‘It’s okay,’ he says quietly.

I try again. ‘Do you know what she wrote in the letter? Is there anything in there that the police could use?’

‘No idea. He didn’t share what she wrote and it didn’t feel appropriate to ask if I could read it.’ I put the phone on speaker so Emma can hear too. She starts making notes. ‘The only thing he said was that she’d been afraid of her parents. That she didn’t appear to have led the life she dreamed of and I guess that’s why he couldn’t offer any insight. He didn’t seem to really know the woman she’d become.’

‘Right. Can he talk to the police?’ I ask. ‘Can he fill them in on what he knows? Let them have the letter in case they read something he’s missed?’

Rhys sighs. ‘He says he doesn’t want to get involved. That he can’t. That it was a long time ago and he has a life now, a family.’

Emma shrugs with resignation. We’ve both seen situations in our career where people walk away from the things that upset family equilibrium. ‘We have to pass the information over, Rhys,’ I say. ‘Even if he’s not willing, you still have information that might help the police. More details with which to build a picture of her character, the choices she might make. It could make a difference.’

‘I know,’ he says. ‘I know…’

‘Shall I tell them?’

There’s a pause, I assume for him to work out how much more he is prepared to take on here. ‘I’ll call them. I’ll tell them all I can. I’ll do it now,’ he says resignedly.

‘Okay, Rhys. Do you promise?’

‘Of course.’

‘I’ll text you the number now.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Drive carefully,’ I add.

‘I will.’

He hangs up. As I text him the incident line for the case, Emma looks over the notes she’s taken: ‘Parents. James. Family.’

‘It’s nothing they don’t already know,’ she says, handing it to me.

‘I guess not.’

‘You look exhausted, Kat. What time do you finish?’ she asks.

I look at my watch. ‘I dunno, it’s my day off, isn’t it? I don’t know if I should stay until we find her or go home and wait.’

‘Well, I’m on till nine tonight now. I can keep my ear out and let you know of anything till then, at least? There’s not much else you can do here, is there?’

I look around at my desk, the scribbled notes and messy files. My computer screen still shows the map I searched out James’s address on. ‘Probably not.’

‘Go then. If the police and Gail don’t need you either, just go home and try to rest.’

I let out a groan; my body clicks and aches as I stand. I try to stretch out the pain in my arms and my back. ‘Okay,’ I agree. ‘You’re probably right. We’re not exactly pulling up trees here, are we?’

I gather my things together, and with a kiss on Emma’s cheek, I head out of the office.