She looked as if she was about to ask something else, but Erica interrupted. "Have you tidied up in here?"

"No need. Bruce is a neat little boy."

"Very," Erica said. "Noticed anything missing? Clothes, maybe? Money?"

"Money?" Mrs Wilson leaned back slightly, her head tilted to the side.

"I just wondered," Erica said. "Kids sometimes have a bit of cash stashed away."

"Not Bruce. He doesn't need money. What would he need with money? I have money."

"Clothes?" Erica's voice was calm but firm. "Any clothes missing?"

Mrs Wilson shook her head.

"Can you take a look, please," I said. "Just to make sure?"

"For God's sake." Mrs Wilson pulled out the drawers, scanned through the wardrobe. A couple of minutes later, she crossed her arms and said, "Everything's here. Apart from what he's wearing."

"And what was that?" Erica asked.

Mrs Wilson told us he was wearing his school uniform, and described it, and mentioned the Hearts scarf he liked, but wasn't allowed to wear in class. It matched the information we'd got from Dutton. At least he'd got something right.

I asked Mrs Wilson, "There's not one single photo of him?" I wondered what Uniform were working with. Just a description?

She looked as if she was going to leap across the room and choke me. But instead she said, "John was the positive one."

I had no idea what she was talking about. She must have picked up on my confusion.

"Bruce's dad," she said. "My husband. Remember?"

I nodded. "Yes, yes, John, of course," and no doubt sounded like a total idiot. But I hadn't forgotten her husband's name. I just didn't see how her reply had answered my question about Bruce's photo.

But who knew how her mind was working right now.

"You know what it's like not being able to say sorry?" Mrs Wilson asked, clenching her fists. "We'd argued, me and John. Just before… It was a silly thing, didn't know it would become important. He hadn't shaved for a couple of days."