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this morning’s newspaper. Is that so?’
    â€˜Yes, yes I am ...’ the voice continued to sound nervous and hesitant. ‘I think it may be my husband ... he vanished some time ago. In fact, I know it’s him.’
    â€˜I see.’ Hennessey spoke softly, hoping thereby to encourage the woman’s confidence. ‘Very well.’
    â€˜I am certain,’ the woman continued. ‘I am confident that that is a picture of my husband. It is him ... after all this time. It is him.’
    â€˜Your husband?’ Hennessey repeated. ‘I see.’
    â€˜Yes ... his name is ... was ... James Wenlock.’
    â€˜James Wenlock,’ Hennessey repeated as he wrote the name on his notepad.
    â€˜Yes, spelled exactly as it sounds ... spelled like the place in Shropshire, you know ... Wenlock Edge.’
    â€˜Yes ... yes.’ Hennessey wrote in his notepad.
    â€˜You know it?’ The woman remained hesitant.
    â€˜Well ... I know the location only by courtesy of the poem by AE Houseman,
On Wenlock Edge
,’ Hennessey explained, ‘so I have the correct spelling.’
    â€˜Yes, that’s it,’ the woman became more confident, ‘spelled as in the poem,
On
Wenlock Edge
. James, my husband, disappeared about ten years ago, at about just this time of year, in fact. He vanished as if into thin air ...’ the voice became excited, ‘ten years ago ... now his picture’s in the paper ... his e-fit or whatever it’s called, but it’s him, it’s him.’
    â€˜All right,’ Hennessey spoke in a calm voice, ‘so long as you’re sure, this is very good.’
    â€˜Yes, the e-fit has given him hair while in fact James was almost totally bald ... his nose was much smaller than the nose shown in the e-fit ... but the face, the cheekbones, his pointy little jaw, the high forehead, the overall thinness of his face ... I tell you, sir, it’s him all right ...’
    â€˜Good ... well, thank you for calling, Mrs Wenlock,’ Hennessey replied. ‘I assume it is Mrs Wenlock?’
    â€˜Yes, it is Mrs Wenlock; I have not reverted to my maiden name, nor remarried. It’s still Mrs Wenlock, it always will be. Never will change it.’
    â€˜Very well. What is your address, please, Mrs Wenlock?’
    Mrs Wenlock gave an address in Selby and added, ‘Is that all right? I mean, is it all right to call the police in York? It was the number printed in the newspaper.’
    â€˜It’s all right, Mrs Wenlock – it is the correct number that you phoned. The Vale of York police cover Selby.’ Hennessey allowed his calming smile to be heard down the phone line for the benefit of the anxious and excited Mrs Wenlock. ‘It’s all our area, or our patch, as we say, so no worries there. Can I ask if you’ll be at home this afternoon? I’d like to arrange for two of my officers to visit you to take a statement from you ... and also to ask you a few questions?’
    â€˜Oh, yes, I was going out – there is something I want to do, but for this I will stay at home ... for James I will stay at home, of course I will. Heavens ... it’s been a long ten years, so yes, yes, I’ll wait for the police.’
    â€˜I assume you reported your husband as a mis per?’ Hennessey asked.
    â€˜Mis per?’
    â€˜Sorry, police speak, I meant a missing person,’ Hennessey explained.
    â€˜Oh, yes, yes I did, but to the Wetherby police, not the York police.’ Mrs Wenlock was by then calming, quite rapidly.
    â€˜That’s all right. We’ll have the report here. After the person has been reported missing for more than forty-eight hours the information is sent here, to this police station to be placed in our archives.’ Hennessey continued to talk in a relaxed and an assured manner. ‘How old was Mr Wenlock when he disappeared?’
    â€˜Forty-six,’ Mrs Wenlock replied. ‘We were