His voice brought it all back. High, thin, a little bit whiny: James had heard it over and over in the months following Maggie’s disappearance, and he didn’t want to hear it ever again.

‘Good,’ he said. ‘You?’

‘Not bad. Off to uni?’

James nodded. ‘After summer.’

‘I’m working at Dales’s. Laying bricks.’

‘Good for you.’

‘I’m engaged. Getting married in a few weeks.’

‘Oh,’ James said. ‘Congratulations.’

‘She’s here. Jenny. I’ll introduce you.’

Don’t, James thought. I want you to leave me alone.

‘Sure,’ he said.

Kevin walked over to the bar. There was a woman sitting alone, her back to them. He tapped her on the shoulder and said something, then she stood up.

When he saw her, James felt the world start to spin. He gripped the table and closed his eyes to steady himself.

‘Jesus,’ Mo said. ‘What the fuck?’

Kevin’s girlfriend – his fiancée – was the spitting image of Maggie. It was as though she was in the pub with them.

James pushed himself upright.

‘I have to go,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry.’

3

He sat on a bench around the corner from the pub and lit a cigarette.

He could not get the image out of his head. For a moment – until he realized it was not actually her – he had thought Maggie was back. Kevin’s fiancée – Jenny – was taller and had a thinner face, but the resemblance was unmistakable.

His hand shook as he lifted the cigarette to his mouth.

God, he wished it was Maggie. The moment he had thought it was her had been brief, but even so it was enough for a feeling of utter euphoria to engulf him. She was there! Maggie was there! Everything was restored, back to normal. Life was OK again.

And then, the despair. It wasn’t Maggie. It was like losing her again, and all the grief and pain was right there, stabbing him in the heart.

He took a drag on the cigarette, then exhaled. He watched the smoke move and swirl. He was never going to get over it. Never. It would always be with him.

‘You OK?’

He looked up. Vicki was standing by the bench, her arms folded. She was wearing a green rucksack.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘No.’

‘What happened? In the pub?’

‘It was that girl. Jenny. The guy she was with – Kevin – was my sister’s boyfriend. A few years back.’

‘Must have been quite a break-up.’

‘You could say that.’

‘Do you want to talk about it?’

James realized that he did. Even though he barely knew Vicki, he did want to talk about it. He might as well; after all, it was the only thing in his life he could think about.

‘Do you remember Maggie Cooper?’ he said.

Vicki frowned. ‘The name’s familiar.’

‘She went missing.’