. He implied that you thought there was no one else involved, that it was all Lauren.”

“That’s the official line. Are you OK?”

He nodded. “I didn’t want to think that it was her, but in a way it’s a relief.”

“It’s not her fault. You know that, don’t you?”

“Of course. She never meant to hurt them, but she’s ill. That’s why you’re not pressing charges against her for attempting to … I don’t know. Whatever it was she tried to do.”

Harper left a pause, looked at her feet for a few moments. “I want you to know, off the record, that I don’t agree with my boss, entirely. I’ve got some evidence that he doesn’t believe is significant, but I do. I still think it’s possible there was someone else involved. You see, it’s happened before, a long time ago, and I think the two cases might be linked.”

When she met his eyes, she was surprised to see that he looked angry. “Why can’t you just leave it alone?”

“Mr Tranter, I—”