‘Alli, it would be great, but I’m a bit tied up here. We’re still sorting things out after the fire.’ Grace was thinking quickly. Allison was in her early twenties, unmarried and unfettered. It probably wouldn’t occur to her that zipping over to Bali and back might be a trifle disruptive to family life. But the money from this job would be very, very useful.

‘Oh, I understand. I can send you the materials and we can talk about the timeframe. Then we can take the next step, see whether the client needs you to go up there for the briefing.’

‘Okay. Thanks, Allison. I’m in the car now on my way to pick up my daughter from school. Can I call you back later?’

‘Sure. Call me tomorrow. I’ll email you that material now. But I can tell Hans you’re interested in pitching for it, right?’

‘Yes. I am.’ Grace knew this job would get a hefty fee for the agency and probably a bonus for her personally. If she could make it work, it would be win–win. ‘Thanks. Talk tomorrow.’ Grace moved back onto the road.

When she arrived at Daisy’s school, Grace signed in at the office and, as she was early, asked for a permission slip to wait outside Daisy’s classroom. She walked down the corridor, smiling at a teacher she recognised, and stopped outside Daisy’s classroom, where she peered through a hallway window. The kids were standing around the little tables, packing up their things. Their colourful art was posted all over the walls, and the place felt friendly and stimulating in a calm way.

She couldn’t see Daisy so she poked her head in the door and caught the teacher’s eye, and the young woman came over with a smile.

‘Nice to see you, Mrs Hagen.’

‘Please, call me Grace. What’s Daisy up to? I know I’m a bit early.’

Instantly the teacher’s expression changed. ‘Oh dear. Daisy was picked up by her father this morning.’

Grace froze. ‘What? This morning? I had no idea,’ she stuttered. ‘What did he say? I should have been notified. Where was he taking her?’

‘Oh, um . . . Mr Hagen said you were working. Didn’t Daisy have some appointment? Medical, wasn’t it?’

‘No!’

The young woman bit her lip. ‘I did wonder. Daisy didn’t seem too happy about going.’

‘Did he say where they were going?’ Grace pulled out her phone, her finger hovering over Lawrence’s number.

‘Not specifically. I’m so sorry, I thought everything was in order,’ said the teacher in a low voice. ‘I’m sure Daisy is fine.’

‘No, it’s my fault. I should have let the school know what’s going on,’ said Grace heavily. She turned away and pressed the call button. The phone rang and rang, then Lawrence’s voicemail came on.

‘Lawrence, call me. Immediately.’ She hung up, turning back to the teacher. ‘What time did he turn up?’

‘A bit after 10 am, I think. He said they had an 11 o’clock appointment. Is there anything I can do?’ She looked very worried.