Ellie looked at Charlotte and Dave in the rearview mirror. “We’re going to head on to Dr Emmanuel’s now, have her look you over.”

“I did hear,” said Charlotte, with a hint of her old spikiness. Ellie hid a smile, glad to see some of the girl’s spirit back.

“Charlotte – look, I need to ask here, in case… well, in case there are further charges. Did they… were you assaulted?”

“You mean sexually?” Her voice was flat. “No.” It cracked slightly. “He bloody wanted to, though.”

Ellie didn’t need to ask who ‘he’ had been. “All right, love,” she said, putting the Land Rover back in gear. To the right, Bert Annable was trudging up the High Street towards the church. Laura Caddick, walking alongside him, turned back and waved to Ellie. Ellie waved back. She’d forgotten Laura was there; she hadn’t had to worry on that score after all.

“I wasn’t either,” said Dave, as they crossed the stone bridge over Groveley Beck. “You know, I’m sure you were gonna ask.”

“Okay. Sorry.”

“It can happen to men too, you know. I’ve seen Deliverance.”

Noel suppressed what seemed to be a coughing fit and Ellie bit the inside of her cheek to keep her face straight. Dave had a point, but it was also entirely typical that he’d try to make it all about him.

“Oh,” said Noel. “Think this is yours.”

He held up her fur cap and put it in the well between the seats. Ellie saw the blackened gouge in the crown where the bullet had snagged it. She forced her gaze back to the road. She wasn’t going to think about that now.

“Ellie?” said Charlotte from the backseat. Ellie couldn’t remember the last time the girl had called her by her first name. It’d been Constable or Constable Cheetham or, if she was in a good mood and not in a strop of some kind, Sheriff.

“Yes, love?”

“What about my Mum and Dad?”

Ellie sighed. “I don’t know, love. Didn’t find any sign of them at the pub. Dunno where they are. But we’ll find ’em.”

Charlotte turned away, her face crumpling. Dave made no move to comfort her. The little prick. Ellie knew that wasn’t a charitable thought, and that he’d been through a rough time today as well. But even so: the little prick.

She turned off Halliwell Way and pulled up in front of the surgery on Hollybeck Row. “Be right back,” she said, then got out and went to the door. It was locked. She rapped on it. After a few moments, there were footsteps; the key turned in the lock and Milly opened the door. She glared angrily up at Ellie, then past her at the car.

“He’s fine,” said Ellie. “We both are. Everyone’s back okay.”