‘So we just need you to tell us exactly what happened when you left school,’ Hagen is saying. ‘Do you know what time it was when you left?’

No chance, thinks Paul.

‘Not really,’ says Stewie.

‘About what time do you think it was, Stewie?’ puts in Naylor. ‘What would you guess?’

‘After rugby practice.’

‘They usually finish about five,’ says Vicky.

‘So is that what time it was?’ asks Naylor. ‘You finished rugby practice at the usual sort of time?’

Stewie shrugs.

‘Who takes rugby practice?’ asks Hagen. ‘Which teacher?’

‘Mr Griffiths.’

Hagen produces a notebook and pen. He writes something down and leaves his notebook open on his knee, positioned so he’s the only one who can read it.

‘What did you do when you finished practice?’ asks Naylor.

Painstakingly, she prises the minutiae of twenty-five minutes from Stewie: the lost boot, the newsagent’s and what they bought, the goodbye at the bus stop.

‘Did you see anyone you know?’

‘No.’

‘Did anyone speak to you?’

‘The shopkeeper.’

‘What did he say?’

‘He told us how much to pay.’

‘That’s all?’

Stewie nods.

‘Was there anyone else in the shop?’

‘There was a man with tattoos. He was bald.’

‘What kind of tattoos were they? Can you describe them?’

‘He had a snake on the back of his hand.’

‘And on the way to the bus stop, did you see any cars you recognised? Any friends or neighbours going by?’

Stewie thinks, and shakes his head.

‘Thanks, Stewie,’ says Naylor. ‘You’ve been a real help. Just one last question, for now. Did Evan seem OK to you? Was anything bothering him, any trouble at school, anything like that?’

The living room door opens, and there, blinking away sleep in his dinosaur onesie, is George. He looks around in bewilderment, then frowns at his mother.

‘Mum, what’s going on?’

Vicky jumps up and grabs his hand.

‘Back to bed, Georgie,’ she says. ‘This is a grown-up thing.’

‘But Stewie’s here.’

‘He’s older than you. Excuse us.’

She leads him from the room. As they go up the stairs, George is still protesting his exclusion.

Naylor smiles at Stewie.

‘So, you were telling us about Evan. Does he have any worries? Any trouble with bullies, anyone who’s been picking on him, maybe?’

Paul is pleased she’s using the present tense.

Stewie pulls a face and shrugs.

‘I don’t think so,’ he says.

There seems no more to be said. From upstairs, they hear Vicky and George begin to argue.

Naylor reaches forward, picks up her mug of almost-cold tea and drinks down what’s left.

Hagen puts away his notebook.

‘I think that’s it for now, Mr Wareham,’ he says.

Naylor finds a business card, and hands it to Paul.