‘Talk me through yesterday,’ PC Amin asks.

‘It was… normal. School was school. We walked home together as far as Deene Street, that’s when we go our separate ways. Ryan said he might be over later to visit Kieron and…’ Connor shrugs. ‘He didn’t come round.’

‘Did you go out last night, Connor?’

‘No. I stayed in with my family.’

‘And your family consists of?’

‘My brother, Kieron, he’s just out of hospital so I was spending some time with him. My mum, she went to bed really early, she’d been sleeping on the ward and was knackered. And my dad, although he went out after tea.’

‘Where did he go?’

‘Dunno. He’s a vet so he’s often called out at night.’

‘Did it strike you as odd that Ryan didn’t come to your house after he said he might?’

‘No. His parents have split up and sometimes his mum wants Ryan to stay in with her. She’s a mess.’

‘Where is Ryan’s dad?’

‘Dunno. Ryan hasn’t heard from him since he moved out.’

‘He must be upset about that?’

‘Yeah. I guess.’ Connor can’t keep his body still, everything moving, his toes, his knees, his fingers curling and uncurling.

‘Could Ryan have gone to him?’

‘He doesn’t know where he is.’

‘And you haven’t had any contact with Ryan since you said goodbye yesterday on Deene Street. No texts?’

‘No.’ Connor shakes his head. ‘Oh. I tried to FaceTime him last night but he didn’t pick up. God, was he… was he missing then? I thought…I had a weird feeling that something was wrong, but I thought I was paranoid because of Tyler, but now they’re both…’ Connor’s voice sticks in his throat. He covers his face with his hands for a few moments. ‘Sorry. Carry on.’

‘Ryan’s mum has told us that he left his house around 8.30. Told her he was heading over to yours.’

There’s a short, sharp jab to Connor’s stomach, the knowledge that Ryan is missing because he’d left his house to see Connor, a punch to his gut. Is it his fault? Is everything his fault? He begins to shake. His legs, his body, his teeth clattering together, it seems impossible that PC Amin can’t hear them rattling in his skull.

‘Let’s talk about the residential.’ PC Amin leans back on his chair while Connor leans forward in his, dragging in a deep breath.

‘Obviously the tragedy with Hailey was… tragic,’ the officer says.

No shit.

Connor steals a glance at Mr Marshall. He is looking out of the window but Connor sees the stiffness in his shoulders, the clench in his jaw.

‘We were properly supervised but…’