Theresa felt the need to save poor Mervin from Imogen’s misguided wrath. ‘Perhaps Neil had a friend in his class who might already be in touch with him.’ Her suggestion obviously made an impression, for Imogen pressed the intercom button and barked to Nadia to bring Frances to her office immediately.

‘Can’t you just locate phones these days?’ asked Imogen. ‘I saw a programme once which—’

‘That only works if you previously set up a program to find it before you lose it. Neil might well be able to find his own phone,’ Mervin pulled the beard from side to side, ‘or the police could quite likely locate it, but not a mere tech teacher like myself.’

Within a few minutes Frances put her head round the door. ‘Can I help, Imogen?’

‘Did Neil Muffett have any particular friends?’

‘Mmmmm . . . Not that I recall.’ Frances screwed up her face into a thinking mode. ‘He was a bit of a loner, actually. Sat on his own in the corner writing poetry. He was excellent as Friar Laurence in—’

‘Yes, yes, Frances, we know all about that. I just need to find someone who might have been in contact with him since he left this establishment.’

Frances’s face brightened. ‘Oh, but I’m in touch with him. I needed to communicate about rehearsal times, and notes on the show. And since he left I’ve kept in touch.’

‘You what?’ Imogen got up from her desk, thrusting out her hand. ‘Give me your phone.’

Frances took a step back. ‘But, I—’

‘I need your phone, Frances. Neil Muffett has run off with my daughter Chloe.’

‘That’s highly unlikely, Imogen.’ Frances rooted about in her handbag for her phone. ‘You see, at the moment, Neil is in the South of France.’

‘Whereabouts in the South of France?’ Theresa rose from her seat. ‘Which part?’

‘The Riviera, of course.’

‘Saying “the Riviera” is exactly the same as saying “the South of France”. Can’t you be more specific?’

Frances opened her phone and swiped her fingers across the screen, opening a messaging program. She peered down and read: ‘The last stop he told me was somewhere called Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Reading between the lines, I believe Neil was feeling unhappy with his father. And also feeling rather lonely and sorry for himself.’

‘Cap-Martin! That’s just along the coast from me,’ said Theresa. ‘When was Neil there?’

‘Um . . . yesterday,’ said Frances.

‘Why do you say “the last stop”?’ asked Imogen.

‘He’s touring with his father. As far as I can see they seem to be staying in a new place every day. Three weeks ago they were in Olbia.’

‘Sardinia,’ whispered Imogen.

‘Where was he last?’ Theresa wondered which direction they were taking. ‘Day before yesterday, before Cap-Martin? Which town?’

‘Somewhere called Cagnes-sur-Mer. And before that, Antibes, Cannes and Saint-Raphael.’

Theresa realised that they must be heading towards Italy. ‘So perhaps next stop Ventimiglia or Bordighera?’