He looked shocked. ‘Yes, she was, but I don’t understand what that has got to do with anyone else.’ He was clearly struggling to contain his emotions – a mixture of anger and upset, Beth thought.

‘Has she had the baby?’ Beth asked.

‘Yes, but that’s our business, surely?’

‘Where is the baby now?’

‘It was born dead,’ he said bluntly, and his eyes filled.

‘I am so sorry,’ Beth said. ‘Please accept my sincere condolences.’

Ian nodded stiffly.

‘Will there be a post-mortem?’ Beth asked. If the baby was full-term it was likely.

‘I don’t know. Why? The midwife took him away. We were too distraught to deal with it. We still are.’ He wiped his hand over his eyes.

‘I am sorry,’ Beth said again. ‘But you understand we have to follow up concerns like this from the public.’

‘Like what?’ Ian asked. He hadn’t suggested they sit down and continued to face Beth across the room.

‘If a baby is missing.’

‘He’s not missing. He’s dead,’ Ian said tearfully.

‘I understand that now. If I could just go upstairs and see your wife, I’ll be on my way.’

‘Why do you want to see Emma?’

‘So I can say I’ve seen her in my report, and to give her my condolences.’

‘Report?’ Ian questioned.

‘It’s procedure. I’ll conclude my report by saying I’ve seen you both and close the file.’

‘All right, this way,’ he said. ‘Sorry if I was rude. We’ve had a dreadful week, as you can imagine.’

‘Yes.’

Beth followed Ian out of the living room and upstairs to the bedroom at the front of the house. The curtains were half open and Emma Jennings was dressed and lying on top of the bed.

‘It’s the police,’ Ian said, going in first.

Emma immediately looked worried and heaved herself up the pillow as Ian went protectively to her side. The poor woman looked dreadful, Beth thought, with deathly pale skin and dark circles under her eyes. Beth was struck by how much she looked like her husband. She’d read that couples grew to resemble each other over time and here was a perfect example.

‘I’m so sorry for your loss,’ Beth said. Going over, she showed Emma her ID.

‘I lost my baby,’ she said in a small, pitiful voice. ‘Why are you here?’

‘We received a call from a member of the public who thought a baby had disappeared from this house.’

‘It has,’ Emma said, even more upset. ‘He’s gone and I’ll never see him again.’ Tears spilled onto her cheeks.

‘I am sorry,’ Beth said again. ‘You understand why I had to check?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ll leave you then. Do you have everything you need?’

Emma nodded.

‘Look after yourselves. I’ll let myself out.’

Leaving Ian to comfort his distraught wife, Beth returned downstairs and left the house.