‘Exactly. We need to search our memories for a young boy we may have known in the past, even slightly.’ She took a mouthful of tea. ‘In my own case, I recall a boy of around seven I was once asked to mentor. My Callum used to go to an after-school club. The kids could do anything they liked — arts and crafts, reading, gymnastics or just play. The club was intended to develop their interests and encourage independence and social skills. I was part of a team of volunteers who helped out.’

‘My Jason went to one of those,’ said Fleur.

‘Well,’ Annie said, ‘one of the teachers asked me to mentor a boy who’d been abused and was socially isolated. They thought he needed one-to-one contact with someone who could help boost his self-confidence. I tried my best with him, but for two months he hardly said a word. Then his mother took him away.’ The memory brought a lump to her throat. ‘I’d become quite attached to the little tyke, even though he rarely spoke to me, but then he was gone, and I never saw him again.’

‘What was his name?’ asked Sylvia.

‘Ben.’ Even the name made her feel sad. ‘Just when I thought I was getting somewhere . . .’ She spread her hands. ‘Gone.’

She looked at the others. ‘Have any of you had any experiences like that, or maybe something more personal? This is no time for holding back, even if the memory is painful or embarrassing. It could be up to us to provide the police with some sort of viable lead. A child could be in terrible danger.’

‘Well, I’ve never spoken about this . . .’

Everyone looked at Sylvia.

‘I once actively helped a young mother and her child to run away from her husband.’

‘Oh my,’ said Annie. ‘Can you tell us about it?’

‘I’ll try. You see, I haven’t always worked in that crappy nursery. I was a nurse in the A & E department of Greenborough Hospital. I was particularly good with frightened youngsters and was often called on to calm a terrified child. But this particular boy showed no sign of that. He was just uncommunicative, and although he had a nasty cut on his hand, he didn’t even flinch as it was being attended to.’ Sylvia had a faraway look in her eyes. ‘Actually, the mother worried me a good deal more.’

‘When was this?’ asked Annie.