‘Let’s focus on what’s important here,’ Eileen snapped. ‘A baby has disappeared from her home. Missing Persons Unit are co-ordinating the search. The likelihood is that the father has taken the baby, but this investigation must be treated as urgent so we’re going to do whatever we can to assist the search. We can start by continuing to make every attempt to trace the father. Now, you all have plenty to do so let’s get back to work. Finding Jason Colman is a priority. As far as we can tell, Daisy’s grandfather has nothing to do with the infant’s disappearance, but please bear in mind that he is the leader of the local council, which means that he is not only a very unpopular figure, he’s an influential one too.’

They all understood the implications of Daisy’s family connections. The local press were already pernicious enough in their attacks on the police. They did not want the local council to whip up any more hostility towards them.

‘But,’ Eileen concluded, ‘as far as we are concerned, this has nothing to do with the councillor.’

‘I certainly can’t imagine Jessica’s parents would have anything to do with this,’ Geraldine said. ‘They seem to have idolised their daughter.’

The mood at the police station was troubled over the disappearance of the baby and the team set about their allotted tasks with a will. Feeling apprehensive, Geraldine went to question Jessica’s parents further. Anne opened the door again. She had clearly been crying. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen, her cheeks blotchy, and her hair dishevelled.

‘My daughter’s suffering dreadfully,’ she said. ‘Something has to be done. My husband’s spoken to one of your senior colleagues.’

Geraldine had read the report of the meeting, and knew there was no need for her to speak to David in person. Nevertheless, she decided to see him. She had been criticised in the past for insisting on doing everything herself, and told that she ought to place more trust in the other members of her team. On this occasion, she deliberately ignored any risk that she might be criticised for disregarding her colleague’s report. The priority was to find the missing infant and return her to her mother as swiftly as possible. Every other consideration was insignificant by contrast. And, however unlikely, the chance that David Armstrong could somehow be implicated in his granddaughter’s disappearance could not be dismissed out of hand. He seemed to have garnered a few enemies in the course of his political career, and it was possible he was the target of a cruel attack on his family.

‘I just wanted to tie up a few loose ends,’ Geraldine said.