She held out one hand, twinkling her fingers so her polished nails caught the light. ‘You want to know if they were removed.’

‘That tells me they were,’ Jake said.

‘After the second attack they were gone. When I’ve men­­tioned it to other people they’ve been horrified, but I had so much abdominal pain that I barely noticed my hands.’

‘Did it only happen that once?’ Murphy asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Did Ms O’Brien ever say anything about that aspect of the attack?’ Jake asked.

‘She just soaked my hands in salt water every day to stop them getting infected.’

‘Geezus, that must have stung.’ Murphy winced.

‘I had to wear gloves until the nails grew back.’

‘One more question …’

‘Just one?’

She seemed to be teasing him.

‘How do you feel about strawberries?’

She shuddered. ‘Can’t stand them. I think I liked them when I was a kid, but now even the smell of them gives me chills.’

‘Were you forced to eat them?’

‘Not that I remember. I just know they turn my stomach.’

Jake was surprised by how calm Lilith had remained throughout the conservation. ‘Can I say that you’re doing incredibly well considering what you experienced?’

‘Therapy. Years and years of therapy. And great parents who let me work through everything, no matter how much crockery I damaged.’

Jake’s expression must have conveyed his puzzlement.

‘For the longest time, after every therapy session I’d have a screaming fit and break something in the house. I’m ashamed of it now, but they understood.’ She reached toward Jake with one hand. ‘If you do find out anything about my baby, make sure you contact me straight away? I still think about them every day … and I don’t even know if it was a boy or a girl.’

‘There’s one way to find out.’ Jake looked at the locket around Lilith’s neck.

She grasped it protectively in her hand. ‘You can’t have this.’

‘How about part of it? DNA technology today only needs a sliver.’

‘The smallest piece possible.’

‘Thank you,’ Jake said, relieved he might finally have some DNA evidence to begin untangling the web of abuse and torture that the girls in Ava O’Brien’s care had been subjected to. ‘If it’s okay with you, I’ll ask someone from the forensics team to come here and take a sample?’

Throughout the interview Jake had been uncomfortably aware of Pete’s presence at the pub nearby, so he may as well make him useful.

‘One last thing?’ Jake said.

‘Really the last thing?’

Jake flashed her a smile. ‘Would you consent to giving a blood sample?’

‘For …?’

‘There are no guarantees, but we might be able to use it to help trace your child.’

‘Or find out who attacked me?’

She was quick. He nodded.

‘I’ll arrange for someone local to come around and take a sample tomorrow morning?’