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  The two children followed him, excitedly taking in their surroundings, and Kate smiled at Joseph and his wife, saying neutrally, ‘Please, let’s go out on to the patio and I’ll pour us some drinks.’ As they followed her she said, ‘This is my friend and colleague Megan McFee. She will be taking the tests while the children are otherwise engaged.’ She smiled over her shoulder at Bella, aware that she had asserted her power.

  Twenty minutes later, the joyful shrieks of Amanda filled the air, and Patrick watched greedily as the children made themselves at home. Bella was quiet, but Kate noticed that she missed nothing, especially when Bev brought out the food she had prepared that morning. Her first impressions had been spot on. This was a bitch of a woman, and Kate was sad, because if this was all going to turn out to be true, she knew they would have to find some common ground if they were to make any kind of headway towards a relationship. She saw Joseph raise his eyebrows at his tiny wife and felt inordinately pleased; it seemed she wasn’t the only one who had noticed the woman’s calculated indifference to her.

  Megan observed it too and remarked succinctly so only Kate could hear, ‘Ooh, Kate, beware short-arsed women, especially if they have snared a handsome man!’

  Kate laughed with her, but she didn’t really think it was very funny. She didn’t like this disruption to her life – or to be made to feel second class in her own home! – and she admitted that she felt threatened by this new-found family of Patrick’s. At least what she was feeling was natural – after all, she had had him to herself for so long. But if this turned out to be true, she knew her life would be changed in so many ways, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

  She hated to admit it, but she was jealous of what these beautiful and well-behaved children would mean to Patrick, and she was ashamed of herself. But she couldn’t deny her feelings; she was nothing if not honest, with herself at any rate.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Annie Carr was irritated beyond measure. As Margaret Dole trawled more and more CCTV, it was becoming obvious that they were chasing what was, in effect, a ghost. The houses’ CCTV seemed concentrated on their properties, not on the road outside, which made sense but was bloody frustrating. Every homeowner had given up their footage readily, and no one had refused the search teams’ entry. They wouldn’t; these were nice roads with nice people who only wanted to help. But there was nothing of any use.

  ‘Have you looked at all the traffic cams?’

  Margaret nodded wearily. ‘If it’s been on film then I’ve accessed it, Annie. I’ve even hacked a few of the private cameras along the main roads. There’s nothing that stands out. After she leaves her house there’s absolutely nothing.’

  ‘For fuck’s sake, this is ridiculous! All this screaming and hollering about invasion of privacy and we can’t even spot the child within a ten-minute walk!’

  DC Karim groaned. This was so difficult for the team – they all felt helpless. There was literally nothing to prove the child ever existed after she left for school.

  ‘We are missing something, people, but I’m fucked if I know what.’

  No one answered; there was nothing to say.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Patrick was trying to maintain a smile as he listened to Bella droning on and on about how she loved his home, and asking him questions about his life that he would rather not answer.

  Joseph nodded at Kate and went to sit beside his wife, saying loudly, ‘I think it’s time the kids were dried and dressed, darling, don’t you?’

  Bella looked at her husband for long seconds before she stood up and made her way to the pool area, but anyone could see she wasn’t happy about it.

  Joseph grinned ruefully at Patrick and said quietly, ‘It’s nerves with her, believe it or not. She finds it hard to be herself, that’s all.’

  Patrick understood it was an apology but was not going to say a word against the pretty woman who had a voice that could crack cement. Instead he said levelly, ‘This is a lot to take in, mate.’

  Joseph grinned ruefully, saying, ‘It’s that all right. I know this sounds silly – naïve even – but I do think there is a link between us, Patrick. I know my mum was a bit of a girl, but she wouldn’t lie about something so important. I felt she needed to get it off her chest before she died.’

  His voice was sad and instinctively Patrick grabbed his arm and squeezed it gently. ‘Well, son, we will know soon enough.’

  Joseph nodded.

  Suddenly the children were running back in, all noise and good-natured bantering. It broke the spell, and Kate realised in that moment that her life as she knew it was finished. She watched calmly as Bella sat down in the chair she had vacated earlier, and with a smug little smile she picked up her gin and tonic and sipped it daintily.

  As she looked around her, Kate felt sure the woman was mentally calculating how much it was all worth.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Stephen Carter was tall for his age and powerfully built; at fifteen he was already a man. His deep brown eyes and thick brown, unruly hair gave him the look of a Greek god – and, from what Annie had gathered, to the girls of Grantley Comprehensive that is exactly what he was. She could see the attraction; he was totally unaware of his handsome features and he had the manners of a gentleman. Coupled with the fact he could obviously look after himself, if needs be, he was quite the lethal combination.

  She and Karim were back at the school interviewing the boys Destiny had said the girls saw the night before Kylie’s disappearance. Mr Yalding sat discreetly at the back of the room, while Annie and Karim questioned the boys. They’d already seen Michael Stotter and Todd Richards, who’d been co-operative but really had no information of use. Now it was Stephen’s turn.

  ‘It’s awful what happened to Kylie. I mean, it’s something you read about in the papers, it’s not something you think could happen in your own hometown to someone you actually know.’

  Annie let Stephen speak; she knew that once he had exhausted his fear and anger he would be easier to talk to.

  ‘I had seen her the night before, you know? I never dreamt . . . I mean, you wouldn’t think that you were never going to see her again, would you?’ He lowered his eyes and said quietly, ‘She was flirting with me in Starbucks, but she’s far too young for me. Anyway, I’ve known her since primary school, and I always found her vacuous. I feel terrible about that now. All she talked about was TOWIE and other reality TV rubbish . . .’

  Annie nodded in sympathy. She could see the guilt was eating at him, but she knew that kids were, above all, resilient and he would get over it sooner than he thought.

  ‘Did you notice anyone watching her, or paying her attention?’

  The boy shrugged. ‘Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have noticed if there was someone. Like I said, I knew her from school, said hello, we bought our drinks and went our separate ways – there was a big crowd of us. I wish I could be of more help.’

  Annie exchanged a glance with Karim and sighed heavily. They were back to square one.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Patrick was pouring himself a large whisky, and Kate nodded as he pointed at another glass – his way of offering her a drink. He brought it over and they sat together companionably, each sipping the golden liquid, both immersed in their own thoughts.

  Patrick suddenly swallowed down his drink in one swift gulp. ‘I think it went well today. Those kids are diamonds – well spoken, well behaved. I think Joseph is a man anyone would be proud to call a son. But that fucking wife of his! Do you know she actually asked me how much this place was worth?’

  Kate felt the laughter bubbling up inside her though she tried not to show it – it was such an absurd situation – but knowing that Patrick felt the same way about his new-found daughter-in-law pleased her no end.

  ‘She is a bit of a marler, as my old mum would say, Kate. Nose that could pick a winkle, sticking it into my entire private fucking business. Cheeky mare.’

 
Kate smiled. ‘Maybe Joseph was right saying she was just nervous, Pat.’ She was trying to be fair but it wasn’t easy.

  Patrick laughed ruefully. ‘She thought you was the hired help, I think. I saw the way she blanked you when they first arrived. I know women like her – she’s just after the main chance. She was practically working out how much I had, like a human calculator. She’s a fucking snob. Even her accent’s false.’

  He was quiet for a few seconds, so Kate said kindly, ‘Well, if this is all going to turn out to be true, you’d best get used to playing Happy Families.’

  Patrick put his arm around her and squeezed her to him. ‘Happy Families? More like Cluedo. Bella in the library with the candlestick.’

  Kate found herself laughing then; really laughing, and it felt good.

  ‘You know something though, Kate – and I am not a sentimental old fucker – but I felt a real sense of blood there. Especially when little Mandy came and sat by me, chatting about her day. And that lad, well, he even supports West Ham. That has to be in the genes, girl.’

  Kate was still laughing as she said, ‘Oh well, if he supports West Ham, that clinches it.’

  They were laughing together now, but in the back of her mind Kate was worried. She hated this jealousy that was rearing up inside her. It brought back painful memories of her ex-husband, Dan, and his legions of women. It also brought back memories of Patrick’s affair with Danny Foster’s sister, Eve, when they’d parted briefly a few years back. Luckily Eve was firmly ensconced in Majorca, having found herself a wealthy older gentleman to keep her in the style she felt she deserved. Kate was only too glad to see her out of her orbit even though she knew any allure Eve had held for Patrick was long gone. Kate knew it was beneath her – she knew that Patrick loved her – but she didn’t relish the idea of sharing him with anyone – especially not this family, even though she liked Joseph very much, and the children were delightful.

  Patrick had called the girl Mandy, only to be sharply rebuked by Bella, who had said sternly, ‘It’s Amanda. I do so hate shortened names.’

  Patrick had let it slide, but Kate was aware it had irritated him beyond measure. There was a wasp in this particular honeypot, and Bella was out for what she could get and would likely stop at nothing to take what she wanted. At least forewarned was forearmed, something that Kate had learned many years before.

  She would do a bit of digging and see what came up on Mrs Bella O’Loughlin, although for now she wisely kept this information to herself.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  DC Ali Karim was drinking tea in the canteen when Annie came and sat beside him. The mood in the station was sombre, but that was to be expected. A murder case was always hard on everyone, but doubly so when it was a child.

  ‘All right, Ali?’

  He nodded and they sat together in companionable silence for a while, drinking their teas, until Ali said seriously, ‘Did you notice his watch?’

  Annie raised her eyebrows a fraction. ‘Whose watch?’

  ‘That lad, Stephen Carter – his watch was a Tag Heuer. Not much change out of two grand. Pretty expensive for a schoolboy from Grantley Comprehensive.’

  Annie let his words sink in; she had not noticed the watch, but it did seem a bit excessive for the school he was at. ‘We’ll make a detective of you yet, boy!’

  They laughed together.

  Annie liked Ali a lot. He had a great mind, very analytical. ‘I think we should see if there’s a reason to visit him on his own territory, eh?’

  Ali nodded. ‘Whatever you say, boss.’

  They went back to their teas, both deep in thought.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  ‘Honestly, Bella, I despair of you at times. Why can’t you just relax for once? Kate Burrows is a pretty nice woman – with impressive credentials, I might add. The children took to her. And let’s face it – if this turns out to be on the level, she’s going to be a part of our lives given that she lives with Patrick. You’d do well to remember that.’

  Bella, when she had the petulant look on her, appeared almost ugly and it pained Joseph to see her like that. It galled him that there were times when he actually disliked her. Today was one of those days. She had deliberately set out to stake a claim, and it had backfired big time.

  He could tell that Patrick Kelly had taken one look at Bella and decided she was not a person who evoked warm feelings, as he had found out himself during his marriage. She was jealous to the point of mania about him and the children, and she was also avaricious, determined to have a lifestyle that was, quite honestly, beyond him – and he didn’t earn pennies. But seeing her ogling Patrick Kelly’s house and picturing herself lording it over Kate had inspired a deep resentment inside him, more than ever before.

  The children had enjoyed the day so much, and they had both liked Patrick and Kate, especially Joey Junior. He had sat and chatted to Kate for ages, fascinated by her past role as a detective. She had played down the more gruesome aspects of her job and had even made him laugh at times with her memories of being on the beat and dealing with drunks and other less fortunates. She had an integrity that appealed to Joseph, as well as his son; he also guessed that was what had attracted Patrick Kelly. Kate was still a beautiful woman and they were a solid couple.

  He just hoped that, whatever the outcome, Bella would rein in her natural knack for putting people’s backs up. The only person she had ever given the impression of liking was his mother, but he guessed that was because Ruby had known how to handle her. With people like Bella outright flattery went a long way. Plus Bella knew, if he had been asked to make a choice, his mother would have won hands down. It was the one thing Bella had been frightened of and, as she had nothing to do with her own family, his mother had been a free babysitter, plus she cooked and helped out around the house, which was something Bella relished. They had a cleaner who came every Friday, and Bella spoke to her like she was someone on Downton Abbey.

  He sighed inwardly. That Bella loved him, he had no doubt. But his own love for her was wearing thinner by the day. Jealousy like Bella’s was a disease, a canker that eventually pushed away everyone that they were close to. Bella didn’t even have any friends – not real friends, anyway. She was far too competitive for that. Even the other mums at the school avoided her like the plague, and that grieved him. It wasn’t healthy.

  Amanda ran into his office, smelling of chlorine and with her thick dark hair still damp. ‘Oh, Daddy, what a wonderful day swimming!’

  She prattled on about everything, and Joseph held her on his lap and cuddled her tightly. He would be glad when this waiting was over and they knew the score, once and for all. He found that he hoped he was a blood relative, because he genuinely liked the man Patrick Kelly – not what he owned or represented or purloined. Just him as a person. He had seen a reflection of himself a few times today. Never having had a father, he was intrigued by what it would be like to suddenly acquire one at this stage of his life.

  He looked at a picture of Ruby on his desk, and smiled sadly. God knew he missed her.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  It really cheered him up looking at the pictures.

  He loved his Polaroids, they were such vibrant colours – and, of course, no one would ever know about them but him. No trail to be found on the internet; oh no, he liked his old Polaroids.

  The one of Kylie’s terrified eyes was his favourite picture. He had taken it just after he had lit the blowtorch, and he smiled at the memory. She had been as meek as a lamb until then. She had struggled, of course, but not too much – a couple of well-placed punches to her abdomen had made sure of that.

  The main thing for him was the fear. That was what really interested him. As much as he loved inflicting pain – and he had always enjoyed that, even as a small child – it was the fear that really set him off. He could almost smell it.

  Kylie had been everything he had thought she would be – both pliable and stupid. He was still admiring his handiwork
when he realised it was getting late, so he put his photos away and went for a nice long shower, humming away, wrapped up in his own happiness.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  ‘Honestly, Kate, it’s like she disappeared in a puff of smoke. I have never seen anything like this.’

  Kate nodded in sympathy at Annie’s words, which were filled with despair. She knew better than anyone how frustrating a case could be when it seemed as if you had hit a dead end before you had even started. She poured her friend more wine and watched as Annie lit yet another cigarette, even though she still had one burning in the ashtray.

  ‘No one, and I mean no one, seems to have seen anything. There’s no DNA to be found. Nothing.’

  Kate smiled ruefully. ‘That’s all thanks to the internet, TV programmes and books. There’s nothing you can’t find out if you really want to. I read recently that, in the US, juries aren’t so ready to convict because of programmes like CSI, where they make arrests on the slimmest of evidence. It’s a fucking joke! But remember this, Annie, eventually they all make mistakes, it’s human nature.’

  Annie sipped her wine and smiled wanly. ‘That is what I keep telling myself. But Christ, Kate, I just know this fucker is going to do this again.’

  Kate sipped her own wine and nodded. ‘Oh, without a doubt – he’s got a taste for it now, darling. Did you check all other data bases? See anything similar?’

  ‘There’s nothing, and we cast the net wide but fuck-all matches this fucker’s MO.’ Annie sighed heavily, and they were both quiet for a few moments. ‘Anyway, how about you? Any news yet?’