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Come and get warm.’
    The girl stepped into the thick coat and Sophie hugged her close. Marsh walked over to them.
    ‘Let’s get her into the car, Barry. She’s absolutely frozen. God knows what she’s doing out here, but I think she’s suffering from exposure. And she seems terrified. I’ll drive her across to the hospital. You stay here with Jimmy and see what you can rescue from that fire.’
    * * *
    The young woman said her name was Nadia. Sophie turned the heater up to full, and by the time she slowed down at the edge of the town, the car was considerably warmer. The girl was still shaking. As they came down the hill towards the seafront the street lights allowed Sophie to get a clearer view of her face. Her hair was a dirty blonde colour and stuck to her skull, bedraggled and grimy. Her pale face was streaked with tears, and she was still uttering an occasional whimper.
    ‘We’re nearly there, Nadia. We’ll get you examined, then into a warm bath.’
    Sophie had phoned through to the local cottage hospital and the police doctor, Mark Benson. She drove directly to the hospital entrance, and was met by a nurse with a wheelchair.
    ‘Is Doctor Benson here?’ Sophie asked the nurse.
    ‘He arrived just a minute ago with Doctor Jenson. They’re just washing their hands in the examination area. We’re wondering why you didn’t call an ambulance.’
    ‘I found her literally ten minutes ago. I got here quicker than an ambulance. I don’t want anyone touching her, other than Doctor Benson — for forensic reasons. Now let’s get her inside.’
    They entered the small A & E area. Mark Benson appeared out of a cubicle and waved to her. He wheeled Nadia into the examination room.
    ‘Maybe you could wait here, please?’ said the nurse.
    Sophie turned to face her. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t you know who I am? She remains under police protection until I decide otherwise.’
    ‘It’s okay, nurse,’ Benson said. ‘Chief Inspector Sophie knows exactly what she’s doing. She’s welcome to be present.’ A woman doctor was waiting in the cubicle.
    ‘This is Laura Jenson, one of my partners. She’ll do the examination. I’ll leave the room if you want me to,’ he said.
    ‘I hope that won’t be necessary,’ said Sophie.
    They helped the girl from the wheelchair. Sophie removed the coat and the nurse exchanged the grubby towel for a hospital robe. Sophie held Nadia’s hand and stroked her cheek while the doctor examined her. Nadia didn’t have any serious injuries to her limbs and torso, just some minor cuts and bruises on her hands, shoulders and knees.
    Doctor Jenson spoke softly to the girl. ‘Nadia, I must look at your private parts. You must be brave and do as I ask.’ Sophie stroked the girl’s hair as Laura gently examined her labial area and took a vaginal swab. She also took a blood sample.
    ‘You’ve been very brave,’ said the doctor. ‘I think you can have a warm bath now. Would you like some tea or coffee?’
    The girl nodded. She was still obviously uneasy, but much calmer now. Sophie held Nadia’s hand as she was helped into the bath. She went out of the room while the nurse soaped her.
    Laura told Sophie what she had found. ‘She has labial and vaginal damage consistent with rape, but she will recover physically. The back of her mouth and throat show bruising and surface tearing. I don’t think any of it’s been done today but I’d guess it was very recent. She also has rectal tearing and will need some treatment for it. Someone’s been brutal to her. She’s only a slip of a girl. What do you think? About seventeen?’
    ‘That’s roughly what I was thinking. Seventeen or eighteen. She’s from Romania. I got that out of her on the way over, but not much else. She’s in shock, and was absolutely freezing when we found her. Can you give her something to get her to sleep?’
    ‘Of course. I don’t know what else she’s been through, but I’d guess she’s had so many