‘Really?’ she said. ‘I’m sorry but your number hasn’t shown up, so I’m not sure who I’m talking to.’

‘Do you like the photograph?’

‘Photograph?’

‘The one I left on your kitchen table. By the way, that’s a nice photograph of your racehorse – I presume it’s yours, the one on the wall. Did your late husband take it?’

She could scarcely believe her ears. ‘You’ve been in my house while I was out? What? How dare you? Just who the hell are you?’ She began screaming at him. ‘What do you want? What the hell do you want?’

‘She’s a lovely girl, your daughter, Laura. Having the time of her life backpacking in Ecuador with her friend Cassie, isn’t she?’

She was silent for a moment, her mind spinning for traction, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. ‘Laura? Did you say Laura?’

‘That’s a cute tattoo she has on her left shoulder. A Tibetan symbol to keep you safe when travelling – very appropriate.’

‘Who the hell are you? How dare you come into my house? How – how do you know – my daughter?’

‘Let’s just call me her guardian angel.’

His tone was still cloyingly pleasant.

‘Where did you get that photograph?’

‘There’s a guy there all the time, snapping tourists and trying to sell photos to them. Just out to make himself a buck. Actually, that photo was of someone else that day, he just got lucky to have caught Laura and Cassie in the background.’

‘Was it you – did you write that note the bookie gave me?’

‘The thing is, Meg, I know how much Laura must mean to you. After the terrible loss of your Nick and Will, she really must be so precious to you.’

She said nothing. Her mind was churning, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. He was silent for a moment, too, before he went on.

‘Meg, you need to trust me. Laura’s in danger and I want to help you – we really need to make sure she is safe, don’t we? South America’s a wild and dangerous place, it’s not like England. Life is cheap, people get killed or vanish there all the time. Laura and Cassie are very vulnerable, they need someone to keep them safe. Make sure they don’t get anything stolen, you know what I mean?’

‘Oh God,’ she said, scared. ‘What do you mean? Please, please, do not hurt them. What do you want?’

Ignoring her comment and her question, he went on. ‘I can keep Laura safe, Meg, no charge, I’ve got contacts there. They’re already looking out for her, for me. I’ll ping you a photo they sent me this morning so you can see. Coming through now!’