Rachel had managed to kick the door down and get Clodagh out of the room. When Clodagh told her she needed to get to hospital, Rachel had driven her to the Accident and Emergency department at Brighton General Hospital. Three hours later, Clodagh’s stomach had been scanned and she had a black and white print-out of the eleven-week-old foetus growing inside her.

Rachel had sat with her the whole time, holding Clodagh’s hand and reassuring her the baby was going to be okay. After the scan, she insisted on taking Clodagh to the hospital canteen, where she made her drink a mug of sweet, milky tea. Sam Latimer had called one of his colleagues to pick him up from Bramhurst, taking the USB stick with him in a plastic evidence bag.

‘A baby,’ Rachel said, ‘how exciting, Clodagh.’

‘Not so exciting knowing the father’s a psychopath,’ Clodagh said.

‘We still don’t know for sure that Adam’s the killer.’

‘But you think he is?’

‘It’s starting to look that way,’ Rachel said. ‘But whatever happens with Adam, you can’t let that stop you enjoying your pregnancy. Having a baby is such a special time. I hope you can find a way of celebrating this new phase of your life.’

‘Do you have children?’

It occurred to Clodagh that she knew so little about this woman who had spent the last weeks investigating every aspect of Clodagh’s life.

‘Not yet.’ Rachel smiled. ‘I hope to one day.’ Then, steering the conversation back to Clodagh, ‘Is there somewhere else you can stay tonight? I don’t think it’s a good idea to go back to the house.’

‘I’d already moved out,’ Clodagh said. ‘I’m staying with Ivan.’

She was exhausted. And scared. Her mind kept taking her back to that moment when Adam held her, his arm across her stomach, his hand over her face. She never wanted to see him again.

‘You’ve no idea where Adam could have gone?’ Rachel asked.

‘Jake’s the only person I can think of,’ Clodagh said. ‘He’d do anything to protect Adam’s career.’

‘We’ll send someone around to Jake’s house and office,’ Rachel said.

Clodagh covered her stomach with her hand. As if a hand was enough to protect a tiny baby from a psychopathic serial killer. She wondered if evil was genetic. If it was, what did that mean for this child she was carrying?

‘There’s something else I wanted to ask you,’ Rachel said. ‘When I spoke to Adam and Robbie, they both claimed Robbie left the foundation because he needed a break. But I couldn’t shake off the feeling there was more to it than that. I don’t suppose you could shed any light on why Robbie left?’

Something heavy lodged in Clodagh’s chest.

‘I thought Adam told you.’

‘About what?’