There’s silence on the line which Jack knows is Matt shaking his head. The stairs creak under Dora’s feet.

‘You tell her,’ says Matt. ‘But play it down, Dad.’

Jack has no idea how he would play such a thing down.

‘We’ll ring you in a couple of hours, then,’ he says. ‘But you let us know, the second there’s any news. The very second, you hear me?’

After he hangs up, he takes a moment to compose himself.

Dora asks, ‘Who on earth was that, this time of the morning?’

Jack’s heart feels strange. He wonders where he’s put his pills.

‘Jack? Are you all right?’

‘I was making tea,’ he says.

She follows him through to the kitchen, tightening the belt on her dressing gown, her worn sheepskin slippers slapping on the cold tiles.

He sits down at the table, motioning her to do the same.

‘That was Matt,’ he says.

‘Matt? What did he want? Is something wrong? You don’t look well, Jack. I’ll go and get your tablets.’

She moves to get up, but he places his hand over hers to stop her. She has such small hands, not much bigger than a child’s.

‘Dora,’ he says. ‘It’s not Matt, it’s Evan. They think someone might have taken him.’

Her face takes on an expression he’s never seen before, not in all their forty years together. If pressed to give it a name, he would say stricken. He tightens his hand on hers, hoping it will help her cope, hoping it will give him strength.

‘What do you mean?’ she asks. ‘Taken him where?’

Jack shakes his head, and realises the hot pressure in his eyes is the smarting of tears. He doesn’t want to cry, because it will start Dora off, and he hates it when she cries. Mostly it makes him feel awkward, but on this occasion it would speed the breaking of his heart, and it’s too early yet for heartbreak. The police believe there’s an excellent possibility of a good outcome, Matt said. They expect Evan to be back home soon, safe and well.

Reminding himself of this, he decides it’s what he’ll tell Dora.

‘They don’t know where he is, that’s the truth of it. He didn’t come home from school yesterday. He may have gotten on the wrong bus and be lost somewhere, or had an accident. They’re checking the hospitals, as you’d expect.’

‘Yesterday? You mean he’s been gone all night?’

Jack nods. He’s controlling the pressure in his eyes, but now he finds his chin is trembling.

‘The police are there, at the house. Matt says it’s going to be on the news.’

‘What news?’ Jack gives no answer. ‘You mean the national news, don’t you?’