His fingers tightened, pressing into her muscles. ‘For us, Anna. Because we love each other, and we want a future together. You, me. Lottie and Kai. We could even have a baby. We’ll be a family. I promise. The time will pass quickly, you’ll see. Ring your mum.’

‘But she hates me,’ she wailed, tears coursing down her cheek.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her trembling body and kissed her forehead, a cool, passionless kiss that scared her more than anything else.

‘No she doesn’t,’ he murmured. ‘No one hates you. We all love you.’

She sniffed, not reassured. ‘Am I repulsive?’

‘The bruises will go. You won’t look like this for ever. I’m going to take care of you, Anna. I’ll wait for you. Can you hold on to that?’

‘Promise you won’t leave me.’

‘I promise. And you know what the most important thing is, don’t you?’

She gazed up at him. ‘That we love each other.’

The corners of his lips twitched. ‘That you think before you speak.’

GRACE

Friday, 15 June 2018

I WAKE FROM A DREAM ABOUT IZZY WELLS, A DREAM IN which sadness seems to mist from my breath. I pull on my dressing gown and go downstairs. Two months have passed since Nick vanished and the house is eerily quiet. Lottie has been away all week, on a residential trip to Dorset, an event I would have been delighted to make the most of in happier times. Now I just feel lonely. One day, when she leaves home, I’ll truly be on my own. I wipe away a tear and tell myself off for being mawkish.

My situation has improved in one respect at least; I’m in the clear. Marsh’s hope that he’d find my DNA all over the wheelbarrow hasn’t proved as daft as it sounded when he first mooted it. Nick’s DNA is present. Unfortunately, the identity of the person who lifted him in and wheeled him to the river remains a mystery.

If Marsh has his theories, which I assume he does, he hasn’t shared them with me, and I don’t want to think about it. I want to preserve my memories of Nick as a living man, not a corpse in a wheelbarrow.

Marsh has gone quiet since my interview. I’ve called him for updates, but all I’m told is that the investigation is ongoing but there is nothing he is able to disclose at the moment. I find that puzzling. To me it feels as though he’s lost interest in Nick and moved on. Harriet says he may be embarrassed about his treatment of me. But I don’t know, something feels fishy. On the other hand, it’s a great relief not to be his focus.