“Oh anything, anything we can do to help. Isn’t that right, Car? Have you got search parties out yet?”

Upton nods. “We’re doing everything we possibly can to find her but the next few hours, as I’m sure you’re aware, are critical. The more information we have, the better our chances of finding her. Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt the Nicholses?”

Mum’s eyes start welling up again and she chokes out a name in a strangled sob.

“Simon. It has to be him. He’s crazy, unhinged, he . . .” she sniffs and shakes her head violently, steeling herself. “He’s done it before, hasn’t he? Kidnapped Grace? And he was violent before that too. Pushed Meg down the stairs when she was eight months pregnant. That’s why she went into labor early. Meg told me once that the doctors think that’s why Grace had so many troubles.” She whispers “troubles” like it’s a dirty word.

Brown scribbles in a skinny pad. Upton keeps her eyes fixed on Mum and nods.

“Yes, we’ve got a record. Ms. Nichols called the police on a number of occasions reporting threatening behavior from her ex-husband. We’ve been told Simon had been calling the house, apparently trying to contact Grace.”

Mum nods, looking from Upton’s eyes to Brown’s notepad. “Honestly, she changed her number so many times but somehow he always managed to track it down.”

“Was she scared of him, do you think?”

Mum nods so hard I think she’s about to come off her chair. “Of course she was. Mostly scared for Grace, of course. Stress really isn’t good for her heart or her epilepsy. I’ll never forget, soon after they came down from Plymouth and moved in next door, the girls were playing in Cara’s room and Meg sat right where you are now and told me about Simon. It was the first time I’d heard about Danny, her little boy, how Simon was supposed to be looking after him but he was pissed, didn’t keep a close enough eye on him as he played in the sea, a couple of hours north of here, over at Port Raynor Beach. His tiny body washed up two days later.” Mum starts crying again. I stroke her shoulder; Jane offers another tissue. Upton shifts in her seat like she doesn’t have time for tears as she asks, “And their relationship came to an end soon after their son’s death?”

“I told you at the station already,” Mum says, dabbing the tissue under her eyes, checking for mascara. “I wouldn’t call it a relationship. Simon was the abuser and Meg was the victim.” Mum squeezes the tissue in her hand before adding, “Look, shouldn’t you lot be out there trying to find Grace instead of asking us the same questions again and again?”

Upton holds up her hand in apology and says, “I know this is distressing, Susan, but I’m just trying to get the facts straight. I can assure you there are already highly trained search teams working around the clock to find Grace. Now, can you tell me a bit more about what happened after Danny’s death?”