‘We found the van the kidnapper kept your children in. The assumption is it’s the same one he used to transport Mrs Westbrook from the truck stop to the next vehicle. It was on a piece of wasteland in Sandbach.’

‘And? Did you find out who owns it?’

‘Not that. It was unregistered. But we did find DNA in it.’

‘Do you know whose it is?’

She paused. ‘No. We have no match.’

‘Then I don’t see how this helps.’

‘I know it seems that way, but this is a big step. It means we can eliminate people, at the very least. I’d like to start with you, if I could. We’d like a sample of your DNA.’ Before he could argue she carried on. ‘It’s standard practice,’ she said. ‘That’s all. We’ll be taking it from everyone who knows your wife.’

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘How do you want to do it?’

‘We’ll send an officer,’ she said. ‘Hang tight, Mr Westbrook. We’re making progress. Real progress.’

Tuesday, 10 March 2020, 6 p.m.

Finn

Finn Daniels veered between being shocked how unfair it was and shocked how upset he was. He was in love with Suneela, in the most profound way possible, and now it was over. He had always thought they might face their challenges, one day. Her parents – her mum, especially – didn’t approve of him, and he had imagined them – her, mainly – trying to break him and Suneela up many times, finding an almost delicious enjoyment in the ways they found to circumvent her parents’ – her mum’s, that was – attempts to end their relationship.

In his imaginings, the attempts never succeeded. Their love was too strong. Who cared if Suneela was Hindu and he was Christian, more or less. Her mum had asked him once if he was a Catholic.

Maybe, he said. We go to church sometimes. Weddings and things.

You’d know if you were a Catholic, she said. You must be Church of England.

Yeah, he replied. That rings a bell.

She gave a sad shake of the head.

But who cared? Love conquered all, right?

Wrong.

He had accepted that her parents – her mum, primarily – might win out. Even that had been kind of OK. Their love was thwarted by forces beyond their control: it was almost heroic, and when they were older they would just find each other and be reunited in a glorious explosion of romantic joy.

At least in that – the worst case he could imagine – she loved him.

But it turned out it could be worse.

Because it wasn’t her parents that were breaking them up. It was her.