‘Of course.’ Elly couldn’t stop herself from adding, ‘but I think it’s only fair to warn you that the DCI will want to talk to you again.’

‘I can’t believe it,’ Marion said, putting the car into reverse and pulling away from the curb. ‘Whatever next?’

‘I know,’ Maggie agreed, fastening her seat belt. ‘It is unbelievable. One thing after another at the moment.’

‘Do you know what happened?’

‘Not really. It was a crash. He’s got a punctured lung.’

‘That’s not good.’ Marion wondered if Johnny would survive.

‘No,’ Maggie replied, as she tried not to think about what Amy would do if her husband didn’t pull through.

‘It’s a two-hour drive. We’ll be there by nine.’

We’ll be lucky if we make it there in one piece, Maggie thought to herself, as Marion took the corner at breakneck speed, nearly hitting a cyclist and hooting the horn, much to Maggie’s embarrassment.

Wanting to distract herself from the terrifying journey she was facing, Maggie changed the subject.

‘Have you heard any more about the investigation?’ She gripped the door handle until her knuckles were nearly white.

‘Not really. Just what’s in the news. I hear they are planning a reconstruction of the night Janet was killed. Morbid, if you ask me.’

‘I suppose they think it might jog someone’s memory. It is hard to believe that two women were killed in a busy city and no one saw anything.’

‘Well, that’s a good point.’ Marion accelerated so she didn’t miss the green light on the crossroads.

‘Doesn’t it scare you?’ Maggie asked, not sure whether she was referring to the speed at which Marion was driving, or the threat that a killer had them in their sights.

‘You’ve been reading too many horror books,’ Marion chuckled, as the car joined the motorway.

‘I’m more worried for my kids. What if someone breaks into my house when they’re at home?’

‘You’re forgetting something, pet – motive.’

‘There is never a good reason to take a human life,’ Maggie said.

‘Well that’s true, but you’re not thinking like a killer. You’re thinking like a rational person. Anyone who kills isn’t the same as you or me.’

‘You’ve got a point,’ Maggie agreed, wondering what it was that could push someone over the edge enough to justify murder. ‘I couldn’t kill anyone.’

‘Well, neither could I, but if someone hurt my family I might be persuaded otherwise …’

Holding her breath while Marion overtook a very large lorry at lightning speed, Maggie wondered if that was true. If someone hurt her kids, she’d certainly want revenge, but murder? She supposed she would never know exactly how she’d react.

Not wanting to contemplate anything happening to her kids, Maggie returned to thinking about Amy and Johnny. It wasn’t a scenario she enjoyed conjuring up.