BRENDAN LEFT THE STAFFROOM AT FOUR O’CLOCK, TAKING HOME HIS folder to prepare for the parent–teacher meetings next week. Normally, the streets were pretty empty, but today heaps of cars were parked near the laneway behind the playgroup and even more along the main road. Brendan turned his WRX into the next lane on the left and reached for the remote control to his garage. Inside, he dumped his folder in the study, twisted open a Corona and flicked the TV on to sport. Brendan, Jeff and a few others usually had drinks at the club in Weston on Friday afternoons, but not today. He’d overheard some teachers say they were going to the playgroup to offer their help with the search again. Should he be seen up there too? Or would she be there?

When the doorbell chimed, Brendan frowned. Claire hadn’t texted to say she was coming over. Was Jeff popping in for a beer? He pulled shut the door to his study and went to greet his visitor.

On the front step stood two uniformed policemen wearing their blue caps, one holding a notebook.

‘Sorry to disturb you, sir. We’ve been doorknocking every house in the area and you weren’t home yesterday. I’m sure you’ve heard about the missing girl.’

‘Yeah, terrible.’ Brendan glanced at the second copper then did a double take. ‘Todd, mate, how are you? You weren’t at training last night.’

‘No, sorry, Brenno. All hands on deck here.’

‘Come in, lads, take a load off for a moment. Guess I can’t offer you a beer?’

‘We wish, mate,’ Todd answered. ‘But I could do with a Coke, if you’ve got one?’

Todd introduced his partner, Gareth, and the two of them sprawled on Brendan’s couch, their eyes instantly fixed on the Liverpool–Chelsea replay on the screen.

‘Todd, you are playing tomorrow, aren’t you?’ Brendan asked, as he handed him the can of Coke. ‘We need you on the wing.’

‘Hope so, mate. Just have to see.’

Gareth opened his notepad again and asked if Brendan had seen the missing girl or any suspicious vehicles in the area between ten and eleven o’clock yesterday morning.

‘Can’t help, mate, I wasn’t here. I’m a teacher at the school.’

‘Did you come home at all during the day?’

‘Nah. What does everyone reckon has happened to her?’

Brendan had answered without thinking. Normally he didn’t leave the school grounds during the day. Nipping home to grab his lunch at exactly the same time as the girl went missing sounded suspicious. Better to say nothing.

‘No-one knows,’ Todd answered.

‘D’ya reckon she wandered off, or was she abducted?’

‘No idea. Dogs couldn’t find anything. No witnesses. Nothing.’ Todd shook his head and stood up. ‘Thanks for the drink, mate. We’d better push on.’