The only other clue they had was a call Nicky had apparently received shortly after leaving the psychotherapist’s office. Fleet’s colleagues had identified the number, but it wasn’t connected to a contract, nor did it appear in Nicky’s contacts. Whoever had been calling, Nicky had spoken to them for just over a minute, and it was shortly after the call had ended that Nicky’s car was pictured heading south. Were the two events connected? Fleet assumed they had to be, and he had a theory about who it was Nicky had spoken to – but assumptions and educated guesses had got them no closer to finding out what had happened to Nicky after that.

Now Fleet was sitting at his computer in his office, waiting for news from the teams out searching for Nicky’s car, and desperately trying to figure out where to direct the hunt next. Burton hadn’t stinted on resources – as well as the uniforms on the streets, they had bodies scouring traffic cams and rounding up CCTV footage, as well as techies looking at the data from Nicky’s phone – but so far the past twenty-eight hours remained a blank.

Was it her, Nicky? Was it Melissa who called you? What did she say to you? And what was it you wanted to say to me?

If only Fleet had answered the phone when Nicky had tried to get hold of him. If only he’d given her clearer instructions about not approaching Melissa alone. Even before Fleet had spoken to Randy and to Richard Hewitt’s daughter, Melissa had been their prime suspect. Nicky had suggested intensifying the search for her sooner. If only Fleet had listened, and at least tried to convince Burton to give them the resources they would have needed.

There was a knock at the door, and it was only then that Fleet realised his head was in his hands. He sat up straighter.

‘Sir?’ said a PC, leaning into Fleet’s office. ‘You’ve got a visitor.’

The officer moved aside, and Holly appeared in the doorway.

‘Sprig. What are you doing here?’ Fleet rose from his seat as his ex-wife came into the room. She didn’t say anything. She just crossed the floor and wrapped Fleet in a hug. Fleet wasn’t sure there was anything he’d ever needed quite as much.

‘Is there any word?’ said Holly, stepping back.

Fleet had texted Holly earlier in the day to let her know that Nicky was missing. Doing so had gone against his better instincts, particularly given Holly’s condition. But in addition to the full-blown search, Burton had authorised an appeal for information to the general public, meaning Holly would have found out anyway, and would have been furious with Fleet for not telling her.

‘We’re doing everything we can,’ he said. ‘We’ll find her, Sprig. We will.’