‘Of course,’ Evelyn demurred, her eyes furious.

‘As a compromise, I’ll record what’s said,’ Jake offered. ‘And perhaps the two of you could look in on Mason Campbell? He may have remembered something useful?’

The stiffness in Evelyn’s back suggested she had no intention of visiting Mason Campbell at the police’s behest again.

Charlotte held up the pastry and coffee. ‘I’ll take these in to her then leave you to it?’ she said to Jake. He opened the door for her, leaving his disgruntled colleagues in the corridor.

*

‘I wanted to say I’m sorry for causing all this trouble,’ Amelia said, looking at the floor, her feet swinging on the edge of her bed, hot pink socks and leg warmers peeking from under her pyjamas.

‘Amelia, you have nothing to be sorry for,’ Jake said. ‘And if you don’t feel up to answering my questions today, I can come back another time.’

She took a deep, juddering breath and put the cup and bag Charlotte had handed her on the bedside table. ‘No, let’s do this now. But you have to listen to me … no one ever listens.’

‘Listen to what, exactly?’

‘You don’t have to understand why, or how, or anything like that. Just hear what I’m saying.’

Amelia was somehow calm and distraught at the same time; a state that Jake thought of as in extremis. ‘I’m listening.’

‘The way this works is … I can talk to you for a while, but while we’re talking everything will be closing up on the inside.’

Jake had no idea what she meant. ‘Okay.’

‘The thing that happens when I shut down …? I can’t stop it, but I can feel when it’s happening.’

‘All right.’

‘When I talk about … the past … it comes on really quickly. I can already feel it starting just because I’m thinking about talking to you about it.’

‘Okay.’

‘So ask me whatever you want and I’ll try to answer, but we won’t have long. If the shutting down thing happens, come back again tomorrow and we’ll try again.’

Jake wasn’t certain of the best way forward here. Was a victim’s mental health worth risking in exchange for a lead in his case? ‘If this is going to distress you to that extent, shouldn’t we wait until you’re feeling better?’

She shook her head. ‘I’ve decided. I want to do it now. Ask your questions.’

Jake was relieved, but for his conscience’s sake he needed to offer one more salve. ‘Would you prefer your mother to be here?’

‘I wouldn’t feel right talking about this in front of her.’

‘I’m sure she’d understand.’

Amelia shook her head and sat up firmly. ‘We don’t have much time.’

‘All right.’ He put his phone on record and placed it on the table beside her bed.