The sound of the letter box startled Martha, but it was only the paperboy on his rounds, unaware of the nightmare being lived out behind the front door he visited each day. Richard went into the hall to pick up their paper and then moved to look out of the window at the sound of a car stopping. He dropped the newspaper on the kitchen table without a glance. Martha rose to join him and he slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Two cars pulled up with five officers stepping out to make their way to the Stones’ front door. The gruesome circus was beginning again. A huge sob rose in Martha’s chest and she covered her mouth with her hand to prevent it from escaping.

Suni Heywood, a young constable, was the first to enter the house. She looked no more than a child, fresh-faced and eager to help. Martha wondered if this was her first case. Suni was designated as the Family Liaison Officer (FLO) and would spend most of her time with the Stones. After saying hello, good morning seemed inappropriate, Suni went to the kitchen to make coffee, a task she’d repeated almost hourly the previous evening. She carried a large carton of milk with her, a thoughtful gesture as Martha couldn’t concentrate on anything practical.

Following Suni were DI Alex Radford, the lead officer, DS Graham Foster and two unfamiliar faces. The latter two were introduced but Martha almost immediately forgot their names. It was evident from the expressions of all the visitors that there was no news, good or bad. Martha thought DI Radford looked rather crumpled. A tall man, perhaps the same age as Richard, or a little older, he had a long face with dark deep-set eyes and an unreadable expression. His first question of the day was to ask if anyone had approached them concerning a ransom.

‘But you’ve put a trace on the phones; you know they haven’t.’ Martha wasn’t thinking straight.

‘Yes, but there’s a slim possibility you may have been contacted personally or by letter,’ Radford added.

‘Of course. Sorry.’ Martha felt foolish. Richard informed the DI they’d heard nothing, even though neither of them had slept at all.

‘It’s only six thirty so there’s still a fair chance we might hear something today.’ They were assembled in the lounge by then where Radford sat and opened a rather battered old briefcase. Removing a handful of leaflets, he passed one to Richard for him to see. Danny’s face smiled up from the paper at his father. It was their most recent photograph, taken on a rare visit to his grandparents’ home. Bold type posed the question, Have you seen this child? and police contact numbers were printed underneath.