Blowers emerged into the waiting area, still talking, holding out a large warm hand for Arthur to shake. ‘How’s your mother? Terrible damage to her shop I heard. This way, please.’ He put his hand on Arthur’s elbow and steered him to a bare, windowless interview room.

‘Yes,’ he said, trying to keep his voice light. ‘She wants to reopen as soon as possible.’

‘That’s the spirit,’ said the policeman. There was a long pause. Arthur could almost see the gears changing in Blowers’ brain. ‘I wanted to ask you about one of our American friends.’ The policeman smiled. He waited patiently for Arthur to say something.

‘I was with him on the night of the flood.’ Blowers’ face remained unperturbed, merely waited for Arthur to carry on. ‘We rescued some of the people from the prefabs. Then we went out to the farm. We wanted to help our friend Peter, you see. Only he hasn’t been found.’

‘Peter? Do you mean Mr Frost’s son Peter? He’s absolutely fine. Well, as fine as any of us can be at the moment. Over at the farm right now, I should imagine. Terrible what’s happened out there though—’

‘No!’ Arthur almost shouted. It was going wrong and he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to get it out unless he did it now. Constable Blowers’ bright, beady eyes widened and he pulled back slightly in his seat as if alarmed by Arthur’s manner. Arthur lowered his voice. ‘Sorry, I know about Peter. I meant Jack, the American. He’s missing. He went missing that night. He’d been with me.’

‘Yes, there’s still a few of them not found. Awful it is. I feel for their families, not knowing. I mean, they do know they’ll not turn up, not now, but it’s very hard not having a body to bury.’ He stopped and peered at Arthur. ‘I spoke to your mother, Mrs Silver. Friend of yours then, this Jack?’

‘Sort of. The thing I was trying to tell you was that we were out on a boat, and afterwards, he went missing.’ He stopped. This was the moment to tell the man the truth; that Jack had been with him on the boat, at the end. He felt faint as if all the blood had drained from his head.

‘It were you what found Miss Frost, weren’t it, Mr Silver? Reckon you’ve had a hard time of it yourself.’ His voice was gentle but his small eyes were sharp.

‘Yes,’ he said, then in a rush, ‘the boat sank and I swam and found Verity, Miss Frost I mean, but… But I don’t know what happened to Jack. I should have said something when they found us. I’m sorry.’