‘Yup. Took the nurse a few minutes to remember, but when she did, she was sure. And she said that it was a bit weird, because Catherine had a few CDs on a shelf as well – but none of Cohen’s. The nurse said it was a bit of a joke because Catherine had loads of pics of the band, particularly the lead singer, and yet she couldn’t stand their music. They said they used to think it was funny – not that they’d ever have dared say that to her face.’

‘Oh my God. Have you called it in yet? Catherine … Her name’s Catherine? Catherine what?’ Gemma had whipped out her phone and was already dialling.

Then she stopped. ‘Wait. You said Catherine’s been in institutions for decades? It couldn’t be her, then. When did she escape?’

‘This morning. Catherine Brown. And, no, I haven’t told Mavis yet. I wanted to run it past you first.’

‘So if Pete Vincent’s been kidnapped, it couldn’t have been her, because it happened last night. Was she locked up in 1995 when Meredith was abducted?’

Emad shook his head, then turned it into a nod. ‘That’s the thing. She was in Rampton for years, all of the nineties. Couldn’t have been her; not unless she’s got someone on the outside working for her. That’s why I didn’t want to bother Mavis and Lincoln with it – in case they thought I was wasting their time.’

He was still having flashbacks to the humiliation he’d felt at the station, both when his wheelbarrow suggestion had been pooh-poohed in the meeting, and the look of withering contempt Mavis shot him when he’d queried why Pete had cycled up to Minstead when the twins were meant to be going for a drink.

Gemma put the phone to her ear. ‘Damn, it’s gone to answerphone,’ she said to Emad. Then, into the phone: ‘Hi – Meredith, it’s me, Gemma. Quick question: have you ever known anybody in a mental institution; a woman called Catherine? Call me back and I’ll explain. I’m coming to get you from Trevor and Johnny’s a bit earlier – I’m in Guildford at the moment so I guess I’ll be about an hour. I don’t want to alarm you or them, but please don’t open the door to anyone except me, OK? It might be nothing, but just to be on the safe side…’

Emad downed the rest of his pint as Gemma stood up, her Coke abandoned. ‘Should I have told Mavis?’

‘Could you do it now? Sorry to cut our drink short. Did you already know about her twin brother going missing?’