She holds it to her heart, and tries to suck in a breath. The colours in the room around her have blanched, all sounds are muffled, the air is heavy as though a fog has somehow descended, and everyone else seems far away, a series of insubstantial shapes.

‘Mum, are you all right?’ She feels Bella’s arm around her, pulling her back to the present. ‘What is it? Do you recognise it?’

Her throat is tight, she cannot speak. Someone offers a glass of water, which helps.

‘It’s Jimmy’s,’ she croaks. ‘The identity tag with his name and address on it. In case he got lost.’

‘Oh my Lord,’ Bella says. ‘Does this mean he died in the fire?’

They both look at the police, who look at each other. After some hesitation, the man starts, ‘It might indicate that scenario, Miss Browning. But it could have been lost there at some other time, previous to his disappearance.’

He turns to Molly and says, quite gently, ‘It’s a long time ago, Ms Goddard, but do you recall your brother losing this, erm, identity tag at any point beforehand?’

She shakes her head, unsure whether to be horrified or somehow, in the strangest way, relieved.

‘But we understand that you and your brother were frequent visitors to this hut, before it burned down?’

She nods.

‘Then I suppose we may never have absolute proof,’ he says, measuring his words carefully.

‘Did you find anything else, like . . .’ Bella hesitates.

‘No, madam. If you are referring to human remains, no. Nothing else. And we did take a very good look, let me assure you.’

Molly suddenly knows. ‘I don’t want you to go digging around any more, thank you very much,’ she says, loudly and firmly. ‘What good would it do? We’ll never find out who was responsible, and whoever it was will be long dead by now. Let my brother rest in peace.’

She takes out the piece of metal from its plastic envelope and cups it in her folded hands. A little sob escapes from her throat. They will never be certain, of course, and somehow she doesn’t really feel the need for certainty any more. It is enough to know that she is holding something of Jimmy; something that will always stay with her.

‘Will you bury this with me when I go, sweetheart? And Eli’s clay pipe?’

‘We will, Mum. We most certainly will.’

Something is different, now. A weight has been lifted, but it takes Molly a few moments to identify it. The knot in her stomach has finally disappeared.

THE UGLY DRAGON

by Molly Goddard

Chapter 7: Jimmy takes a ride