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It’s switched off. I’ve left a message. I wanted to wait until she came back but Jessica’s mummy insisted that we call you straightaway.’
    ‘Of course she did. Time is vital.’ Mariner glanced towards Glover and Mann. ‘These officers will need to search the building and grounds. It may seem unnecessary but we need to ensure that Jessica is definitely missing. Meanwhile I need to ask a few questions. Is there somewhere we can go to talk?’ Mariner asked.
    ‘The main office is in here.’
    Walking past them, Samantha pushed open the nearest door on their left, which opened into little more than a large cupboard crammed with two desks at right angles, a tower of filing cabinets and shelves bowed beneath the weight of dozens of ring binders. Every inch of wall space was covered with paper. A monochrome split-screen CCTV played four mini silent movies at them from one of the desks.
    Squashed into the tiny area of free space, knees almost touching, were two more women. The younger one wore a uniform identical to Samantha’s and seemed to be ministering to the other, who from the raw, swollen face, Mariner deduced as Jessica’s mother. ‘Thank God!’ She jumped up recognising immediately who they were. Her face contorted with emotion. ‘Somebody’s taken my daughter. You have to find her.’
    ‘We will Mrs O’Brien—’ began Mariner, recalling the details passed on by Mann. ‘I’m Detective Inspector Mariner and I’ll be leading the search for your daughter. First of all I need to speak to the staff to establish exactly what has happened. While I’m doing that, Millie Khatoon, our family liaison officer is going to sit with you for a few minutes, and will be able to explain to you what’s going on.’ Mariner glanced up at Samantha. ‘Is there somewhere quieter where PC Khatoon can take Mrs O’Brien?’ Mariner asked.
    ‘They could go upstairs to the staff room.’
    ‘Mrs O’Brien.’ Millie stepped in to take control.
    ‘Miss,’ the distraught woman cut in, automatically.
    ‘I’m sorry?’
    ‘It’s Miss O’Brien.’
    ‘Okay, Miss O’Brien. Why don’t you come with me?’
    ‘It’s at the top of the stairs and on the—’ Samantha said.
    ‘We’ll find it.’ Khatoon was already halfway up the stairs, ushering a bewildered Emma O’Brien before her.
    Mariner watched them go before entering the office. ‘Okay, Samantha, let’s just go through the sequence of events.’ Samantha automatically placed herself behind the desk, leaving Mariner and Knox to the chairs on the opposite side recently vacated by Emma O’Brien and her consoler. She’d picked up an elastic band and was stretching it over her fingers as she talked.
    ‘When did you first realise that Jessica was missing?’ Mariner asked.
    ‘About four o’clock, when her mummy came to fetch her. She just wasn’t there.’
    Mariner automatically glanced at his watch. That was fifty minutes ago.
    ‘How many ways are there into and out of the nursery?’
    ‘Just the entrance where you came in. There are patio doors at the back of the nursery that lead into the garden, but they can only be opened from the inside. And there’s a fire door off the kitchen, but if someone wanted to get in through there they’d have to get over a high fence at the side.’
    ‘And the main entrance has a security pad. Who knows the code for that?’
    ‘Only permanent members of staff.’
    ‘You don’t give it out to parents?’
    ‘Everyone else has to ring the bell.’
    ‘And is everyone buzzed in by you in this office?’
    Samantha shook her head. ‘Sometimes Mrs Barratt or I get called away, so there are door releases in a couple of the rooms too.’
    ‘Do they have cameras?’
    ‘No, but there’s an intercom.’
    ‘So people can be let in by simply identifying themselves verbally.’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘But everyone who comes in would have to ring the bell and make themselves known to a member of staff.’
    ‘Yes. Unless—’ She tailed