‘Trust me,’ Tony said, trying to keep his voice low and calm, lest she was eavesdropping. ‘Alice won’t miss anyone in that school.’

‘She said she was happy,’ Hamilton said, as if pained both by the realisation of his daughter’s experiences in school and the knowledge that she had taken this stranger into her confidences before him.

‘She didn’t want to worry you, I’d guess,’ Tony said.

Hamilton nodded. ‘They’ll know someone talked,’ he said. ‘If I clear out completely. They’ll know.’

‘Not if there’s no come back on any of us. That’s why I need you to not tell the police here. If you just go, without incident, they might think it was just a coincidence.’

‘People aren’t stupid. They’ll guess.’

‘I know,’ Tony said. ‘But I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to your daughter. And that includes her being left orphaned if something happened to you.’

Hamilton nodded again, as if he’d been privately considering something while Tony spoke and had reached his decision. He looked around, as if trying to decide where he might begin, what were the essentials that he and his daughter might need in the days ahead.

‘Alice!’ he called.

The rapidity of the steps from above suggested the girl knew what was coming. She appeared at the top of the stairs, already wearing jeans and a T-shirt. It was clear that she’d been listening. The ease with which she’d accepting the move made Tony wonder how many times before she’d been forced to leave her home in the middle of the night, how many other schools she’d joined and left.

‘We need to leave,’ her father said. ‘Pack anything important. Don’t forget Rosie.’

Tony assumed this was a toy of some sort, a suspicion confirmed when Hamilton turned and said, ‘It’s a ragdoll. She’s too old for it, but her mother bought it for her before she passed.’

Tony nodded, did not speak, did not tell him he had seen the man carry the doll days earlier.

‘I know you’ve taken a risk. For Alice,’ Hamilton said. He extended his hand, a curt, sharp gesture. ‘Thank you.’

Tony took it and shook. In so doing, he felt a moment of reconciliation with what had happened to Danny, the first seed of acceptance. He nodded. ‘I’m sorry it came to this.’

Hamilton shrugged resignedly. ‘I hope nothing happens to you for doing this.’

‘It’ll be fine,’ Tony said, with no hint of conviction. ‘Just keep Alice safe.’

As her father nodded, Alice herself came running down the stairs and across to Tony. She embraced him around the waist, her face pressed tight against his side.

‘Thank you, sir,’ she said.

Tony did not trust himself to speak, merely hugging her tightly and then letting her go. ‘Maybe I’ll see you again some time, eh?’ he said finally.