The Administrator beckoned Morrogh to the side, where they spoke in low voices. From what Kane could hear, the Saint Helena chief was flying over with more police, one of whom had training in forensics. Some officers were on their way from the UK, but that would take forty-eight hours. A new military figure came in, this one in US-style camo fatigues. He shook the Administrator’s hand, leveled a gaze at Kane, took Kane’s passport, and left, returning after a minute, giving the passport to Morrogh and consulting with the Administrator. He exited with Horsley a moment later, leaving Morrogh and Reid guarding Kane.

“We need as much information from you as possible,” Morrogh said. “Obviously we’re going to have to check to see if you have any criminal record, and that means five years’ worth of addresses.”

This wasn’t going to go well. It was time to cautiously turn the light in their faces. “Lauren knew Petra Wade, didn’t she?”

There was a pause as the officers studied Kane, finding themselves off-balance.

“And?”

“At Two Boats people were saying Lauren knew what happened to Petra. She was going to give a report. Maybe she tried.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Look, I’m new here. But one obvious theory is that whatever’s happened to Lauren Carter it’s because she knows what happened to Petra Wade. Clearly, I wasn’t involved in Petra Wade’s disappearance. Which means someone’s out there right now, responsible for both. Do you have any idea who? Because I think they set me up.”

Just as Kane was feeling the tables turn there was another knock. An RAF crewman appeared. Kane saw what he was carrying and got a sickening feeling.

“I found this where he was staying,” the crewman said. He set Rory’s box file down on the table. “It was hidden in a wardrobe.” He opened it and removed the Polaroids of the children. Morrogh looked through, handling each photograph with horror before turning to the exercise book.

“Are these yours?”

“No,” Kane said.

“Going to say someone left these as well?”

“I found them in a hut at English Bay this morning.”

“Where in the hut?”

“It had fallen down the back of the dresser there. It was partly hidden.”

“Why were you in there?”

“I was curious. I’d gone to take a look at the beach and I saw the hut. It looked abandoned, the door was open. But obviously someone had been living there recently.”

“Did you ever know a man called Rory Bannatyne?” Morrogh asked.

“No.”

The three men conversed. There were mutterings about procedure. Then someone shouted outside: “Let me speak to them!”

It was Thomas. Morrogh opened the door as Thomas pushed his way past the guards.

“Where’s Connor?” He was wild-eyed with anxiety.

“Please, Thomas.” Morrogh tried to stop him entering. Thomas cast his gaze around the station, pointed at Kane.