‘She might not remember,’ Piotr replied.

‘She’ll know more than us.’

‘How do you know?’

‘She has to. Someone has to. We’re going to fix this.’

‘There is something else,’ Eva said, quietly. It seemed like she had known James Quentin a long time ago now – it felt like a different version of herself who’d pressed him with questions and been dissatisfied with the answers. ‘I spoke to one of the scientists, just yesterday, and he was sure it only started happening in the last few years. He said he thought it was to do with the generations. The … I’m sorry, Holly. The stillbirths seem to be connected with the third generation of people using the pouch. He said it wasn’t the pouches themselves that were going wrong. He thought something was being inherited. So maybe that could help?’

Eva looked up, surprising herself by hoping that Holly would be pleased with her – she didn’t want assurance from this woman, surely. And she clearly wasn’t going to get it. Holly’s expression had changed completely. She didn’t look determined any more, and the amusement that had seemed to dance in her eyes was completely gone.

‘What’s wrong?’

Holly didn’t reply, and the longer they all seemed to sit there in silence the more concerned Eva became. Holly was quite old, really – was she ill? Was she having a heart attack? Suddenly she looked frail, transparent and, within that, angry. There was anger in her eyes; Eva recognised it.

‘That can’t be true,’ Holly said finally. ‘We have to talk to Freida.’

Eva didn’t reply. After all, none of them actually knew what was going on.

‘So you think Freida might know about that too?’ asked Piotr. ‘Even though she left before …’

‘If she does, I’ll kill her,’ Holly said.

If the atmosphere hadn’t been so chilling, Eva might have smiled. The idea of one old lady killing another – but there was nothing humorous about the expression on Holly’s face. She looked like everything she loved had been destroyed.

‘An assassination …’ Piotr began, but Eva frowned at him and he stopped speaking, his voice trailing off like an apology.

‘Don’t you dare laugh at me,’ Holly said. ‘I might be an old woman, but you need to listen to me. She knows something, I know she does.’

‘We’ll try to find her,’ Eva said, but what she’d intended to be soothing came out as patronising and her comment was brushed away with a swipe of Holly’s hand.

‘I think she knew the pouches were faulty years ago,’ Holly said. ‘And I think that’s why she ran away.’

As Holly reached for her coat, Eva caught Piotr’s eye – a question passed between them.

‘Come on,’ Holly said. ‘I’m ready to go now. I don’t want you slowing me down.’

Piotr stood, nodded. Checked for something in his jacket pocket.