Singh shook his head. ‘Nobody we’ve found yet, but there’s already an appeal out on social media and there’ll be something on the local news, so if Leon left the grounds, hopefully we’ll find someone who saw him. If he’s still in the park, though, I think it’s unlikely anyone can help. Theirs was the only occupied cabin, and it’s not exactly the sort of day for people to go for an early morning run through the park.’

‘There’s more snow forecast,’ I said, throwing another glance at the heavy sky above us.

‘All the more reason to search as much of the area as we can now,’ Singh replied. ‘If Leon’s out there somewhere and the weather gets worse, it’s going to make our job even harder.’

As we rounded a corner, I could see a wooden cabin ahead of us. I didn’t often come into this part of the park, and looking around me I could see how easy it would be for anyone to lose their bearings without the paths as landmarks.

‘For now, we’ll interview the staff and discuss the best way to take statements from the pupils.’

‘Do all of the students use BSL?’ I asked. Just because they went to a school for the deaf didn’t necessarily mean their first mode of communication was sign language. Some deaf people sign, some speak, and many use a combination of both.

‘As far as I know, yes. The staff member who was interpreting for us before you arrived certainly signed to all four of the students,’ Singh replied. I was pleased he’d paid attention, but he’d probably learnt from last time not to make any assumptions about the deaf students, and that I would ask questions like that.

‘Are the staff hearing or deaf?’

‘The pastoral support assistant and the missing head teacher are both hearing. The social worker is deaf, and so is the deputy head, but we haven’t had much chance to talk to her yet.’