She stops stirring the tea. Her back to both officers. They make it sound so impersonal. Chloe takes a split second to remind herself that she has done nothing wrong, that these police officers are not here to interrogate her. They’ve come to tell Maureen and Patrick that Angie has been found. She still can’t quite believe it.

‘A few months,’ Chloe says, turning round and pressing two hot mugs into their hands as if she hopes it might distract them from too much questioning. It seems to work.

The officers nod and thank her for the tea. She suddenly would rather be in the living room with Angie watching from the sideboard, the solemn faces of the two detectives and all of Maureen and Patrick’s pain.

Chloe turns and faces her reflection in the black kitchen window, realizing that in all the commotion she is yet to remove her coat. It’s over for her here now – with this news, Maureen’s fantasy must come to an end. She’s known that since that moment on the drive; her mind had leapt two steps forward in an instant to know what this news meant for her. She doesn’t know yet how it will all play out, when they might ask her to leave, but she’s surprised to find that she doesn’t care. Tonight is about Maureen and Patrick. Hadn’t she always planned to bring Angie home? And now that was done, her reason for being here was gone.

She puts five mugs onto a round tray and carries them carefully through to the living room. The detective now sits on the sofa beside Patrick and Maureen, who have recomposed themselves a little and seem ready to hear more about how their missing daughter was found.