She still hadn’t.

He looked again at what he’d sent.

Hey pet, tea at six so I’ll see you then, okay? Dad x

Maybe she hadn’t thought it needed a reply. Maybe silence meant she would be back for six. Maybe she hadn’t read it yet.

Maybe she was in the boot of a car, plastic ties around her wrists, duct tape across her mouth.

Of course she wasn’t. That image was just a hangover from his old job. Nothing like that happened here. And even in the city of their previous life, it happened to hardly anyone.

Check again. Still no reply. He beckoned Mike over.

“You and Ange okay to mind the shop for half an hour?”

“No worries.”

“I’ve got to embarrass Alicia by turning up and talking to her in front of her mates. I mean, she’s been out for a whole three hours and hasn’t answered her text messages, so of course I’ve got to track her down and make a show of both of us. That’s just the rules, right?” Mike looked embarrassed. “Teenagers. Don’t have ’em, mate.”

“Bit late now, boss. You should have said about six years ago. Might have made a difference then.”

“Hindsight’s a beautiful thing. See you in half an hour max, all right?”

“No rush.” Mike flicked the pump and began to pour a pint of lager.

A quick scope of the High Street, scanning the usual teenage haunts. Not in the bus shelter, not in the car park, not in the shop, not on the wall. Not on the benches. Not on the chip-shop quiz machine. Other people’s teenagers, yes, but not his teenager. His teenager had to be different. What could you expect with a dad who taught her to climb out of windows to escape unwelcome visitors? Her bag slapping rhythmically against her shoulder as she jogged across the car park.

Of course. She’d be down by the ocean, wading into the water as far as she dared. And why not? It was strange, but harmless. It was hours and hours until high tide. She’d be fine. He’d just walk down far enough to see her and then he’d come back again.

Sand blew into his eyes and he blinked it out impatiently. He didn’t have to break in on her solitude. He’d just go a little further, just far enough to make sure she was there by the shoreline, and then he’d turn around and go back and she’d never know he’d been checking on her.

Two distant figures were walking out of the sea. Two women, long hair streaming. One of them looked like…

“Alicia!” He had to force himself to knock on the blue door like a normal person rather than beat it in with his fists. He felt as if he could take it off its hinges with a single blow. “Alicia!”

“Dad.” The panic in her voice told him everything he needed to know. “I’m just… ”

“How dare you disobey me?”