It was almost a week since Will had broken into Kate’s studio, and he and Matt had finally managed to get away to “sample the local ales.” Will had made it sound as if a couple of the lads from the station would also be there, a sort of boys’ night out. Not that it really mattered what he said. Kate had been snappy and uncommunicative, and he was finding it difficult to get anything out of her other than monosyllables. He could only guess that she knew of his incursion into her territory.

He stared glumly into his beer. ‘She hasn’t actually asked me outright — in a way I wish she would. At least it’d be out in the open then. Anyway, after you brought her back from meeting Amos, and I saw the doll had been moved from the window where I’d left it, I went upstairs and found Kate in her studio with the door open. And the bloody thing was nowhere to be seen. That is, until I went into our bedroom for something and there it was, sitting on the bed. I asked her to put it back in her studio, but she gave me the most withering look and told me it was to stay where it was. I remembered what you had said about keeping everything as calm as possible, so it’s still there. I have managed to get her to put it on a chair beside the bed, so at least I don’t have the hideous thing staring at me all night.’

‘I know it’s tough, mate, but try to keep it in perspective.’ Matt grimaced. ‘It’s just an old doll.’

‘I know.’ Will shook his head. ‘The thing is, it’s come to represent the part of Kate that I hate, the part that frightens me.’

‘It’s a part you don’t understand, that’s why it frightens you.’

Will looked up. ‘Did Laura give you any hope? Did she think Kate would ever be,’ he paused, ‘well, normal again?’

‘She said we have to hope so. Initially she recommended medication, along with therapy — both have improved since Kate was in therapy before. But when she understood that neither of you wanted to go down that route, she conceded that Kate might just be able to pull through, since she had done before.’ Matt sat back. ‘We spoke again yesterday, and Laura said that without being able to see Kate and talk to her, she feels like she is, quote, “trying to conduct brain surgery with a can opener and a soup ladle.”’ He smiled and touched his friend’s arm. ‘Don’t look so worried, mate, no one’s giving up on Kate. It’s just not easy when you can’t use all the usual methods.’