Stevens woke up to a bright morning and, even though he’d had a late night, he was more energised than he had been for a while, determined to get to the bottom of the missing family case. He arrived at work to find the station quiet, only Jackson in the office. He looked around, frowning. ‘Where is everyone?’

Jackson looked up from his computer. ‘I’ve sent George up to HQ with all the evidence. Thought you’d want the fingerprints done and DNA checks on those bloodstains ASAP, and then there’s the phone to get unlocked and the laptop. Ailsa’s in your office, just trying to get hold of the guy in Dumfries again, to see if she can get more information.’

Stevens raised an eyebrow, impressed by the keenness of his team.

‘The ANPR has been checked for timings,’ Jackson continued, ‘but there’s no sign of Mrs Roberts on the motorways when she said she travelled up here. So she must have used the A roads, if her timings are right. Oh, and I’ve tried getting hold of Mr Roberts’ family at the farm again but there’s still nobody answering.’ Jackson grinned at his boss, clearly pleased with the progress they’d made. ‘And that’s where we’re up to.’

Stevens rubbed his chin while he thought. ‘Okay, well why don’t you come with me, and we’ll go and check out the witness at the café who responded to the appeal. Get that loose end tidied up.’

The café was only a short walk from the police station and the two officers strode down the pavement together, lost in their thoughts. The day was chilly but bright, snow capping the mountains, a slight breeze ruffling the surface of the lake, and it seemed far too cheerful given the possibilities they were investigating.

The café was only small, tucked round a corner, but every table was full. It probably wasn’t a good time to speak to the owner, Stevens realised. She came to the counter looking red-faced and flustered, wiping her hands on a tea towel. Her blue apron was speckled with chocolate powder and the sweet smell wafted around her like an invisible cloak.

‘I can see you’re busy,’ Stevens said. ‘We won’t take up too much of your time. We’re just following up a sighting of the missing family. I think they were seen in here on Friday. Someone rang after the social media appeal.’

‘Oh yes. That was Lucy.’ She nodded to a waitress who was serving a table by the door. ‘I’m sorry to ask you this, but there’s not much space in here. Would you mind having a chat with her outside?’

‘No, no that’s fine,’ Stevens said, turning to walk over to the waitress, Jackson right behind him.

The girl frowned, looking worried, her brow creased into delicate waves. She was only young, a school leaver by the looks of her, and as they stepped outside, she crossed her arms across her chest, shivering in the strengthening breeze.

‘I don’t think I can really tell you much,’ she said. ‘The man in the cap was sitting at the table by the window there.’ She indicated with her head. ‘When the family came in all the other tables were full and they went and sat with him. I’m not even sure they knew him.’

‘But they were chatting?’ Jackson took over the questions and Stevens let him, happy to watch the waitress’s reactions and listen.

‘Not for long. The man had been there for half an hour or so, and I think he was ready to go when they came in. To be honest, he looked a bit annoyed when they sat down.’

‘So how long were they sitting together for?’

‘Oh, it can’t have been more than five or ten minutes really. I was busy, honestly time just flies in here.’ She shrugged and looked apologetic. ‘I can’t be definite.’

‘Then he went and the family stayed?’

‘That’s right. The kids had milkshakes. That cheered them up a bit. They didn’t look very happy when they came in.’

‘What about the father?’

‘Hmm, well, he looked a bit rough.’

The girl’s mouth twisted from side to side, as if she was chewing over her words before speaking them. ‘There was something about them, though. The man in the cap seemed a bit… tense, I suppose. Jittery. He kept looking around. And –’ she screwed up her face as if she wasn’t sure – ‘I thought he passed something over the table. I just caught it out of the corner of my eye. But… I’ve been thinking about it and I can’t shake the feeling that’s what I saw.’

Stevens glanced at his constable, who raised an eyebrow. Drugs? That was Stevens’ first thought. This was surely evidence that would back up their theory of third-party involvement in the case.

‘Would you be able to give us a description of him? The man in the cap?’

She slowly shook her head. ‘Nothing that would help, I don’t think. He was big, well over six feet, broad, like he worked out. He had a beard, dark brown, but to be honest, that’s all I noticed.’ She shrugged. ‘I was so busy and his cap shaded his face, so I didn’t get a good look.’

Stevens gave her his card. ‘If you think of anything that would help us identify him, then give us a ring, would you?’ He smiled at her. ‘You’ve been a big help. Thank you.’

The girl gave him a nervous grin and went back into the café.

‘So, what do you make of that?’ Stevens asked Jackson, as he worked through the main points of the conversation in his mind.

‘My first thought is a drugs deal. Given what the wife told us.’

‘Hmm,’ Stevens scratched at the stubble on his chin. ‘I can’t help thinking we’ve been making a lot of assumptions based on what people have told us. People who’ve also lied.’ He turned and they started walking back to the station. ‘Let’s see if there’s anything from the Welsh police yet, then we’ll catch up with Ailsa and see where we’re up to.’

Jackson glanced at him. ‘Is it just me, or are we going round in circles with this one?’