Anne and David Armstrong lived in a large detached house on the outskirts of the city, towards Driffield. Anne came to the door. Slim and middle-aged, she was expensively dressed in a cashmere sweater and pearls, and her short, fair hair was neatly cut. She looked faintly puzzled as Geraldine introduced herself, and smiled politely without inviting her into the house.

‘I take it this is about my husband? Did he ask you to call here? I know he’s had some problems recently with political extremists. It’s an unpleasant fuss over nothing, and it’s high time you put a stop to it.’

Quietly Geraldine explained that her visit had nothing to do with David. ‘But I am here in my professional capacity. Is there somewhere we can talk?’

‘What’s this about?’

‘Your daughter came to see us.’

‘My daughter?’ Anne echoed faintly, her air of slightly righteous outrage fading. ‘Has something happened to her? Is she all right?’

‘Your daughter is fine, but she’s very upset. Is there somewhere more comfortable we can talk?’

‘I’m sure this must be a mistake,’ Anne said. ‘Jessica would have come to me if there was anything wrong.’

Still remonstrating, she led Geraldine into a small study at the back of the house.

‘Do you know where your son-in-law is?’ Geraldine asked as soon as they were sitting down.

Anne scowled. ‘I might have known he would be at the bottom of this. What’s he gone and done? If he’s got himself in hot water, I’m afraid he’s going to have to face the consequences himself. My husband and I are not going to shoulder the responsibility for any trouble he’s got himself mixed up in.’

‘Jessica told us he’s away this weekend at a stag party, possibly in Amsterdam.’

She hesitated before adding that Jason had lied to his wife. A quick passport check had indicated that he had not left the country, and his car had been discovered abandoned not far outside the city. Wherever he had gone, he had not wanted to be followed.

‘So what you’re telling me is that he was off enjoying himself with his friends for the weekend, and he didn’t want Jessica to know where he was because he didn’t want to be interrupted at his stag party. I’m sorry to say this, Sergeant, but what you’re telling me doesn’t surprise me. Our son-in-law is a selfish man.’

Anne gave a dismissive grunt, as if to say that no decent man would be off gallivanting with his friends, leaving his wife at home with a baby. Geraldine inclined her head. It was certainly possible that Jason had lied to his wife about where he was going, but equally, Jessica might have lied to mislead the police for some reason that was not yet clear.