Holly Little drove west along the seafront, while John Alldridge, doing his best as ever to make his massive frame comfortable in the small car, enjoyed the glorious view out over a flat ocean to his left. It was 10.30 a.m. The tide was way out and a few people were on the expanse of mudflats, some walking dogs, along with a couple of lone detectorists sweeping away. A few holidaymakers and local beachgoers were already staking out their claims on the pebbles with their towels, rugs, baskets and folding chairs. Hunkering down for what promised to be a fine day. In Alldridge’s view, September could often be a glorious month, summer’s last throw.

The pair had been on shift since 6 a.m. ‘I’m feeling peckish,’ Alldridge said. Living out of town in Horsham, just over thirty minutes away, he’d been up since 4 a.m., and he guessed his colleague, who lived in Brighton and a lot closer to the police station, must have been up since around 4.30. ‘You?’

She nodded. ‘Did you bring anything in?’

He shook his head.

‘Me neither. What do you fancy? A fry-up?’

‘Shall we try that new place along Church Road?’ he suggested, mindful of his ever-expanding waistband. ‘They do a great veggie one.’

She screwed up her face. ‘Not what I fancy right now.’

He patted his belly. ‘Yeah, nor me. They do proper stuff, too. So, how’s the bambino? How long?’

‘Five,’ she said.

‘Five months to go?’

She nodded – did she look a tad wistful? he wondered.

Alldridge knew that she and her partner had been trying for a baby for over four years, if not longer. ‘How are you two feeling about it?’ he asked as she indicated right and halted at the traffic lights at the bottom of Grand Avenue, beneath the stern statue of Queen Victoria.

‘Pretty excited! Do you remember how you felt when your wife was expecting your first baby, John?’

He nodded. ‘I do. Terrified.’

‘Really?’

‘All the things that could go wrong. The responsibility of bringing a kid into the world – not like something we’d bought from Amazon and could send back if we didn’t like it.’

Holly grinned. ‘But you did like it – her?’

‘Totally, utterly, without reservation. One of the most beautiful moments of my life. I remember thinking as I held Rachel in my arms, her umbilical cord still attached, that I would take a bullet for her. I still feel that – and for both my children. You’ll feel it, too.’

She smiled. ‘I guess – whatever strange world he’s born into.’

‘He? You know the sex?’

The controller’s voice came through their radios, interrupting them. ‘Charlie Romeo Zero Five?’

Alldridge answered. ‘Charlie Romeo Zero Five.’

‘Charlie Romeo Zero Five, we’ve a concerned gentleman whose wife went into Tesco Holmbush at around 3.15 p.m. yesterday and has not been seen since. Normally I’d give this to West Sussex, but they have no units available and the gentleman lives in Hove. Can you attend, Grade Two?’