‘The usual. Just what you’d expect from a teenage boy burying his grief. He’d get angry, smash things up – but who wouldn’t in those circumstances?’

‘Of course,’ said Bloom. ‘He’s studying political science, is that right?’

‘That’s right. He’s in his second year – he’s doing very well. He’s very passionate about how the world is run. I suppose he’s like me in that sense. He takes an interest, you know? But he sees angles I don’t. He thinks critically about things and sees the darker side of people’s motivations.’

Bloom could see Jameson pacing back and forth in the hallway outside their office. He was thrusting his right hand up and down and she knew he was getting annoyed.

‘Was Grayson enjoying university?’ she asked.

‘Oh, yes. Definitely. He’s very popular. They’re a great group of lads. They’ve been fantastic helping me find this girl. He had no reason to go off, no reason at all. It has to be this bloody dare.’

Jameson came back into the room. His face was flushed and he gestured at Bloom to wrap up the call.

‘This has been very helpful, Geoff. I’m sure we’ll need to speak to you again, but this should be enough for now.’ She noted down a few final details, then said goodbye and hung up.

‘Go on,’ she said to Jameson. ‘What’s happened?’

‘So it turns out Lana Reid is not a serving soldier. Not in the Army or any other military service. In fact, she has never been a serving soldier. She’s never even applied for a civilian job. I mean … what the hell? My sister’s known the woman for nearly ten years. Claire looks after her kid while Lana’s posted overseas.’ Jameson continued to pace. ‘And before you ask, no, she is not part of some Secret Service operation. I checked.’

‘I see,’ said Bloom.

‘It makes no sense. I’ve seen her in uniform. The day she left for her last tour. I was at Claire’s when she dropped off Jane. She had all the gear and an Army-issue bag in her car. I saw it.’

‘And the bag was on show in the car rather than in the boot?’ asked Bloom. Had Lana staged it? But if Lana wasn’t in the forces, where was she going? What was she doing? ‘This changes everything. Lana is a serial missing person. And she’s also keeping a big secret. There’s potential for blackmail.’

Bloom picked up her phone, googled Sheffield University, scrolled down the Contact page and dialled the number for Grayson’s department.

‘Politics department, Margaret speaking,’ said a woman with a soft voice.