Alicia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Justin had called every day since Sophie went missing, but today she hadn’t heard a thing from him. Her useless attempt to explain why she’d taken a decision to ruin his life had driven him to some darker place than he had already been in. She would never forget the emotion in his voice when he’d confirmed that Sophie had given him something worth living for.

Had given him, was the thought that had been plaguing her. Assisted by far too much wine, she’d drifted off to sleep with that thought in her head. Her nightmares had been as bad as her reality. She’d found herself in an Alice in Wonderland, haunted distortion of her house, where she heard her family – voices and laughter and tears emerging from rooms she couldn’t reach, no matter how hard she ran. Stairs – first one flight, then two – stretched before her like elongated rubber.

She’d left Justin in an empty house as haunted to him as hers was in her dreams, with nothing but the hope he might find Sophie. He’d been working on the studio to keep that hope alive. He would be so desperately lonely, so broken inside. She had to talk to him. If only to hear him say he didn’t want to talk to her, she had to hear his voice, know that he was all right physically, if not emotionally. Hesitating for a second, she selected his number, and her anxiety increased as his phone went straight to voicemail.

‘Any news?’ Jess asked worriedly, coming into the kitchen as Alicia keyed in a text.

‘No answer,’ Alicia said, fear that something had happened to him gnawing away at her insides. He might have simply decided to stop contacting her – he wasn’t beholden to her now, after all – but the nagging voice telling her something was wrong just wouldn’t go away.

‘He’s probably busy. Out searching, possibly?’ Jessica suggested, looking as concerned as Alicia felt. ‘He might be in a bad reception area. Have you tried the hospital?’

‘I’m doing that now,’ Alicia said, waiting for the hospital to pick up.

Finding out he wasn’t there either, apprehension settled like ice in the pit of her tummy. He might not want to talk to her – might never want to ever again – but for him to remain uncontactable when there was even the slightest possibility she might be trying to get in touch with news of Sophie, that just didn’t make sense.

‘Give him another half hour,’ Jessica said, looking worried now as she checked her own phone. She knew, too, Alicia thought, that Justin wouldn’t cut all contact under these circumstances.

He would call. Please let him call. Keying in a text to him, Alicia tried to quash the insistent niggle that told her he wouldn’t. An hour later, she was half out of her mind with worry and incapable of sitting still. She had no idea where he was. He’d been looking for Sophie in the most godforsaken places. He could be anywhere. Lying injured in some backstreet. Unable to get help. Unable to call for help.

He was adamant he would find Sophie – or die trying. He’d said it. Alicia knew he would go wherever his search took him, with no regard for his own safety.

She was about to call DI Taylor when her phone rang. Terror gripped her stomach as the detective’s number flashed up.

‘Alicia, it’s Justin…’ he said, and Alicia reeled as even more of her world fell apart.