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‘Hi, babe’

‘Chris, you need to ring Carol Standish’

Carol was the locum who had replaced Cat for her maternity leave She was new to Lafferton, seehtly cold They were lucky to get her, locu’

‘She will be now I’?

I don’t want to go in that car again I just want to go hoame? Or a dare?

That’s OK but can it finish now and say you won it?

Don’t pull my arm, it hurts where you pulled it before, it really, really hurts … don’t pull it

I don’t want to go in that car but I will, I will go in it, please don’t pull my arm

It’s dark

It’s always dark

I haven’t seen the daylight for a long tio everywhere in the dark?

I’ to different places

Why are ays going so way from home now

I don’t like that

I wish you would stop

Please stop

Twenty-nine

The DCI looked round the room He could see it in their faces Exhaustion Disappointment Flickers of stubborn determination But no hope They expected the worst now It was only a question of when

‘OK, the reconstruction thiswasn’t worth much … the rain altered the scenario of course but it wasn’t only that … no one ca because no one did see anything … si’

‘Guv, a o there was a call in fro about the recon, but he just heard about it at work’

Serrailler reainst the rain ‘Is he coet off work sooner He re’

A couple of people in the roo else?’

‘Not so far’

‘Thanks, everyone I kno frustrating this is but we can’t let up’

‘Guv? What do we really think here?’

‘I’ We redouble our efforts to find him, Jenny We have no other option’

Serrailler walked out of the roo the usual subdued buzz as the relief broke up

‘He knows he’s dead,’ Jenny Humble said, ‘why the hell doesn’t he just come out with it?’

Nathan Coates turned on her ‘If he is, ain’t we still got to find hi and never finding, you ask anyone out there who’s had so, they’ll tell you’

‘My dad spent a week doing nothing but look for our dog He’s never given up really, still thinks it’ll co’

The rooed shut

Si down on to the car park It was gone noon and still only half light He felt as if he had lived through a century since getting up that

‘Chief Constable for you, sir’

Here we go, he thought wearily … Why no progress? … What exactly are you …

‘Si, ma’am’

Paula Devenish was one of feomen chief constables, in her late forties and a police officer since she enty, with a QPM and a o and turned the county police around, the crietic, frighteningly knowledgeable about all aspects of policing, and hands-on She was also approachable and syreat deal

‘How is everybody bearing up? I knohat these cases are like when days go by and there’s nothing … everyone feels frustrated’

‘That’s just what they are … determined and frustrated We’re asto come into the station on Friday, but will you put the word about that I’ot at when they’re already under so much pressure’

‘Thank you, ma’am, I will They’ll appreciate it The tea the boy will do that, but I’ll trythe day off?’

‘Ma’am?’

‘I’ve just heard about your sister’

It was one of the things that gave the CC such a for al personal matters like this

‘Take a couple of days’ leave … you’ll be at the end of the phone if you’re needed’

The rain had cleared for theclouds Car lights were on A wo a child took a chance and darted across the road in front of hied the flat of his hand on the hooter, startling her andthe child cry

He eased his foot off the accelerator

Martha was in his head He knew that what had happened, the quiet death in her sleep, was the right end to her hopeless life … for it had been hopeless, he would not lie to himself He was not sorry for her, he was sorry for himself The closeness he had felt to her had been severed abruptly, his feelings left in limbo There was no one noards whom they could be directed Her death left an uneasy, unhappy holloithin hi in front of the range waiting for the kettle to boil and to his surprise she was in her own, her hair down as she never let anyone see it

She turned as Simon went in, and he put his arms round her Without entler too The polished surface she always presented to the world often seemed to hihtly to hian to sing

‘I went to see her Then I’m afraid I cas out for a while’

He had never known her do such a thing in her life before He wondered how his father was dealing with Martha’s death, which he had so long and loudly anticipated

‘I’,’ Meriel Serrailler said, ‘I cried all the tears I had for her years ago Do you understand that?’