‘I’m a novice to this but my instincts are telling me she’s really not doing herself any favours. Have a look. See what you think? A second pair of eyes, please.’

Clay pushed her laptop sideways to Riley and watched her face for a reaction.

‘What are you plotting, Eve?’

‘Just tell me what you think of it, Gina.’

After a couple of minutes, Riley sat back and looked at Clay.

‘She’s made a pig’s ear of it,’ said Riley. ‘The photograph’s nice but it’s static. She should have put in an action shot, maybe spinning on the spot or walking towards camera. I don’t reckon she’s asked her friends for any advice. It’s pitted with clichés like man of my dreams and happily ever after. She’s listed her hobbies as reading, listening to music, watching athletics on TV. Hardly the most sociable of hobbies. And she’s gone on and on when she should have kept it short and to the point. Negativity. Look.’

Riley pointed at a line in the profile and Clay read, ‘I don’t like nightclubs where the music is so loud that I can’t hear you and you can’t hear me, or being around lots of people who look at other people aggressively.’ She read on in silence and learned that Annie was frightened of dogs and wary of false people.

‘Jesus,’ said Riley. ‘For a teacher, there are a lot of typos in here. Nightmare profile. Bet she didn’t get that many men winking at her.’

‘Winking at her?’

‘If a man comes on to her profile and likes what he sees, he gives her an electronic wink to show he’s interested. She can choose to ignore the wink or wink back. If she winks back, that gives him the OK to open up an online dialogue, which is pretty much akin to corresponding over Messenger. Have we had any feedback from Poppy on who’s been shaking her tree?’

‘She’s working on it,’ replied Clay. ‘Poppy’s got Annie’s laptops but I’m certain The Ghoul’s got her phone. Guess where we’re going next, Gina?’

‘Go on?’ said Riley.