James had just climbed into the pool car with DC Abbott when he had a call from Gillian Weldon.

‘You told me you’d let me know what was going on,’ she said, her voice cracking with emotion. ‘But I haven’t heard from you, and I still don’t know what’s happened to my boy.’

‘I was going to call you later today, Miss Weldon,’ James said. ‘Unfortunately, we still haven’t been able to trace Neil.’

‘And that’s why I’m so angry as well as worried,’ she fumed. ‘I keep seeing his picture on the television and people are ringing me up asking me if he killed that family. It’s just not fair. He’s being labelled a murderer and he might be lying dead somewhere himself.’

‘We had no choice but to issue an appeal for him and release the photograph you gave us,’ James said. ‘He might be the only person who can tell us what happened at Oaktree Farm. We know he was there on Christmas Eve and that he left in a hurry.’

‘That doesn’t mean he killed them.’

‘I’m aware of that, Miss Weldon. And that accusation has not been levelled against him. Nonetheless, he is a suspect and we can’t rule him out until we’re able to speak to him.’

She started to respond but her words turned into a sob.

‘We really are doing everything we can to find your son,’ James said. ‘But nobody we’ve spoken to so far knows where he is, or if they do, they’re not telling us.’

Miss Weldon cleared her throat and said, ‘What about the reprobates he usually hangs around with? The layabouts who get him to go along to their drink and drugs benders? They’re the ones you need to talk to.’

‘Do you have any names?’

‘Of course not. He would never share that information with me. But I’m sure they all have police records, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to find out who they are.’

‘I assure you we’re working on it,’ James said. He paused to let her respond, and when she didn’t, he continued. ‘There is something we know now that we weren’t aware of when we spoke to you yesterday. On Christmas Eve Charlotte sent an angry text message to your son telling him that she intended to end their relationship and move out of the flat. The message was short and sharp and though your son didn’t respond we have evidence to suggest that he wasn’t happy about it.’

‘What kind of evidence?’

James told her about the ripped-up photos and Christmas card found in the bin at Savage’s flat.

‘Have you any idea why Charlotte decided to end it with Neil?’ he asked.