‘When you’re ready, he’ll pull the cover back and you’ll be able to see her,’ the assistant continued, her voice level and precise. ‘I’ll ask you to confirm if it is Emily or not.’

‘We can’t even be in the same room as her?’ Stephanie asked, almost aggressive in her tone. Mark could see it having no effect on the assistant though. He knew she would have been through worse. Much worse.

‘I’m afraid not,’ the assistant said, turning back to the window. ‘Just let me know when you’re ready.’

Stephanie looked towards her mother, who was refusing to look up. Her eyes were fixed to the floor, her head shaking from side to side. Mark wondered if she was ready for what was to come. If you could ever be ready for something like this.

‘Mum?’

‘Okay,’ Julie said after a few seconds, slowly lifting her head up, her voice cracking, tears springing to her eyes. ‘Please.’

Stephanie used both hands to hold on to her mum, as the assistant gave the nod to the man behind the window. He carefully removed the blanket covering the bump on the stretcher. Julie leaned forward half a step, peering towards the young woman lying there. Mark walked forward, in line with the women now, and waited.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Stephanie as the cadaver came into view. A noise escaped from Julie, a choked sob. Mark waited for the inevitable breakdown, the rush of emotion.

‘It’s not her,’ Stephanie said, soft and faltering. ‘That’s not Emily.’

‘Stephanie, don’t,’ Julie began, but she was frowning towards the woman on the table as well.

‘Mum, that’s not her, I can tell.’

‘This is a common reaction,’ the assistant said, moving closer to the two women. ‘Just make sure. Look at her and see if anything looks familiar about her.’

‘She’s about the same age, the same hair colour, but that’s about it,’ Stephanie said, becoming more sure of herself. ‘That’s not my sister. Mum, tell them. Tell them it’s not Emily.’

Julie’s hand was over her mouth.

‘Can we see her shoulder,’ Stephanie said suddenly, turning first to Mark, then the assistant and touching her own back. ‘She had a birthmark, like me, only bigger. We should be able to see that.’

Mark looked towards the assistant, who turned towards the window and motioned towards the guy next to the body. He turned the body over and moved the gown down over the woman’s back.

Stephanie made a noise at the back of her throat and staggered back. Julie collapsed to her knees, a mixture of sobs and incredulous laughter escaping from her.

‘It’s not her,’ she gasped. ‘Thank god, it’s not her.’

Mark’s eyes narrowed as the man behind the window dropped the body back on the gurney.

If it wasn’t Emily, where was she?