‘She has.’ I haven’t let myself dwell on her disappearance too much over the past decade. Instead, I tried to get on with my life as best I could. Throwing myself into my work and family life. But today has brought up all the old feelings and resentments – my anger with Dad for not trying harder to search for her. The fact that it was all left to me. My fury with Dina that she thought so little of Dad and me to not even bother to keep in touch. My outrage at how she behaved the last time we spoke. And the unnamed fear that maybe something bad happened, preventing her from getting back in touch with us.

If she really is back in Shaftesbury again, I’ll have to confront all my simmering emotions. I won’t have a choice, and the thought terrifies me.

‘Are you all right?’ Celia jogs me out of my spiralling thoughts. ‘Do you want to tell me what happened?’

I hesitate and then let out a sigh. ‘It might be nothing. But as I was driving over to yours, I saw this striking couple walking down the street. They caught my eye. And the woman… she was petite. Wearing a red coat. She had this long dark hair and her face was…’ I break off, unable to continue for the moment.

‘She looked like your sister?’

I nod. ‘The spitting image.’

‘Oh, love.’ Celia comes and puts an arm around me, giving me a brief, comforting squeeze before sitting back down. ‘Did you stop the car? Speak to her?’

‘That’s the thing.’ I clasp my hands behind my head and push out a breath. ‘I wasn’t concentrating on the road, and that’s when I drove into the car in front. The driver was livid; it was a brand new car.’

‘Oh you poor thing.’ She gets up again. ‘Let me finish making us that coffee. I’ll put some sugar in yours.’

‘So by the time I’d exchanged details with the other driver, my sister had gone. I’m so annoyed with myself for not going straight after her.’

‘Did she see you?’

‘No, at least I don’t think so. Although the crash was quite loud, so I suppose she might have looked over. But even if they did see the crash, they didn’t stick around. As soon as I could get away, I scoured the roads nearby, but there was no sign of her or the man she was with.’ I let out a frustrated growl. ‘Why did I have to go into the back of that car?’

‘No good worrying about that now. What’s done is done. Have you told Toby yet?’

‘No, I came straight here. I think I should call the police, tell them there’s been a possible sighting of my sister.’

‘Good idea. But, Zoe…’

‘What?’