On the face of it, the case was fairly run-of-the-mill. Beatrice Ulbricht, a 25-year-old German-born student at London’s Royal Academy of Music, had not been seen for four days. One of her London flatmates, whose parents happened to live in Epsom, had reported her missing yesterday evening after she failed to show at a concert she was due to perform in.

Gillard strode into the building and was directed by the desk sergeant to the interview room. A young woman in a charcoal grey trouser suit with short dark hair and large dangly earrings was sitting next to a bulky man with square glasses. Opposite them was a young police constable whom he recognised as Lynne Fairbanks. Introductions were made, and Gillard apologised for missing the start. The interviewee was Karen Ellsworth, the missing woman’s flatmate and a fellow member of the Lysander String Quartet. The man was Karen’s father, Brian.

‘As I told the officer here, no one has seen Beatrice for four days, she’s not answering her phone, and she missed a big important concert we were booked for in London last night,’ Karen said.

‘When did you last see her?’

‘I was with her on Sunday evening. The quartet had an engagement at West Clandon Village Hall.’ Gillard knew the village, a rather leafy place a few miles east of Guildford. ‘At ten o’clock when the concert finished it was chucking it down. So my dad here gave Teus and Ignacio, the two other members of the quartet, a lift to Clandon railway station to get back up to London before dropping me home. Beatrice had arranged to see a friend from the college, Adrian. He was coming to pick her up. He lives locally, Gomshall I think, and she intended to come back the next day.’

‘Did you see her get this lift?’

‘I didn’t. But I got a text from her later on Sunday saying she’d had an argument with him and was coming back on the last train.’ She showed Gillard her phone.

‘Is that the last phone contact?’

‘No. I heard from her yesterday afternoon, she replied to one of my texts.’

‘Can you show me?’

Karen nodded and passed him the phone.

Hun, where are u? OK for tonite?

Don’t worry, I’ll be there. X

‘Is that the entire thread?’

‘Are you sure she’s not been home in the meantime?’

‘Yes. None of her stuff has been touched. The music stand has still got the music for the Clandon concert on it. If she’d been back at all, she would have been practising for the new one.’

‘Has she ever missed a concert before?’

‘Never. She is utterly reliable. That’s what’s so strange. She said she would be there.’

‘Are you aware of any change in her personal circumstances, such as a death in the family, breaking up with a boyfriend, anything that would make her particularly unhappy?’

‘No. She’s got a steady boyfriend in Germany, and some admirers here.’

‘What was she wearing?’