‘Flukes II and III were the worker ants. It wasn’t in their remit to murder; just cause chaos.’

‘So why kill Lisa Jane?’

‘I’m afraid that was simply a whim on the part of Frankie Doyle. Jealousy and spite. Lisa Jane was all the things that Frankie was not. Beautiful, and loved by her family.’

‘So no vendetta? No takeover? No revenge on the Leonard family for past crimes?’

‘Nope. Just a twisted, bitter woman without a scrap of humanity in her heart, if she has one.’ Nikki thought how right Rory Wilkinson, the pathologist, had been when he said she would have a heart as cold as a gravedigger’s shovel.

‘And Stephen Cox? The original Fluke?’

Nikki’s face darkened. ‘Disappeared.’

‘With a face like that! How on earth did he manage that?’

‘Beats me. But I really wouldn’t want to be him right now.’

‘Not suprising with all the British police forces hunting him.’

‘No. Because Archie Leonard has offered a reward. A strictly unethical and totally below board offer, you understand. Right now, the Carborough looks like Dodge City, with Wanted! Dead or Alive posters everywhere! The faster we take them down, the quicker they spring back up again!’

‘Sounds like a bit of light relief, actually,’ said Joseph.

‘It shouldn’t be, but it is. Oh, and we are running a mask amnesty! Boxes of the ugly buggers have been handed in in the last few days! Mainly by furious parents, it has to be said. We are going to have a ritual burning at some point.’ Nikki glanced at her watch.

‘Great! You’ve eaten my grapes, now you want to go.’ Joseph endeavoured to look miffed.

‘Not without giving you these.’ She reached into her bag, pulled out three copies of the Beano and threw them on the bed. ‘Guess who sent you those?’

Joseph’s face brightened immediately. ‘How’s he doing?’

‘Brilliantly. He could go home soon, but …’ Nikki shrugged.

‘Social Services?’

‘Not sure yet, I’m working on a few ideas.’

Joseph tilted his head to one side, ‘And they are?’

‘You’ll be the first to know, if I come up with something more suitable for him.’ She smiled. ‘And now I really do have to go.’

‘To see Hannah? How is she?’

Nikki looked at him but didn’t answer for a moment. Then she smiled again and said, ‘Fancy a trip in a wheelchair?

‘I’ve never brought anyone here.’ Nikki said softly, as she gently stroked her daughter’s hair.

Joseph watched the girl, and Nikki noticed a tear glistening in the corner of his eye.

‘It’s disconcerting at first, but you get used to it.’ She said, ‘Don’t we, Hannah?’

There was no response.

‘She seems to be awake, but there’s no signs of awareness, are there? Can she hear us?’ asked Joseph.