Superintendent Milson shook his head so subtly that I almost didn’t see it. Then he quickly moved on.

‘We’ve distributed Bella’s photo to the media and online. I’m giving a media conference for the six o’clock news to ask for community help. I’ll speak. You don’t have to appear—it’s up to you.’

‘No media conference. No.’ My whole body trembled and I leant against Marty.

‘Lexie, we don’t need to appear on TV.’ Marty spoke to me slowly, as though I didn’t understand English. ‘We’ll just give them Bella’s photo.’

The superintendent shifted his bulk from one foot to the other.

‘Mrs Parker, the media can be intrusive but it gets the message out. I’d like to do a direct request for information to the public.’

Even though that first police officer had asked for photos from my phone for ‘release and distribution’, somehow it hadn’t occurred to me that Bella’s name and photo were out there. I’d been so focused on the streets around the playgroup that I hadn’t thought further afield. Bella’s face was appearing in online news, her name in radio broadcasts. God, I’d have to call Phoebe. Could the nursing home staff keep Dad away from the TV in the communal lounge room? I stared out of the window. The late-afternoon sky glowed golden.

‘She can’t be left out there alone in the dark,’ I whispered. ‘She’ll be so scared.’

‘I know,’ Marty agreed. ‘That’s why the police have to talk to the TV stations.’

‘Good, we’ll get the media conference organised,’ the superintendent said. ‘We hope to find Bella in the next hour while it’s still light. The helicopter is in the sky and we have numerous teams on the streets. If we haven’t located her, rest assured, we will issue an AMBER Alert and continue the search into the night.’

Marty pulled me into an empty corner. My foot snagged on the doll’s cradle. The one Bella had been rocking dolls in earlier today.

‘Lexie, should we go home and ring everyone before they see it on the news?’

‘No, I’m not leaving here.’

‘Do you want me to ring Phoebe and the nursing home?’

All afternoon I’d put off ringing Phoebe, sure that Bella would be found any minute. I was desperate for my sister’s reassurance yet I didn’t want to worry her. She’d just had knee surgery and was dealing with her own pain, but as soon as she knew Bella was missing, my little sister would be booking a flight from London to Sydney. Ready to support me, yet again.

My family, the media, it was too much. I collapsed against Marty, rag-doll limp, my sore cheek pressed against his collarbone. Staggering backwards, he fell into the lounge chair behind him, with me on top.