‘Black, no sugar, thanks,’ Nathan said. ‘Look, I don’t know who this computer expert is, but I’ve tried a couple of people already without success. Your guy needs to be good.’

‘I think he’s okay. Better than average, anyway,’ Tom said, knowing Jack would be grinning at his almost derisory remarks.

‘Pity you can’t bring Jack back from the dead. He’d crack it in five minutes.’

Tom was reaching for a couple of mugs, and his hand stopped in mid-air.

‘Christ, I’m sorry. That was a bit insensitive. I’m used to dealing with hard-nosed gamblers who don’t appear to have much in the way of emotions. At least not visible ones.’

Tom pressed the button on his bean-to-cup machine, and the grinding of the coffee beans covered the awkward moment.

‘You need to know, Tom, that although I seem like a cold, unemotional bugger, it’s all part of the persona. I’ve learned to show very little of how I feel – it’s something of a requirement in my job. But I do care about Hannah. Rubbish brother that I’ve been, she’s still my little sister, and I’m not giving up until I’ve found her.’

Tom turned to his visitor. It was a strange moment. He hadn’t been facing Nathan as he spoke about his sister, but his voice had been rich with emotion. Now, as Tom looked at him, his face was blank.

‘Okay, I get that. Let’s make a start, shall we?’ he said as he walked towards the table with the two mugs. ‘Tell me when she was last seen.’

‘She wrote to me after she’d been away somewhere on the south coast. She went on a mindfulness retreat or some such bollocks.’

Tom smiled. He really couldn’t imagine Nathan Gardner having a high opinion of an activity that involved any form of soul-searching.

‘What made her write to you out of the blue?’

‘They told her on the course that she needed to sort out the demons that haunted her, and I guess I was one of them. Well perhaps not me specifically, but our lack of communication could have bothered her.’

‘So not all bad then, this mindfulness bollocks?’ Tom asked.

‘Hmm. Anyway, I’ve brought you a copy of the letter. It’s probably better if you read it yourself.’

Tom realised that Jack needed to hear at least the gist of it.

‘Why don’t you give me a synopsis, and I’ll read it in full later?’

Nathan shrugged. ‘She starts with the usual stuff about how we’re family and should support each other. She mentions her job, looking after a baby boy she seemed to adore.’

‘Did you manage to track down the family she was working for?’ Tom asked.