She sat down, tried to breathe through her mouth and told him about meeting Anna, how she was sent to work on a farm as unpaid labour at the age of eight, how her host family later deprived her of school. She told him about what she’d found scouring the British Library: a private foundation set up in Switzerland in the forties to help kids on ‘forced placement’ after a magazine reported mistreatment in the foster care system, and a report about a 1970 court case involving two children subjected to abuse in an institution. Clearly there was something amiss in the Swiss care system.

‘I think this needs to be written. I want to interview her – and maybe others. Evelyne mentioned Anna had a sister who was also taken, maybe I can find her and get her story too. But I’ll need some research time and resources. And a trip back to Switzerland.’

‘Tallis, I told you—’

‘Insurance. I know, I know.’ She brushed a damp piece of hair behind her ear. ‘Look, I’ll do the trip in my own time and fund it myself,’ she said, suppressing the little voice that said you’re meant to be saving. ‘I’ll sign a waiver if you want me to. Keith and the board need never know I went – until I get the story no other paper has and then I’m sure they wouldn’t mind a jot. But I want to know if you approve of the idea, if you’ll publish it.’ She leaned forward. A trickle of sweat ran down her boss’s temple. ‘Roger, I really, really want to do this. I think it’s important. Will you back me?’

He sat back in his chair and sighed. ‘You know something, Tallis? You remind me of my younger self.’

She hesitated, smiled. ‘Is that a yes?’

AUGUST 2016 Lausanne, Switzerland

JESS

The ball thwacks against Léa’s racket and whistles past the girl at the other end of the court.

‘She’s got a mean passing shot.’

Michel nods. ‘You play?’

‘No, but I’ve watched a lot of Wimbledon,’ I say. ‘Agassi was always my favourite. Loved the fact he eventually married Steffi Graf. Tennis fairy tale.’

‘You’re showing your age,’ he says.

‘I know.’

He laughs and we clap enthusiastically as Léa thumps another groundstroke down the line, leaving her opponent standing. A slight, blonde girl with ruddy cheeks, she looks like she’s about to cry, and I feel sorry for Céline. She’s on the receiving end of an eight-year-old in a seriously bad mood – but to give Léa credit, she’s channelling her grumpiness usefully and is likely to win the match if she carries on like this. I never knew pre-teen tennis could be so competitive.