Nolitha and Jakob opened the front door, noting, as they did so, that all the locks were still in place.

“They disabled the alarm!” said Jakob angrily, turning back into the house to quickly secure all the windows and to reset the alarm.

“We might have been murdered in our beds,” said Nolitha. The parents crossed the dark garden and got into their car. Nolitha could not help noticing what a fine night it was. The sky was clear and scattered with stars like diamonds. There was a little sliver of a moon riding high amongst them.

Where is my daughter? Nolitha thought to herself, almost asking the moon, who no doubt had seen everything that had gone on, while she and her husband had been asleep.

“Of course they have gone to some club or other,” said Jakob, swinging his car through the security gate and out into the dark and empty street.

Nolitha nodded. “Do you know where the clubs are?” she asked, trying to think of some names she might have overheard her students talking about. Her mind remained a blank.

“I know some of them,” said Jakob, as he clutched the steering wheel. “I’m always having to deal with students and parents and trouble at some club or other!”

Now suddenly Nolitha noticed that Jakob’s shirt was incorrectly buttoned. She reached over to try and re-button them, but Jakob brushed her hand away, irritated and angry.

They drove through the streets of their suburb in silence, and then turned onto the freeway.

They were lucky. The first club they tried was the Hot Spot.

Jakob pulled his car to a halt just next to where the crowds of young people were jostling together on the pavement.

“Stay here,” he said abruptly to his wife, as he got out and slammed the car door.

Nolitha turned in her seat and looked back to where Jakob was walking. He was taking long strides, his shirt tails flapping behind him.

A few club-goers noticed him approaching. They paused in their laughing and drinking to comment to each other and smile and laugh behind their hands.

It seemed to Nolitha that Jakob did not notice anyone who was not his daughter or her friend. She saw him begin to push his way through the pavement throng, and then he was swallowed up, and Nolitha could not see him anymore.

Nolitha sat in the car, and waited.

***

Tell us what you think: Are Busi’s parents doing the right thing? What will the girls’ reactions be to Jakob if he finds them?