She sees that Rob has come out into his garden, holding a cup of coffee.

‘What’s going on?’ he calls up to the workman. ‘Why have you stopped?’

Then he sees Claire in the window and he rolls his eyes. ‘Oh, here we go.’

‘You can’t just chop down the tree,’ she shouts at him. ‘The birds live there. They’ve been building their nest. This is the wrong time of year. And anyway, you can’t … you can’t just—’

‘They’re birds. They can live anywhere. They make too much noise anyway and that pigeon craps on my wicker sofa.’

Claire is so cross; she feels close to tears. ‘You really don’t care, do you? About anyone other than yourselves.’

‘This is none of your business.’

‘It is my business. It’s my view.’

‘That I’ve been providing free of charge.’

‘You don’t own nature,’ she shouts then slams the window shut.

‘That went well,’ Pim says, but she growls at him furiously. She didn’t see him trying. She stomps downstairs. There must be something they can do? But calling the police seems a little reckless, when Rob isn’t breaking the law. Is he? It feels like he is.

She picks up the home phone.

‘What are you doing?’ Pim asks.

‘Calling the police.’

He gives her a look as if she’s crazy. ‘Don’t be daft. The police can’t do anything. Just let it go.’

He shakes his head and goes upstairs to get dressed. Claire stands with the phone in her hand, the sound of the chainsaw filling the hallway.

She hears the ping of a message on her phone in her pocket and she replaces the receiver. It’s Maddy on WhatsApp. She’s has to drive back to Cobham, but she’s got a few things she wants to give Claire for when she volunteers for Home Help. ‘I’m on my way,’ Claire types back. ‘I’ll be there in five.’

She’s still seething as she arrives at Maddy’s apartment block. It’s the kind of place that you’d never notice and she has to double-check the pin Maddy has sent. It looks rather run-down for someone posh like Maddy.

Claire texts her and a few moments later, Maddy comes out of the building, carrying two black plastic bags. Claire gets out and opens the boot of the car.

‘Some jackets,’ she explains, ‘and some sanitary products from Lidl.’

‘Tor will be pleased. That’s very generous of you.’

‘It’s the least I can do. I keep thinking how Jamie would want stuff like that.’

‘Still no word?’

‘This guy that Lotte’s friend used. He’s on the case. He called to say that Jamie stayed in a hostel in Oriental Place last year. I’ve talked to the warden there who doesn’t remember him. But then, they have people coming and going all the time. She didn’t have any idea where he might have gone. But it’s a start. A timeline at least.’

Claire smiles, but Maddy frowns. ‘Hey? Are you OK?’

‘Not really.’

Claire explains what has just happened.