The shocked employee was a bearded young man, big, muscles upon muscles, as if he’d personally hoisted every wreck into the yard from the corners of Britain. He stood before the open gate like Hercules guarding the entrance to Heaven, arms folded, as if his untold thirteenth labour was to stop anyone from entering. But he stepped aside as officers got close. And he said nothing as they pushed through the gate and ran inside, followed by cars and vans and bikes. He was approached by an officer with paperwork. Miller exited the car and accompanied someone inside the scrapyard.

Nick felt like a guy sidelined at a party. He watched the gateway and prayed a police officer would emerge with Anna, with Josie in her arms.

‘Nabi didn’t turn up at the station,’ Bennet said, which made Nick look up. But the DS was on his phone, probably to his boss, who was still inside the scrapyard. ‘I don’t know. I’ll have someone call him.’

‘Why are you talking about him?’ Nick snapped. ‘Forget him. What’s going on inside there?’

Bennet held up a hand for silence. Nick returned his eyes to the carpet and tried not to let the wait burn him up.

Bennet signed off and said Nick’s name. Nick didn’t look up.

‘My boss just got news. The phone you tossed in the River Don has been analysed. The first male caller was somewhere close to Bongo Bingo, but moving away, towards Sheffield. It was tracked by a number of cell towers. The final tower was only a mile from your home. We think he was the man Anna must have met when she ran.’

‘Don’t say it like that. Like it was all part of her plan.’

‘The second caller, who contacted you at the train station, must have been the quad rider. You were transferred to him because he needed pinpoint timing to get you to toss the money from the train at the right moment.’

‘So, what, three teams now?’

‘I don’t think so. Just two. I would guess that the female caller is being directed by ringleaders here at ground zero because she can make calls on the move. That way we’re looking further south while the main players operate up here. A distraction. Both males were in Rotherham city centre originally. One stayed behind. Just the quad rider. CCTV covering your garden showed four perpetrators and there’s no reason to believe we’re dealing with a larger number.’

‘Have you found that damn quad? They don’t exactly blend in.’

‘It must have transferred to a larger vehicle. We’re on the CCTV and seeking witnesses. But it all takes time, Nick.’

Time. Time was something he could feel eroding his mind from the inside out, like acidic cerebrospinal fluid.

Bennet said, ‘These traces are going – Wow, Nick, what are you doing? Stay in the car.’