‘They didn’t come through the gate. I would’ve known and the other cameras around the place would have picked them up. Will tells me the one on the front gate is a motion camera, while all the others stream continuously. I don’t think anyone has been on the farm. I just want to know what they’re doing out there in the middle of the night. It’s unsettling! Especially with everything else going on. I don’t want any of us feeling unsafe.’

Jack tapped his fingers on the desk as he thought. ‘Of course you don’t, but there’s also not much I can do other than make a note of it. If they haven’t been on your place, they’re not trespassing—’

‘Jack,’ Zara broke in. ‘I’m not telling you this so you can charge someone. I’m just letting you know there is a vehicle around that isn’t local and is doing weird things. Maybe you can just keep an eye out.’

‘Can I keep this footage?’

‘Only if you know how to download it. Because I don’t and I haven’t got a lot of time.’

‘Okay. Zara, I wish there was something that I could do to help you through this.’

‘There’s not,’ Zara answered shortly. ‘There’s nothing that anyone can do.’

Jack looked down. ‘I’m really sorry.’

‘Can’t change it,’ she said briskly, so the tears didn’t start to fall.

‘I’ll just take this for a minute,’ Jack said, standing and picking up the computer. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can.’

In the interview room Zara stared at nothing. The conversation she’d had with Will last night was going around and around in her head.

‘I’m frightened … I don’t want to go without you or Mum here.’

She could hear his voice, soft and whispery, feel the grasp of his hands on hers, and every word pierced her heart like a knife. ‘I don’t want to go …’

Her brother was going to die. Not in months, as they’d told them. In days.

‘Oh, Will,’ she muttered, and the tears came hard and fast. This time she couldn’t stop them. Laying her head on the table, she let them fall.

A hand touched her shoulder, but she didn’t move. She heard a chair being dragged around next to her and a hand start to rub her back. The gentle, methodical, firm touch helped ground her. Bring her feelings back under control. Even though the tears continued to fall, they slowed. And slowed again, until they stopped. She left her head lying on the desk and her eyes shut.

After a while she opened her eyes and lifted her head, digging in her pocket for a tissue.

Jack moved away.

‘Sorry about that,’ she said, not looking at him. Embarrassment flooded through her.