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would she? Not our Karen. Summat bad must have happened or she would have got in touch. The kids are up the wall…’
    ‘Have you any idea why she might have driven up to Bently, that big Forestry Commission plantation beyond Haworth?’ Mower asked.
    ‘I’ve no bloody idea,’ Bastable said. ‘I didn’t know there was a plantation beyond Haworth. I’ve never bleeding heard of it.’
    ‘Well, in view of the fact that her car was found abandoned in such a remote spot, we’ll have to start a search up there,’ Mower said carefully. ‘There’s still no firm evidence that anything untoward has happened to your wife, Mr Bastable, but it’s looking more likely than yesterday.’
    ‘I told this P—, this officer , that summat untoward had happened, didn’t I?’ Bastable spat back. ‘Karen would never have just gone off wi’out a word. Never.’
    ‘There is just one thing you could do at this stage to help us,’ Nasreem said calmly. ‘Would you let me have a look round the house, just to get an idea of what she was like, the sort of clothes she wore, that sort of thing?’ It was obvious from Bastable’s face that he wanted to say no, but he glanced at Mower’s implacable expression and thought better of it.
    ‘I suppose so,’ he said, addressing Mower again. ‘Though I’ve told her already.’ He scowled in Nasreem’s direction. ‘She’s taken nowt with her that I know of.’ PC Mirza glanced at Mower, who nodded, and she left the room to go upstairs. From below they could hear her moving quickly around thebedroom above them, opening drawers and cupboards. Bastable sat forward, as if tensed to spring out of his chair. His hostility to Nasreem Mirza was palpable and Mower determined to warn her sergeant not to send her here on her own again.
    ‘Calm down, Mr Bastable,’ he said. ‘This is all just routine.’
    ‘Not for me, it’s bloody not,’ Bastable grunted.
    ‘So tell me some more about Karen. What about her friends?’ Mower asked. ‘Have you contacted anyone to ask if they know where she might have gone?’
    Bastable glared at Mower for a long moment before he replied.
    ‘What friends?’ he asked. ‘You mean a boyfriend? You mean she might have a boyfriend?’ His colour rose and for a moment Mower thought that he might take a swing at him with one of his fiercely clenched fists.
    ‘I didn’t mean that,’ Mower said quietly. ‘Though if you’ve any evidence…?’ He left the question hanging in a heavy silence. Bastable did not reply and gradually he sank back into his chair, deflated.
    ‘I meant her friends, girlfriends, workmates perhaps, or women she goes out with occasionally. Anyone she worked with who she might have talked to?’ Mower persisted. ‘She must have some women friends, surely.’
    ‘Girls’ nights out, you mean? She doesn’t do owt like that,’ Bastable said. ‘I don’t like gangs of women out to get pissed. That’s no way for a married woman to behave. Mind you…’ He stopped again. ‘Just recently, she’s been out a few times with Charlene.’
    ‘Who’s Charlene?’
    ‘I’ve not met her. She talks about someone called Charleneat her work,’ Bastable said. ‘You’d have to ask at Shirley’s.’
    ‘Right, I’ll check her out,’ Mower promised. PC Mirza came back into the room and shook her head imperceptibly and the sergeant got to his feet.
    ‘We’ll launch a search around where the car was found, probably later today, Mr Bastable,’ he said. ‘But it’s an isolated spot and it’ll take some time. We’ll keep you in touch with what’s happening, and if there’s anything else that you think we should know, don’t hesitate to contact us, will you?’
    Bastable had slumped in his chair now, his eyes closed.
    ‘She wouldn’t have gone of her own free will,’ he muttered. ‘Not Karen. Summat bad’s happened to her. I know it has.’
    Back in the car, Mower glanced at Nasreem.
    ‘What did you think?’ he asked.
    ‘It all