I watch this interaction, torn by anger and compassion. I know why Douglas left the law. He had been a father for three years when he was asked to defend a man accused of abusing his thirteen-year-old niece. He won the case despite being certain that his client was guilty. The girl committed suicide three months later. After that, Douglas worked for another year and then he resigned. Maybe if he hadn’t had Lottie, he could have viewed it dispassionately, but she changed him. Despite all the things that drove me away, I cannot fault him as a father.

‘I suspect you weren’t up to the job,’ Cora retorts, her earlier pleasantness forgotten now that Douglas has dared to defend me.

I study my fingernails, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

‘I don’t have to explain myself to you,’ Douglas says. ‘The way I understand it, you barely tolerate Grace and you blow hot and cold with my daughter. If Nick isn’t found, I’ll personally see to it that you don’t get access.’

I’m so surprised at the turn this conversation has taken that I intervene. ‘Douglas. This isn’t the time.’

‘Now come on,’ Tim says, visibly bristling. ‘I’m extremely fond of Lottie.’

‘Are you?’ Douglas sneers. ‘All the more reason.’

‘I beg your pardon? What the hell are you implying?’

Tim is at least twenty-five years older than Douglas. All the same he squares up to him, shoving his chin out. Tim is all bravado, but he isn’t nasty. Douglas is; he won’t scruple to hurt the older man, to put him in his place.

‘Please stop,’ I beg them. ‘Quarrelling is not going to help Nick.’

‘I’m not implying anything,’ Douglas says smoothly. ‘Let’s move on, shall we?’

Cora sends him a suspicious look, then nods agreement and just as suddenly as it came on, the tension recedes.

‘We need to be calm and think this through,’ she says. ‘I have contacts in the police force, and I know how these things work. I’ll liaise with them.’

‘No,’ I say. ‘I’m talking to them on a daily basis. I don’t think you telling them how to do their jobs is going to help. I need them on my side, so it makes sense for me to build a relationship with the detective.’

Douglas twists round so that he can look me in the eye. ‘You always did insist on doing everything yourself, Grace. But this is not the time to dig your heels in. You need my help.’

‘Thanks for the offer, but you’ll know if I do, because I’ll ask you.’