‘There aren’t any other vehicles,’ I say. ‘He clearly didn’t call for back-up before coming here.’ I’m disappointed in Nick – but I guess I expected it, too. When we spoke about the bracelet, Nick was adamant someone was trying to help with the cold case. He didn’t feel there was any risk. He believed the sender of the bracelet was harmless. I hope to goodness he wasn’t wrong. I suck in a lungful of air. We could be too late.

‘He’s parked away from the pub, though; he was being cautious. Give him some credit, Amber,’ Richard says. He reaches across me, pulling down the glove compartment on the passenger side. ‘You two stay in the car,’ he says. He clicks on the heavy-duty torch he’s just retrieved, then turns it off again. ‘Let me go and check it out first,’ he says, climbing out.

‘Wait!’ I open the passenger door and leap out of the car. ‘I want to come with you. Don’t leave me here with her,’ I say.

‘I’ll be back in a moment. Please, Amber – I need to make sure it’s not some kind of trap.’

‘And if it is,’ I hiss, ‘then what?’

‘If I’m not back in ten, take the car and drive away. Go to the police station.’ Richard throws me the car keys. ‘Back of the pub, he told you, yeah?’

‘Yes,’ I concede, reluctantly. I watch as Richard moves swiftly out of the car park and ducks around the side of the pub. There’s a rough track running alongside that I know leads to the back. He holds the torch out in front of him. I can see the track is wide enough for a car to get through. If he’s not back in ten minutes, I’m not driving off, abandoning him and Nick here. I’m going to drive down that track and see what’s going on for myself.

‘What exactly is happening right now?’ Davina says as I get back into the car.

‘You’ve got a nerve asking me that.’

‘I’m sorry, Amber. If it’s any consolation, Wayne will know what I’ve done now. He’ll know you know. He can’t come back from this.’

‘It’s no consolation at all, actually, Davina. It’s not like I’d want harm to come to you. But we really need to be honest with each other now,’ I say. I turn in the seat so I can see her. The yellow hue of the streetlight illuminates her face; suddenly the lines and wrinkles look more pronounced. Deeper. ‘If you’ve something to tell me, now’s the time.’

‘I’ve told you pretty much everything.’ Davina shrugs. ‘Wayne started out as an accountant for the firm – Whitmore & Co – and after a number of years, they began to ask things of him …’

‘Like what?’