‘I opened a lot of those letters. I felt threatened, too. When I quit the job, I didn’t want to be looking over my shoulder. I wanted a fresh start. I moved out of the city to start a family somewhere quiet and I changed my name so nobody would know me. My parents bought us this bungalow as a wedding present, but we didn’t get married until we’d settled here. Is that so wrong? I don’t like your attitude, coming into my house like this. My daughter and husband are missing, and this is how you speak to me? Like I’ve done something wrong. I’m going to tell your superior.’

It was pleasant to see a little concern on their part now. Hicks smiled and shook her head.

‘We didn’t mean anything by it. Sorry if it sounded like that. We’re just trying to get a feel.’

Anna shut the curtain. She felt guilty at her abruptness, but there was enough residual anger that her resolve was strengthened. She decided to take advantage and confront someone she’d been avoiding.

She found her father in Josie’s room. On the bed, staring at the window. Strangely, she had feared coming in here, because the empty bed would spotlight what she’d had ripped away, and her father’s presence doubly made her want to flee. But she didn’t. He’d entered the house in frustration, but she could clearly sense that he was now feeling the impact of Josie’s disappearance. She wanted to console him but didn’t know how to.

He didn’t register her presence until she sat on the edge of the bed. He gave her a quick glance and returned his gaze to the black window, now clear because the rain had virtually stopped. She felt the numbing power of the room. All of a sudden she wanted to sleep. She knew he was avoiding her only because he didn’t like anyone knowing that even the great entrepreneur, Larry Middleton, was a slave to emotions.

He scratched his left cheek, trying to hide the fact that he was wiping tears. ‘Why didn’t you sense that something was in the air?’

Her heart sank. She had hoped this might be a rare moment, given their shared grief, where he actually treated her like blood. But his own father had pushed him to achieve greatness, and it had worked, so sympathy wasn’t his forte. He hadn’t changed his tune in ten years, so why would he do so now?

‘Why run from you, Anna? He loves you.’

From anyone else, that would have been real puzzlement about why a loving dad would suddenly flee the family home. But she knew her father was building to an accusation. She didn’t want to hear it. Besides, being wound so tight for so long had sapped all her energy, leaving none to fight with.