‘Russ was reading Odette a story and fell asleep,’ he said with a yawn. ‘Daniel’s asleep, too, and the teens are down in the games room.’

Izzy went straight upstairs while Jennifer headed for the stairwell down to the basement.

‘I’ll go check on the boys.’

Sean came over and gave me a peck on the cheek, his stubble tickling my skin.

‘Did you ladies have a good night?’

‘Lovely, thanks.’

‘Nightcap?’

‘Why not?’

He turned to Rowan. ‘D’you fancy one too?’

She gave him a little smile and nodded. ‘You always drown it. I’ll show you how whisky is supposed to be poured.’

He followed her into the kitchen and I stared after them for a moment, straining to hear what they were saying. Silence. Cupboards opening and closing. Whispers? Were they whispering? Or was that the sound of the tap running?

You always drown it. Why always? How many times had my husband made her a nightcap?

Jennifer reappeared at the top of the basement stairs, a frown on her face. ‘The boys aren’t down there, Alistair. Have they gone to bed already?’

Alistair shrugged and looked at his watch. ‘At ten? Doesn’t seem likely.’

‘So where are they then?’

‘I don’t know, darling.’

‘We only left you in charge for a couple of hours and you’ve lost the boys.’

‘They’re not lost.’

Jennifer put her hands on her hips. ‘Well, they’re not here, are they?’

‘I’m sure they haven’t gone far.’

‘You’re sure, are you?’ Jennifer said, her voice rising on a note of sarcasm. ‘Oh well, that’s all right then.’

Sean came out of the kitchen with a crystal tumbler in each hand, handing one to me.

‘One nightcap for my lovely wife.’

‘Where are the teenagers, Sean? Where’s Lucy?’

‘I don’t know, love, but they can’t have gone far.’ He took a sip of his drink. ‘Have you messaged her?’

‘She’ll probably blank me.’

‘Thought it was just me she did that to.’

I went out onto the balcony. The pool and garden were silent and empty, no sound of teenage voices. Lucy’s phone went to voicemail when I rang. And again, a second time. I didn’t leave a message. There was a strange coldness at the back of my neck, the first tingling of nerves. This was not right. Not here. Not now.

Sean came out and joined me on the balcony.

‘Do you want me to go and look for them?’

I nodded. ‘But let me just try this first.’

I pulled up the Find iPhone app on my mobile, logging in with Lucy’s details. Short of implanting her with a GPS chip, it was the surest and fastest way of finding her: she was never parted from her phone.

Sean raised an eyebrow. ‘Does Lucy know you spy on her with that?’