A prickle of fear touches Alice’s neck. Her knees bounce, hitting the desk – tap, tap, tap. ‘Has something happened?’ Of course something’s happened. Two officers wouldn’t track her down, turn up with faces like grim reapers, to tell her she’s won the lottery. She lifts her ankle-length cardigan from the back of the chair, wraps it round her shoulders like a comfort blanket.

DC Marsh turns the sign on the door from open to closed. ‘Is there someone we can call to come and be with you?’

Alice shakes her head. Please don’t say what you’ve come to say.

‘There’s been an incident in Sparrow Lane, Miss Hadley.’ DS Barnum steps closer. ‘Your father has been in a hit and run, and I’m afraid—’

‘What about Henry?’ Alice is stalling. She knows once the officer says the words – your father is dead – it can never be unsaid. It would be true. No return ticket. She will have lost him forever, her amazing reclusive father. She will have lost her best friend.

‘Henry?’ DC Marsh furrows his forehead.

‘Dad’s dog – did you find him? Is Henry OK? Dad never goes out without him.’ She’s talking too fast, on her feet now, pacing three steps across the shop, three steps back, her throat drying as she speaks.

DC Marsh turns to look at the DS, moves closer. ‘There was no dog, as far as we know.’

‘Dad never goes out without Henry.’ Her heart kicks against her rib cage. She knows she’s being ridiculous – hysteria rising. ‘Are you sure it’s my dad?’

‘Miss Hadley—’

‘Alice.’ She squeezes her hands into fists. ‘Call me Alice.’

‘Alice. We are sure the man in the incident is your father. He had his wallet on him.’ The DC pauses for a moment. ‘Your father didn’t survive the hit and run, Alice. I’m so sorry.’

‘I need to call Leon.’ Her voice cracks, and tears fill her eyes, as she rummages in her bag, and pulls out her phone. But as she stares at the screen, she knows she can’t call him. It wouldn’t be fair. They’ve been broken up for three months. Yes, she’s seen him a few times since, as friends, but it wouldn’t be right turning to him. It wouldn’t be fair.

The officers look at each other, and back at Alice. ‘Can we call Leon for you?’ DS Barnum says.

‘No. No.’ She shoves the phone back in her bag. ‘I should probably close the shop.’ She’s bewildered, her voice a whisper. ‘Check on Henry.’

‘Of course. Can we drop you off?’

‘I’d rather walk.’ She wipes her sleeve across her eyes. ‘Try to make sense of this.’

‘We will need you to come to the station at some point, just a few questions about when you last saw your father, that kind of thing.’