The sergeant already had his hands raised like he was waiting for Joel’s realisation. ‘We already have someone at the hospital. They’ve sealed off the ward. The mother insisted on going too.’

‘Sealed it off? What happened?’ Joel asked.

‘I’m waiting for an update. We do … we do have a death. A female patient, sus circs … I don’t know any more but I can guess the same as you can.’

‘We need to go, we need to be there. Sharon’s the key to this.’ Joel turned to DS Rose, who nodded her agreement. There was nothing more they could do here. The search was in hand, the surrounding streets would be flooded with uniform officers, the word out with the community if it wasn’t already. If Jamie Evans was in the area he would be spotted very soon. But Joel had a terrible feeling in his gut that Jamie Evans wasn’t anywhere near here at all. And the all-important ‘golden hour’ since Joel had received that panicked call from Sharon Evans was already gone.

Joel’s shoes squeaked as he stopped at the door to the ITU ward, DS Rose beside him. Both of them stared at the officer there, who was writing in his pocket book. Joel held his warrant card out and spoke hurriedly.

‘Is Sharon Evans in there?’

‘A separate room. She wouldn’t leave,’ the officer said. ‘Are you in charge, if I get asked by the nurses again? They want us out the way, I think.’

‘I’m sure they do.’ Joel moved past. The door behind him had a wedge holding it open. Initially the ward was just like the last time he had been here, but a few steps in and he could see more uniform officers standing at the foot of a bed in the third area up. It was where he had spoken to Sharon, where her daughter had been recovering behind her.

Another uniform police officer approached them. He was sombre as he pointed out the Relatives Room, where Sharon Evans was. Joel hesitated for just a moment on the threshold, the cold metal of the handle pressed into his palm. He could barely imagine the misery on the other side of this door.

Sharon Evans was alone. Despite the chairs lining the wall on the right side she sat on the floor, her back to the far wall so she was facing them as they entered. The door shut behind them. Sharon didn’t react to the noise. She was sitting still, her knees pulled up so she could hug them, her eyes down so all Joel could see was the top of her head.