The detective outlined it all, and it sounded compelling, sure. As an outsider, she would have made the same assumption. And part of her prayed it was the truth, because a scenario in which Nick absconded with Josie beat the alternative horror of strangers kidnapping both. It just wouldn’t set, though.

But the why and how didn’t matter in the end. ‘My daughter and my husband are missing. Does all this why and how really matter? I want you to get them back for me.’

Miller gave a long pause that Anna didn’t like. ‘I’m sorry, dear, but here we have a snag, and I hate this part of the job most of all. The police don’t really get involved in family law. Your Nick would only actually be breaking the law if he took Josie out of the country. All I could really do is issue an “All-Ports Warning”, if there was a chance of that. But there isn’t. He didn’t take his passport. He’s got no contacts overseas. The APW wouldn’t be sanctioned. I’m sorry.’

It hit her like a blast of Arctic air. ‘Sorry? What are you saying? You’re not going to do anything?’

Miller looked genuinely sorry. ‘I can put you in touch with a friend I have, a solicitor. He can help you apply to the courts. They can force your man to tell you where Josie is. A Prohibited Steps Order can stop him trying to leave the country with Josie at some point in the future, but it might be easier to ask the Passport Office to refuse to reissue a new passport. Look, I’m sorry, I know these aren’t things you want to hear.’

Anna’s head was starting to throb with a sense of helplessness and abandonment. ‘This isn’t right. I wish I could prove that Nick wouldn’t ever run away. Not with my daughter. You have to search. Search for them.’ She grabbed the woman’s hands in both of hers. ‘Please. You can’t do this. You can’t just say my husband ran away with my daughter and then leave. You can’t.’

The older woman looked at their clasped flesh, and then met Anna’s eyes again. ‘I must ask you one last time, dear. Has Nick ever hurt Josie?’

Anna let go of Miller’s hands as if they were white hot. Fatigue now, rolling over her, making her next words barely a whisper, and five-parts exasperation to one-part honest question: ‘Why do you keep saying that?’

‘The police have a duty of care, dear.’

Anna took ragged breaths as understanding set in. Duty of care. She was being thrown a lifeline. She couldn’t meet the other woman’s eyes as she said, ‘Yes. Nick might hurt Josie.’