‘I understand.’ Although privately Patrick thought Sean was being sentimental from too much alcohol. He would never have spoken to another man in such soppy terms.

‘And the epidural didn’t work. She was screaming with pain. The midwives were running in and out of the room. Finally, they got another anaesthetist in who did the epidural properly. Then we waited all night until Frankie finally came out. Nine pounds, she was. A bruiser.’

A smile flashed on his face then vanished as quickly as it had appeared. ‘Frankie. From that first moment, I knew how special she was.’ His voice dropped to a whisper. ‘She was my redemption.’

He sniffed loudly and wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. Patrick saw Sean make a deliberate effort to pull himself together. His hands were trembling. ‘And now she’s gone.’

‘We are going to find her,’ Patrick said. He wondered how many times he’d said that in the last week. How many times he’d really believed it.

‘No,’ Sean said. ‘She’s gone forever. I’ve been reading up on it. The odds . . . they were long before, but now we’d need a miracle.’

‘Sean, something has happened. We’re making progress.’

‘What?’

Patrick took out his phone. ‘I’m going to show you a photograph. I just need to know if you’ve ever seen this person before.’

He crossed the room and, crouching down, showed Sean the photo Georgia had taken with her phone.

Sean stared at the picture for a long time. His hands, Patrick noticed, were trembling more violently now. Finally, he said, ‘No. I have no idea who she is. Why?’

Patrick tried not to let his huge disappointment show. ‘She’s someone we want to talk to, that’s all. Are you one hundred per cent certain you don’t recognize her.’

Sean shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen her before in my life.’

Patrick put the phone away. ‘Can you ask Helen to call me when she gets back?’

The other man stared into the middle distance.

‘Sean?’

‘Huh?’

‘I asked if you can get Helen to call me when she gets home.’

Sean Philips nodded and Patrick still wasn’t sure the words had got through. He sighed and got up. ‘I’ll talk to you again soon, OK?’

Sean said, ‘You’ve got a kid, haven’t you?’

‘Yes. A daughter. She’s almost two.’

Sean leaned in close, his alcoholic breath warm on Patrick’s face. ‘Look after her, whatever you do. Keep her close.’

Patrick paused by the open front door, feeling shaken. He needed to sort out some help for Sean, but the best thing he could do was find Frankie. He just had to find the woman who had taken her from Georgia – and pray that she hadn’t murdered her.