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Chapters (62)
  1. Title
  2. Copyright
  3. Contents
  4. About the Author
  5. About the Book
  6. Dedication
  7. Your Worst Nightmare
  8. ONE
  9. TWO
  10. THREE
  11. FOUR
  12. FIVE
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. EIGHT
  16. NINE
  17. The Answer to All Your Prayers
  18. TEN
  19. ELEVEN
  20. TWELVE
  21. THIRTEEN
  22. FOURTEEN
  23. FIFTEEN
  24. SIXTEEN
  25. SEVENTEEN
  26. EIGHTEEN
  27. NINETEEN
  28. TWENTY
  29. TWENTY-ONE
  30. TWENTY-TWO
  31. TWENTY-THREE
  32. TWENTY-FOUR
  33. TWENTY-FIVE
  34. TWENTY-SIX
  35. TWENTY-SEVEN
  36. TWENTY-EIGHT
  37. TWENTY-NINE
  38. THIRTY
  39. THIRTY-ONE
  40. Somebody Else’s Child
  41. THIRTY-TWO
  42. THIRTY-THREE
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. THIRTY-FIVE
  45. THIRTY-SIX
  46. THIRTY-SEVEN
  47. THIRTY-EIGHT
  48. THIRTY-NINE
  49. FORTY
  50. FORTY-ONE
  51. FORTY-TWO
  52. FORTY-THREE
  53. FORTY-FOUR
  54. FORTY-FIVE
  55. FORTY-SIX
  56. FORTY-SEVEN
  57. FORTY-EIGHT
  58. FORTY-NINE
  59. Sunlight on Water
  60. July
  61. September
  62. Acknowledgements

‘We’ll need Stewie to come into the station and make a statement,’ she says, ‘especially a description of the tattoos. We have specially trained staff to interview minors, and you can stay with him. It’s all low-key, nothing to worry about, but as soon as possible, if you don’t mind.’

As the police officers stand to leave, Stewie puts the question Paul didn’t dare ask.

‘Where’s Evan? What’s happened to him?’

Naylor smiles.

‘I don’t think he’s far away,’ she says. ‘We’ve got lots of people looking for him. Try not to worry.’

Paul closes the door behind them. As he follows Stewie upstairs, the Peugeot’s engine starts, and the car drives away. With the streets deserted, they hear it for a surprisingly long time.

Paul watches his son discard the despised dressing gown and climb back into bed. He kisses Stewie’s forehead and strokes his hair, feeling, for some reason, close to tears.

‘Night night, son.’

As he’s about to close the bedroom door, Stewie says, ‘Dad.’

‘What’s up?’

‘I think I should have waited with Evan to make sure he got on the bus.’

Paul hesitates.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ he says. ‘Don’t go thinking anything’s your fault. Probably someone gave him a lift.’

He wants to unsay the words the moment they’re out. As Paul shuts Stewie into the darkness of his bedroom, both father and son are considering the same uncomfortable thought. Maybe someone did offer Evan a lift, but what if it was an offer Evan wasn’t allowed to refuse?

Hagen’s observing the speed limits, even though they’re alone on the suburban streets. Naylor watches the needle on the speedometer, and never sees it rise above 33 mph.

She isn’t keen to return to Evan’s family home. The mother’s distress is harrowing.

Hagen flicks on the indicator to turn right. Rules are rules, and it doesn’t matter to him that it’s not necessary, that there’s no one to see it. The radio on the dashboard crackles and falls silent.

‘So what do you think?’ asks Hagen. ‘If you were the betting kind, where would you be putting your money?’

Naylor glances across at him.

‘Do you mean, based on my years of experience?’

‘Based on past outcomes.’

‘Decent family, no history of running away, no known problems at school. Put two and two together, I’d say we have reason to worry.’

They’re turning into the Ferrerses’ cul-de-sac, all post-war semis, the front gardens mostly sacrificed for block-paved parking. Outside Evan’s house, the vehicles are all police-owned, but that will soon change, when the media arrive.

Hagen pulls in behind a patrol car. There’s a uniformed policewoman standing under the Ferrerses’ porch-light.

‘Goes without saying, that stays between you and me,’ says Naylor, getting out of the car.

THREE

THREE

12 October

Yorkshire