It’s gone 9 a.m. when she answers a knock at the door expecting a policeman to be there with fresh information, but it is Ray.

‘Hey, sis.’ Ray’s voice sounds more gravelly than it used to. His boyish face is now marked with deep lines. She hugs him tight. Ray gently pulls back.

‘Hey, they’ll find your kid, he’ll be fine.’ He stamps solid clumps of mud off his boots. She closes the door behind him and they stand in the hallway, suddenly awkward in the thick silence.

‘You should have called me,’ he says at last.

She can’t think why when she hasn’t seen him for eight years. She looks past him, at Charlie’s all-in-one coat hanging on the coat rack. He’ll be freezing without it on a day like this.

He follows her into the living room. ‘I’d heard Adam was back on the scene. Knew trouble would follow.’

They sit either end of the three-seater sofa. Ray rubs his rough-skinned palms together.

‘The police can’t find Adam.’ She stares at a stain on the rug.

‘Well they found me all right, so they’ll find him.’

Alison shrugs.

‘So, his kid’s gone missing and he’s run away, why am I not surprised?’

Alison covers her mouth with her fist. She knows what’s coming. Raking through the past. She’s too tired for this.

‘Don’t tell me – he’s left you again?’

‘I don’t know, do I?’ Alison thumps a cushion.

‘Adam’s got your baby, obvious, isn’t it?’

‘Is it? The police don’t think so.’

He moves over and puts his hand on her arm. ‘So why didn’t you call me?’

‘Because it’s been years. I didn’t know how things stood between us.’

Ray puts his arm around her shoulders and gives her a squeeze. ‘Sorry, I should have got in touch sooner.’

Jamie peeps round the door.

‘Hey, is this your boy, how are you doing?’ Ray puts his hand up for a high five. Jamie hesitates.

‘This is your Uncle Ray.’ Alison rubs her eyes.

‘Are you okay, Mum?’ Jamie gives her a hug.

‘I’ll be fine. Switch the kettle on for me, there’s a good boy. I expect your Uncle Ray could kill a cuppa.’

‘Too right,’ he says, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. Jamie grins as Ray swoops from side to side pretending to punch his arm.

Alison makes the tea while Ray stands at the back door, smoking. Jamie goes in the living room to watch TV.

‘Dad always said Adam was bad news, sis.’

‘Yeah and he knew everything, didn’t he?’

‘You were barely eighteen.’

‘I knew what I was doing. At least I thought I did. Anyway, I’ve got Jamie, haven’t I?’

‘I know, but what I’m saying is, you were just a kid.’