She blushes when she says that. Hollie and Phil share the same birthday. Chloe has always thought that makes them more like brother and sister. Hollie is besotted by him. Chloe finds him the dullest person she’s ever met. She’s often wondered how Hollie can find their life together enough, their weekend visits to garden centres or Saturdays spent looking for matching tea, coffee and sugar caddies. But then it depends on what you came from. They say you can go either way.

‘Hey, do you remember a story of a kid going missing when we were growing up? Angela Kyle?’

Hollie thinks for a moment, then shakes her head. ‘No, not that I . . . no,’ she says, dismantling Chloe’s sugar archive to take more for her coffee. ‘Oh, hang on, the little girl at the swings? I have a vague memory of people talking about it when we were kids. Hasn’t it been in the papers too?’

‘Yes, Angela – well, the papers called her Angie.’

‘Yeah, sort of. I remember her parents doing interviews about it, pleading for information and stuff. God, haven’t thought about that in years. She’d be about our age now, wouldn’t she?’

‘Yeah, she would.’

‘What made you ask?’

‘Oh, nothing, just a story I’m working on. I was just surprised I’d never heard about her disappearance before, you know, being the same age. She was never found, you know. There can’t have been many girls our age who went missing when we were growing up. It must have made people nervous for years afterwards, that’s probably why you remember it.’

‘Yeah, well I know what you’re thinking, and remember, it’s in the papers because it’s rare that people aren’t found,’ Hollie says, and she taps Chloe’s hand as she says it as if trying to reassure her.

‘But it does happen. The police officer told me seventy-nine per cent of missing people are found within twenty-four hours, but what about the other twenty-one per cent? What happens to them? To people like Angela Kyle?’

Hollie sighs. ‘Oh Chloe, don’t go overthinking, you know what you’re like.’

Chloe shifts in her seat.

‘Nothing like that is going to happen to Nan, OK? The police are going to find her any minute and bring her home and you’ll be back to slinging cans of rice pudding in the bin in no time.’

Chloe smiles a little.

‘Thanks,’ she says.

‘Any time,’ Hollie smiles back.

‘Anyway, how are you? I’ve been talking about myself so much I—’

‘Don’t be silly, I couldn’t believe it when you texted. Phil’s just got a big promotion at work – huge pay rise – he’s taking us on holiday. Fuerteventura, can’t wait!’

‘Oh, lovely.’ Chloe feels hot; she glances around the cafe for an open window.