Sarah Collins passes me a six-by-four colour photo. ‘It was taken six months ago.’

‘Thanks.’ I pause, taking in Hollie’s huge eyes and long dark hair, which look so much more striking than in the small photo the DI had sent me. She’s a beautiful girl – slightly ethereal-looking. ‘Outside school, was there anywhere she went, any friends she saw, any clubs she took part in?’

I watch their faces carefully as James speaks. ‘As we’ve told your colleagues, she’s friends with Niamh Buckley in the village. We don’t really know her school friends. She doesn’t bring them back here.’

It’s not unusual for teenagers who have reached a certain age, though I can’t help thinking that sometimes there’s a reason why they keep their friends from their parents. ‘How would you describe her?’ I know as I voice the question that the answer depends on who you ask. Parents are not always entirely objective.

‘She’s spirited and very bright, but she has demons. Hollie’s fragile – her mother died eight years ago and I don’t think she’s ever come to terms with losing her. I think that because I’m not related by blood, I see her a little differently to James.’ She glances at her husband. ‘I’d describe her as ferociously loyal, artistic, given to drama … but in short, she’s a tortured soul.’ Maybe it’s because Hollie isn’t her birth daughter that I’m inclined to believe Stephanie Hampton’s assessment.

I turn to James Hampton. ‘Do you think that’s a fair description? Would you like to add anything?’

He shakes his head slowly. ‘No.’

I turn back to Stephanie. ‘As her stepmother, did you get on well? I’m sure it isn’t always easy.’

‘It wasn’t – not at first. I knew I couldn’t replace Kathryn – James’s first wife – but I thought that if I was someone Hollie knew she could rely on, it would be the best basis for a relationship with her. That’s what I’ve tried to be.’

It sounds a sensible enough approach to the minefield of step-parenting. ‘Has Hollie seemed upset lately? Or different in any way?’

‘It’s hard to say.’ As Stephanie looks at James, something flickers between them. ‘She could be quite up and down.’

James looks haunted. ‘Hollie’s always been a bit of a drama queen.’

Their words make it clear that even if something was going on with Hollie, they wouldn’t have flagged it up as anything unusual. And yet … there was something about the way Stephanie looked at James that makes me wonder if there’s something she isn’t saying. I move on to the facts for now. ‘You last saw her when?’

‘Tuesday.’ Stephanie’s voice is sharp.

It’s now Thursday. ‘Was that Tuesday night?’