‘Sorry, Sam, of course, and I expect these guys could do with some hot drinks.’

While Sam called Matt, Will went upstairs to find some things for Kate. While he was hunting through her belongings for clothes and toiletries, he remembered her only request.

He had asked her if there was anything special she would like him to include, and she had said, ‘Bring Elizabeth. I want the doll.’

Reluctant to even touch the thing, he picked up the doll from Kate’s bedside table. At least the revolting object would be out of the house.

He almost threw it into the case, and closed it quickly, managing in his haste to catch the dress in the teeth of the zip. Cursing, Will opened it again, trying hard not to look at that hideous face. He pulled the doll out and turned it face down, flattening the material to keep it from catching again. He was just about to zip it up for the second time when he noticed something about the dress. There was a jagged tear in the back of the skirt, and a piece of the material was missing. He caught his breath, the alarm bells ringing.

He almost fell over his own feet in his haste to get to his side of the bed. He pulled out his drawer and rummaged through the contents. He found what he was looking for at the bottom. The two evidence bags from Emilia Swain’s garden. He had meant to give them to Matt, in case the police thought they had relevance, but with all the angst with Kate, he had forgotten.

He ripped open the first one and stared at the small ivory coloured scrap of linen. There was no need to even place it against the tear in the doll’s dress, it was so obviously the same material.

Will sat down heavily on the bed. He didn’t understand. How had that shred of fabric got into Mrs Swain’s garden? Kate?

A voice from the doorway caused him to look up in alarm. He must have looked pretty odd, this large man, sitting on the edge of the bed with his mouth half open, doll in one hand and the tiny piece of material in the other.

Sam Page stood over him. ‘Did you tear it, my boy? What a shame.’

Will put the doll back in the case and closed it, hoping that the doctor hadn’t noticed the tremor in his hands.

Taking the case, Sam went to the door. ‘Get some rest, lad. You look exhausted. We decided that Matt was more use here, so I’ll go and drop this at the clinic.’

Will managed a smile. ‘Thanks for doing all this, and for going. Yes, I will try and have a rest.’

With a nod, Sam left the room.