After I’d told Jock what had happened, I called Seth McGuinness. McGuinness isn’t important in this story: he’s just an honest detective who was working night shift at the time. I didn’t know him, but Jock did, and told me to call him. 

McGuinness heard me out, and said that technically Curnow wouldn’t be a missing person, if he disappeared, for another day or two. But in practice the cops would be looking out for him, starting now. He made a joke about Jock, so I made one about Maynard. I was grinning when I hung up.

McGuinness turned out to be the first cop I actually chose to talk to from time to time, for the fun of it. And because it was useful to have an ally over on their side. But as I said, that’s not in this story. 

The next morning I was at work early, because I hadn’t slept well. Ana was there at reception, waiting for me.