But two missing schoolgirls. He had to find a way to minimise the impact of the headlines without causing so much fuss around the girls. He knew from the inside of investigations like this that missing minors would cause a stir in the local police department, and attract heavy media attention.

‘I’ve bought phones for you both,’ he said.

They squealed in unison.

‘Dear God,’ he said, holding his ears. ‘Can you not actually do that?’

‘Sorry, George,’ they said.

‘They’re burner phones, not iPhones, so don’t get excited. They’re simply for you to call your mothers and tell them to stop worrying. Tell them you’ve gone to Leeds shopping, or some other stupid excuse. Get the police off your backs. We need to send them a photo or something, and tell them you lost your phones.’

Sasha and Chloe looked at each other and giggled. They looked like two young girls on an adventure, and that was exactly what they were, George thought. What they did for money – what he could only guess happened inside Laurie Fell – framed pictures in his head that he found difficult to shake, and it galvanised his need to get his daughter back. On one hand, he marvelled at how these two girls seemed unaffected by what they did. But then he knew that underneath, they were just like his daughter: vulnerable and exposed. At least, for now, here with him, they were safe. And that was how he justified confining them. He opened his bag, took out two new phones and threw them over to the girls, along with two SIM cards. They squealed.

‘Tell them that you bought the phones because you’re having fun, and you don’t want to have to come back yet. Laugh and joke and act natural,’ he added.

‘My mum won’t be bothered anyway,’ Chloe said.

‘It’d be more normal to have an argument with her,’ Sasha said.

‘Right, do that then,’ George said.

The girls unpacked the phones and placed the SIM cards inside and turned them on.

‘Do we do it now?’ Sasha asked.

George nodded. ‘As good a time as any, I suppose,’ he said.

Chloe rang first. Her mother picked up on the second ring and Chloe looked shocked. George mouthed ‘act normal’ to remind her and she nodded.

‘Mum, hi, it’s me.’

Sasha and George watched as it became clear that Chloe’s mother was upset. The girl calmed her and George encouraged her; she was doing a great job and he silently clapped his hands to applaud her.

‘Mum, I’m fine. We came shopping to Leeds, but I saw my picture in the paper. It’s such a fucking joke, tell them to leave us alone!’ she shouted.

George accepted that this was how Chloe always spoke to her mother because Sasha didn’t look up.