‘No,’ he replied, because he didn’t want to think about school. Last week they studied the Galapagos Islands. He’d talked about that lots, telling Maggie that the group of islands had once been named ‘islands of the tortoises.’ When he was grown up he would go there, when things were better at home. He followed his mum through to the kitchen where Sarah was standing, holding a mug in the palm of her hand. She placed it on the table, next to his daddy’s medal. She said she wanted to talk to him about Jahmelia again, but Elliott didn’t know what to say. All sorts of fears were shaking loose inside him, like rotten apples bouncing off a tree. ‘If you tell, you’ll go to hell.’ He was next. He slipped the medal into his trouser pocket.

‘Chicken nuggets and chips OK?’ Maggie said, even though there was a police officer in their kitchen wanting to know where his babysitter was.

‘Yes please, Mummy.’ He caught his mother’s smile, small but real.

Last night Elliott had dreamed about the Midnight Man again. He decided to tell Sarah what he knew. Maybe he could be brave too, like his daddy.

‘I saw him,’ Elliott whispered, as Sarah sat beside him. ‘He has two faces.’

‘OK,’ Sarah said. ‘Can you draw him for me?’ She glanced at Maggie who had her back turned, but Elliott knew she was listening in. ‘If it’s not too scary, that is.’

Within a few minutes, Elliott had sketched an image of a dark figure in a cloak. But there was a shadow falling over his face. He tried to explain to Sarah that the Midnight Man’s two faces was something he felt rather than saw.

‘You’re doing great,’ she said, taking the picture and putting it in her bag. ‘If you think of anything else will you let me know, Elliott? Any time. We have all our best officers looking for Jahmelia. I’m sure we’ll find her soon.’

As Elliott’s dinner was placed before him, Sarah stood to leave. ‘Oh, I almost forgot, I got this for you.’

She handed an envelope to Elliott and he recognised the WWF panda picture on the front.

‘It’s to adopt a turtle, mind, not a tortoise, but apparently only one in a thousand marine turtle hatchlings make it to adulthood. I reckon they need our help, don’t you?’

Elliott’s eyes widened as he carefully read the letter stating that a turtle had been adopted in his name. He’d receive a cuddly toy, a welcome pack, regular updates and more. ‘Thank you!’ he said, almost sending his dinner flying as he jumped from his chair to give Sarah a hug.

‘Sarah, you shouldn’t have,’ Maggie said, but like Elliott, she was smiling too.

‘Goodness, you’re more than welcome,’ Sarah laughed.