‘Annie? DI Jackman here. Can I have a word with Callum, please?’

Annie gave a little chuckle. ‘There’s going to be no living with him when he knows a DI is asking for him.’

An excited whispering followed. ‘Callum here, Detective Inspector Jackman.’

‘I need your help, young man. Did anyone ever come to your school to talk about nature and wildlife conservation? I’m thinking especially of a man named Mr Edwards.’ He held his breath.

‘Oh, yes, Mr Edwards. He usually comes in on a Wednesday afternoon and takes us after school. He’s a nice bloke, knows a lot about endangered species and all that. It’s dead interesting and . . .’

‘You still there?’ Jackman asked.

‘Well, you mentioning him made me think . . . I remember you asked me if I knew someone called Teddy, and I said no, but some of the seniors don’t call him Mr Edwards like we do, they call him Ted or Teddy. I’m sorry but I forgot that.’

‘No problem, Callum. What you said about the after-school class is really important. Thank you.’ So he was right. ‘Can I have another word with your mum, please?’

‘Annie, you must make sure your boy never leaves the house. Understand? I’m arranging for someone to come and be with you for a while.’

‘What’s happened? Is he in danger?’

‘I suspect that, in the guise of a wildlife conservationist, our man has been grooming all the boys whose pictures were stolen.’ Jackman heard voices in the background. ‘Is someone else there?’

‘My son, Andrew. He’s playing a computer game with Callum. He’s on a forty-eight-hour pass from his RAF base and goes back early tomorrow.’

‘Could he ask for an extension? I’d be a lot happier if I knew he was with you.’

‘I’ll ask him and ring you back. But oh, the others . . . Oh, my god, what about them? Natalie has Patsy, but they’re alone.’

‘I’m arranging protection for them right now. Speak later.’ He hung up and called to Marie.

Jackman told her what he suspected. ‘Quick, get Robbie to chase up Fleur Harper’s boy, Jason, who lives with her ex. Then he and the team should find out if the others have had a Mr Edwards coming to their schools. Tell them not to waste a moment. I need to know that all the boys are safe.’

Jackman arranged for a crew to go directly to Annie’s house while Marie briefed the others.

‘They’re on it, boss. And Gary says Spiller’s car has been found ditched — literally. It’s lying in a deep ditch along one of the lanes outside Cartoft.’

‘His old home, huh?’ Jackman wondered if that was significant.

His phone rang. Jackman recognised the speaker at once. Len Maynard never rang him at work. In fact, Len never rang him.