“See that bit of yellow in the middle of the back window? That's my dad.” Everett stroked the picture down to the registration plate. He opened up the magnification. The resolution of these little touchphone cameras was rubbish, but at highest magnification there was just enough detail to read the letters and numbers. “There's something you could check.”

“We could run this through image enhancement,” Detective Sergeant Milligan said.

“We'd need to keep your phone,” Leah-Leanne-Leona said. “Just for a day or two.”

“I don't want to give it you,” Everett said.

“Everett, let them have it,” Laura said. “Just give it to them and then we can go. God knows what Ajeet's been telling Victory-Rose.” To Leah-Leanne-Leona, she said, adult to adult, “Honestly, he spends far too much time on those conspiracy theory websites. You should do something about those. Get them banned.”

“I'll give you the card,” Everett said. He sprang the tiny memory chip out of its housing with his fingernail. “The photographs are on it.” He set it in the middle of the desk. No one moved to take it. “You do believe me, don't you?”

“I'll take care of it, Everett,” Moustache Milligan said. He slid the chip into a ziplock plastic bag.

“There are a few things we'd ask you to do,” Leah-Leanne-Leona said. “Precautions. Just in case. If you really want to help us, keep this to yourselves, okay? Don't go telling people—and no tweeting it or putting it up on Facebook. If anyone does get in touch, whether it's Mr. Singh…”

“Dr. Singh,” Everett interrupted.

“If you say so, Everett. If it's Dr. Singh himself, or if it's anyone else, get in touch with us. No matter what they tell you. If he has been kidnapped for a ransom, they always warn you not to get in touch with the police. Don't do that. Let us know immediately.”

“Ransom? Oh dear God. What did they pick us for?” Laura said. “We're not rich; we haven't two pennies to rub together. We can't afford a ransom.”

“'If,'” Everett said. “You said ‘if' he has been kidnapped for a ransom. What other kinds are there?”