He would give it another five minutes, he decided.

How long does it take to get a bag of cat litter?

It was coming up to 3.50 p.m.

Finally, losing his patience, he decided to go and find her.

2

Sunday 1 September

A tall, ginger-haired employee, with a badge that read Tim, blocked his path.

‘I’m afraid we’re closing in ten minutes, sir,’ he said courteously.

‘I’m just going to help my wife with a bag of cat litter,’ Niall said.

‘Oh, of course, that’s fine, sir,’ he said, stepping aside. ‘The cat litter’s down aisle two.’

Niall entered the vast interior, which was thinning out. There were lines of customers at each till, and more at the self-checkout area to his right. But Eden wasn’t among them.

He saw another member of staff, a woman with long brown hair. ‘Excuse me, where do I find aisle two?’ he asked.

She offered to take him, but he asked her to just direct him.

He hurried down an aisle of dairy products, with books and DVDs to his right, towards the rear of the store, barging past a woman with a small child who shouted something at him. Waving an apology, he turned right at the deli counter, as directed. He made his way past several aisles, glancing down each one, and finally came to the one marked Pet and Animal Supplies.

It was empty, like all the others.

He strode down it to the fast-diminishing queues at the checkout tills. No sign of Eden – what on earth was she doing?

Increasingly irked now, he strode up and down the deserted aisles of the store. Stopping in front of Cereals, he pulled out his phone and called her.

‘This number is currently unavailable, please try later.’

Turn your bloody phone on.

A big, tubby security guy swaggered towards him, radio clipped to his chest, a bunch of keys hanging from his belt, like a gaoler’s. An amiable but no-nonsense face. ‘I’m sorry, sir, we’re closed now. If I could ask you to make for the exit.’

‘I’m trying to find my wife,’ Niall replied. ‘She came in over half an hour ago and I can’t find her anywhere.’

‘She’s not at the checkout?’

He shook his head.

‘Want me to put a request out on the tannoy?’

‘If you wouldn’t mind. Maybe someone could check the toilets in case she’s sick or something?’

‘Your wife’s name is, sir?’

‘Eden – Eden Paternoster.’

‘Eden, as in garden of?’

Niall nodded.

The guard spoke into his radio.

Moments later, Niall heard, through the tannoy, ‘Would Mrs Eden Paster-Noster please go to the customer service desk at the front of the store, where her husband is waiting.’

Niall didn’t bother asking him to correct the announcement.

The guard indicated for him to follow. ‘I’ll have someone check out the toilets, sir. Can you give me a description of the lady?’

‘She’s thirty-one, five seven, shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a pink-coloured top and white shorts.’