Longsight shared a computer specialist with another police station in the area. He was on call at all times and, in theory, would fix their terminals whenever there was a problem. His advice usually consisted of turning the machine off and then on again. If that didn’t work, he seemed as lost as anyone else.

He also looked very similar to Adrian Corless.

Adrian didn’t appear particularly happy but forced a smile after the two officers had introduced themselves. He had a weary look on his face as he said, ‘He’s not here’, then waved both women inside.

There were few niceties as he led them into a sparsely filled living room, offering them each a chair at the dining table. The house didn’t seem as if it had been decorated in the previous twenty years or so, with faded brown wallpaper and a patchy, thin dark blue carpet. Aside from an armchair facing a television and a round dining table with three hard wooden chairs, there was no other furniture in the room – not that there would have been much space in any case.

The two officers sat at the chairs by the table but, before they could say anything, Adrian pointed to the room behind them. ‘Do you really think I’d take my son and keep him here? I know it’s a complete shithole and I have to live here.’

Esther nodded gently towards Jessica, who spoke. ‘Why are you assuming that’s why we’re here?’

‘You’ve not found him, have you?’ Adrian was still standing but his tone was hopeful and sounded sincere.

Jessica replied. ‘I’m sorry, we haven’t.’

The man’s face fell. ‘So you are here because you think I’ve got Lloyd?’

Jessica figured a direct question was as good as any. ‘Have you?’

Adrian pointed to the rest of the room again. ‘No. I told your people that yesterday when they came round. Why aren’t you out there looking for him?’

‘We are looking for him but we have to examine all possibilities.’

Adrian sighed, running a hand across his head before sitting on the third chair at the dining table. ‘I know . . .’ He paused, leaning back into the seat and continuing. ‘Look, I know you’re only doing your jobs but he’s not here. He’s just not. Whenever it’s my day for visits, I try to take the boys out so they only have to sleep here. I don’t know why Rach is saying I took him. Maybe it’s to get back at me or perhaps she’s just hoping.’

The two women exchanged a glance. Jessica believed him and it was clear from the look in Esther’s eyes that she did too.

‘Can you think of anyone who might want to take Lloyd?’ Esther asked. Adrian shook his head. ‘Your ex-wife says there was some sort of issue between you regarding access?’ she added.

Adrian stood and let out another large sigh. ‘It was my idea to break up, did she tell you that? She’s just . . . she’s a pain in the arse, I can’t think of a better way to put it. When we got together, we had a good time. My mum didn’t want us to get married but we did anyway – but that was partly because Rach was already pregnant. First Marcus and then Lloyd came along, we just got into a routine.’

He had started to pace and it felt like he was talking to himself. He wasn’t facing the officers and Jessica thought he was speaking to clear his own thoughts as much as anything else. ‘For the first few years, I used to work with computers,’ he continued. ‘I was the main IT guy for this call-centre place up in Preston. It was good money and we saved loads for the wedding and had all sorts of plans to get a bigger house and so on. Then the company was bought out and I lost my job. I got bits and bobs from the job centre but that’s where it started to go wrong.’

Jessica resisted an urge to smile at the revelation Adrian had worked fixing computers. Even though it wasn’t necessarily relevant to the case, she was interested in where the story was heading. She knew from experience that sometimes the best way to get information was to stay quiet and let them speak.

Adrian didn’t seem to know if he wanted to sit or stand but ended up resting his hands on the back of the chair, leaning forward. He made eye contact with both women, then stood and started pacing again. ‘Look, I’m not perfect but I love my kids, I just couldn’t get on with her any more. We both knew things were shit, I was just the one who admitted it first. She wanted the boys and so did I. My solicitor told me there was no point in going to court because the mother always wins. I did it anyway, even though I ended up paying him most of my wages and now I have to live here. The judge ruled for her and I get them every other weekend.’

‘When was the last time you saw Lloyd?’ Esther asked.

‘Weekend before last. I took him and Marcus to the football on Saturday. We were going to do something on the Sunday but it rained all day.’

‘You’ve not seen either of them since?’

‘No. I didn’t even find out Lloyd had gone missing until one of you contacted me. Rach hasn’t bothered to call. The worst thing is that she’s telling you I’ve got our son and, while you’re here talking to me, he could be anywhere. I went out last night, driving around in case I saw him anywhere. Then I had to come back here and answer questions. Now I’m doing it again.’

‘Where were you yesterday afternoon between 3p.m. and 5p.m.?’ Esther asked. Both officers had already read the answer in the file.

‘I was here, on my own, watching TV.’

As alibis went, Jessica knew it was pretty terrible.

Adrian stepped away from the table and stopped pacing, holding his arms out wide. ‘There’s not much else I can say, just look around for yourself and then, when you’re done, can you please get on with finding my son?’

The two women looked at each other and then stood in unison. Adrian turned around and sat on the armchair, switching on the television with a remote control. Esther left the living room, entering a small kitchen with Jessica just behind her. Together they walked into the hallway and up the stairs. Looking around someone’s house wouldn’t usually be so straightforward but, as the man had offered, there was no reason to turn him down.

‘Seems fairly genuine, doesn’t he?’ Jessica asked when they reached the top and were out of his possible earshot.

‘Yeah, he’s got a point too. If Rachel’s busy telling everyone who’ll listen that he’s involved when he’s not, it’s just taking resources away from where we should be looking.’ Esther clearly believed what he had said, as much as Jessica did.

‘Maybe the break-up was so bitter she can’t see past it?’ Jessica suggested.

‘Probably, but it’s pretty stupid if that’s the case. I’ll see what I can get out of her when I go back.’

‘It might be just blind hope that Lloyd’s safe and that Adrian’s got him somewhere? At least then he wouldn’t be hurt.’

There were three closed doors at the top of the stairs. ‘Which one do you want?’ Esther asked.

Jessica pointed to the one on their left. ‘I’m guessing that’s the Presidential suite, so I’ll have that.’

Esther stepped towards the opening on their right as Jessica opened the door she had chosen. It certainly wasn’t anything approaching ‘Presidential’ on the inside. There was no carpet or wooden flooring, leaving the floorboards exposed. A single bed with a metal frame was pushed up against the back wall, the only other furniture a single chest of drawers that was almost as big as the bed. Despite its size, clothes were strewn across the floor and, because of the adult-sized shirts, T-shirts and jeans in the pile, it seemed a fair assumption this was Adrian’s own room. Jessica looked around the door, checking the ceiling for an attic but she couldn’t see anything of note and turned back around.

The room Esther had gone into was the only one that seemed to be decorated. There was a new carpet on the floor, the walls unmarked and recently painted. Two single beds were made up with matching bedding and a portable television was on a chest of drawers.