He travelled back across the city, making his way to the Burns’s house. It was a twenty-minute drive, giving Mark a chance to get his thoughts in order. The discovery of Joanna Carter had proven to be an unwelcome distraction from what was happening to the Burns family. He could feel the doubt from DI Bennett and DS Cavanagh that the two were connected, but he was increasingly sure that his instinct was right.

There was a reason Emily was there that night. That time. There was a reason Joanna Carter was found dead and why someone on CCTV followed her up to that rooftop.

With every passing moment, it became more and more unlikely they would find Emily alive.

Stephanie opened the door for him, giving him a good morning, then making her way back to the kitchen. He popped his head around the living-room door, firing off a greeting to Julie as he did so. She was curled up on one sofa, a blanket over her body, but she was wide awake. As awake as she could be, anyway. She had slid back into silence since the press conference, the energy after the identification evaporating.

He wanted to ask about Emily’s odd behaviour, but didn’t think he’d receive an answer while Julie was in that state.

Mark moved through to the kitchen, sitting down at the table as Stephanie switched on the kettle. She busied herself with rinsing mugs – just the two cups. He guessed she knew her mum wasn’t in the mood.

He had a quick look past her, out into the back yard for the uncle. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was empty.

‘No Rich this morning?’ Mark said, as Stephanie handed him coffee and sat down opposite him. ‘Thought he’d be waiting for me.’

‘He was out late apparently,’ Stephanie replied, looking fresh and alert, despite the pressure, the weight of what the family was going through. ‘Scouring the streets for Emily, he told Mum. Probably had some jobs on and didn’t want to be lumbered with all of this anymore.’

‘Jobs?’

Stephanie didn’t answer, giving him a look he knew meant he should drop the subject. Something illegal, no doubt. It made little difference to Mark what he was doing, he was just glad he wasn’t around. His aggression was barely contained the more the days went on.

‘Uncle Rich,’ Mark began, trying to sound calm and relaxed. ‘I think we both know what his jobs entail, right?’

He waited for a few seconds for Stephanie to answer, but she looked away from him nervously.

‘Does he deal with students?’

Stephanie shook her head. ‘I don’t know.’

‘You might have heard something though? Maybe from friends, or the like?’

‘Maybe, I don’t really pay attention,’ Stephanie said, raising a finger to her mouth and chewing on a nail without biting into it. ‘I don’t want to know.’