‘Thanks, Rachel, that would be amazing. One less thing to worry about. What about Logan and Eden?’

‘I’ll see if Alison’s in next door. I’m sure she’ll mind them if she is, otherwise I’ll bring them with me. Don’t worry. I won’t say anything to Logan about Julie going missing.’

‘Thanks again. Can you call me when you get back?’

‘Yes. And I’ll call you if I see or hear from her in the meantime. Try not to worry, Jemma. Your mum will be fine.’

That was easier said than done. Logan was safe and the shop was going to get locked up but Mum could be anywhere. What if she’d had one of her rigid moments when crossing a road and had been hit by a car? Could she have seized up when driving? Or what if it was her mind and she’d wandered off, confused? My breathing came rapidly and I could feel a scream building inside me as I stared at my phone. I was going to have to phone Sarah back and update her but I wasn’t sure I could speak.

I’d forgotten about Sam being there until a pair of strong arms wrapped round me. ‘It’s okay. Just breathe. You’ve got this. Your mum will be alright. Breathe.’

As I rested my head against his chest, steadying my breathing in time with his, the panic eased and, for the first time in months, I felt calm.

Even though I was expecting a call, I still jumped when my phone rang shortly after 10 p.m. I looked at Sam who’d insisted on accompanying me back to the flat, especially when he’d heard that all my flatmates were out. He nodded encouragingly as I connected the call.

‘Hello?’

‘Jemma Browne?’

‘Yes?’

‘It’s PC Gavin Haines. I wanted to let you know that we’ve found your mother.’

I gripped the arm of the sofa. ‘Is she okay?’

‘She’s a bit confused but she’s not hurt or anything.’

‘Where was she?’

‘Trying to get into a house in Fountain Street.’

‘No! Why would she…?’ I put my hand over my mouth as the street name registered. ‘Was it number sixty-two?’

There was a pause and a rustle of paper. ‘Yes, number sixty-two. I understand you used to live there.’

‘Yes, but we moved to Little Sandby ten years ago. Was she really trying to break in?’

‘Not quite. She had a set of keys out and, of course, they wouldn’t fit so she rang the bell and the current owner answered. You won’t believe who lives there.’

To be honest, with everything that had happened already, I’d have believed him if he’d told me that George Michael, David Bowie, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson were alive and well and had taken up residence there, working on new material for their super-group. ‘Surprise me.’