Our lounge is situated next to the kitchen at the back of the house, and although it’s tiny – like the rest of the house – it looks out through wooden French doors onto our pretty courtyard garden. Matt installed a wood burner and stripped the floors. We added squashy velvet sofas and a fluffy rug, so it has a lovely cosy feel. I’m used to it now, so I forget how cute it is in here. ‘Thanks. Have a seat.’ I put our mugs down on the wooden coffee table and add another log to the burner, getting soot on my hands and wiping it off on my jeans. Taking a seat opposite, I pull my feet up under me and cradle my tea, enjoying the warmth on my cold hands.

‘How long have you lived in Wareham?’ Kate asks. ‘You don’t have the local accent.’

‘I was born in London, but we moved here seven years ago.’ I don’t tell her that it was just Jess and I who moved here. That could lead to more questions about my past, and I want to find out about her – not the other way around.

‘Whereabouts in London?’

‘Stoke Newington.’

‘Oh! Not too far from us. We were in Crouch End.’

My heart rate goes up a notch. That’s surely more than a coincidence. We were only twenty minutes away from one another. The shopping centre where Holly was snatched is midway between the two places. I offer Kate a biscuit, but she declines. I should probably call the kids down to offer them a snack and a drink, but I don’t want to break off from our conversation. I need to quiz Kate further.

‘So why did you move here?’ I know she already gave me some generic answer about London being too busy, but it can’t hurt to ask her again.

‘Oh, uh, you know, usual reasons. London was getting too busy and Shaun and I wanted the children to experience life in the country. I guess I was worried about them being teenagers in such an urban environment. We figured Dorset’s a safer place than London.’

‘Although they say small towns can be worse than cities.’

‘Don’t tell me that now we’ve schlepped halfway across the country!’

‘Don’t worry, I think on the whole it’s a good place for kids to grow up. Everyone knows everyone. The schools are great. And if there’s any gangland violence or drug wars going on, I haven’t noticed.’

Kate fakes mopping her brow. ‘Well that’s a relief.’