‘I really appreciate you coming with me. It means a lot to me that you’re here.’ Oliver’s eyes shone. He seemed so vulnerable, Louisa felt her gut contract. What an awful situation for him to be in. If she was concerned about how things would look to others, how must he be feeling?

Louisa had watched an appeal similar to this a few years ago – when a young doctor had gone missing. Her boyfriend had tearfully spoken of his deep love for her, had put his head in his hands and wept when the police officer had talked about the circumstances in which she’d gone missing – and all the while, Louisa had sat in judgement. She’d vehemently stated, ‘It’s all fake. He already knows what happened to his girlfriend. He did it.’ And a few months later, her assumption was proven to be correct when the news reported a body had been found and the boyfriend arrested after a ‘shock confession’.

Oliver was right. No matter what he said today, people would automatically think he was behind Melissa’s disappearance.

Did she?

Louisa kept her eyes forward once the appeal began, not daring to glance to her right, to Oliver, as he spoke about his new wife, how they had only just begun their lives together – how he loved her. All the things that other man had said in the appeal for information about his girlfriend. What else could he say, though? She’d be saying similar things too if she were talking about Brian.

The room wasn’t big, so it appeared crammed. Flashes went off as journalists snapped away, capturing the distress, the desperation. The hope. Louisa blinked rapidly. She wanted to turn away from them, but she had to keep eye contact. Had to make sure everyone could see that she had nothing to hide, nothing to feel guilty for. That she hadn’t done anything wrong.

‘The party she was last seen at, whose was that?’ someone asked. Louisa’s heart plummeted. Shit. She hadn’t expected to be put on the spot like that. DS Mack spoke. She silently thanked him for taking over before her panic became obvious.

‘It was a party held at a public house, Court Farm, in the village of Abbotsbury. It started at approximately 7.30 p.m. and the pub closed at 11.30 p.m. So we’d be interested to hear from anyone who thinks they saw Melissa between those times; even if they didn’t talk to her, they may have information that could assist our inquiries.’

‘Is there any CCTV footage of Melissa’s last known movements?’

‘I’m afraid not – the pub was not fitted with CCTV. As Mr Dunmore stated, he was with her until approximately 10.15 p.m. but after leaving her side to talk with some other guests, he lost sight of her.’