I make tea while they chat, covering innocuous subjects like the trouble Tim is having setting up broadband in their Leicestershire home, Cora’s mother’s deteriorating health and the way other people’s dogs are so badly behaved compared to Toffee, Cora pretending to be fond of my unprepossessing companion. She’s flirtatious, her voice earnest and interested. She is trying to impress, not knowing how unlikely she is to succeed.

I set mugs and a plate of biscuits down in front of them. Douglas pats the seat beside him, but I shake my head. I stand leaning against the counter, my mug in my hands.

‘How are you feeling?’ he asks.

‘I don’t know. Numb, I suppose. I don’t seem to be getting any answers.’

‘I don’t think you’re dealing with the police particularly well, Grace,’ Cora says. ‘If you’d let me speak to them we might get a little further. They would be more likely to pay attention to someone of my background and experience.’

I’m used to veiled reminders of my deficiencies from Cora, but she still gets under my skin. ‘I’m sure that’ll come in handy,’ I say with a tight smile. ‘But I don’t want to go in with all guns blazing quite yet. I don’t want to antagonize them.’

‘Don’t be wet. Every day that Nick doesn’t come back it becomes a little more likely that he won’t. You do know that, don’t you? Time is of the essence.’

‘Of course I know.’

‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get. We have to put pressure on the police and get them to prioritize Nick. I know how these things work.’

Douglas puts his hand on the table, splaying his fingers. He looks at Cora thoughtfully. ‘I think Grace understands perfectly well. You’re right though, she does need help.’

Cora glances at me to see my reaction. I shrug.

‘However,’ he continues. ‘In my view, that help would be better coming from me.’

‘From you?’ Her head snaps round. ‘You’re not even related to Nick.’

Tim breaks his biscuit in half and dunks a corner into his tea. ‘I think it would be helpful if we were all on the same page,’ he says, smiling. ‘You’re doing incredibly well, Grace, but I do think Cora and Douglas have a point. You need to let someone else step in, someone with legal expertise who can put pressure on the police.’

‘I practised law for six years,’ Douglas says.

‘What made you give up?’ Cora asks.

‘I didn’t much like the people I was having to deal with.’

‘Personally I try not to judge.’

‘I find that hard to believe. You’re pretty judgemental of Grace.’