This might all be nothing. I’ll call you if—’
‘It’s not nothing.’ She held his gaze determinedly. ‘You know it’s not. Unless you gave it to her, how would your ex-wife have my mobile number? And why would she call me?’
‘I didn’t give her your number. I … I don’t know.’ He kneaded his forehead.
‘I’m coming with you. I have to.’ Determined that he wouldn’t stop her, she moved past him towards his car.
‘Sarah, please, just let me deal with this.’ He was close behind her. ‘If she has anything to do with this, which I’m struggling to believe, it’s highly unlikely she’ll be at home. Please trust me: you being there won’t help. It might even make matters worse.’
Incite her to do something? Was that what he meant? He was frightened, the fear in his eyes tangible.
‘She does have something to do with it, I’m sure of that.’ Sarah hesitated. ‘She lost her child, Joe. I’m going on nothing but my gut feeling, but it seems to me she wants me to suffer the same loss. I have to be there, don’t you see? If she’s … If he’s still …’ She faltered, her heart wrenching unbearably. ‘She might realise that he needs me, that he needs his mummy.’
Joe nodded sharply, released the locks and yanked the driver’s door open. ‘Make sure to fasten your belt,’ he said throatily.
Fifty-Nine
Joe pulled up close to the building where he’d shared an apartment with Courtney. ‘That’s hers,’ he said, nodding through the windscreen.
Sarah looked up to the apartment he indicated, a corner penthouse on a development of waterside properties refurbished sympathetically to preserve the history of the area. It had large Victorian windows overlooking the deep basin and huge locks where canal and river combined. There was a straight drop into the basin under two of the windows, Sarah realised, her breath stalling. On the other outer-facing wall of the apartment, running the length of two windows and a set of patio doors, was a long balcony. The one where Joe had found his ex-wife attempting to take her own life, she thought, cold foreboding washing through her.
‘You might do better to stay here.’ He turned to her, his eyes filled with trepidation, sending a fresh prickle of fear down her spine.
‘Joe, I can’t. I have to know.’ He couldn’t stop her, he wouldn’t try, but she willed him to understand. ‘I might be horribly mistaken. I—’ She stopped as her phone rang again, causing her heart to jolt in her chest.
She checked it. ‘It’s her,’ she said, her stomach turning over.
Joe nodded tersely. ‘Can you put it on speaker?’ he said, his eyes growing a shade darker.
Her hands trembling, Sarah did as he asked, then breathed deeply to stop the tears flowing. ‘Courtney?’ she said, trying to relate to her while her world was collapsing around her. ‘Do you have him? Please tell me. Is Ollie—’
‘He really is a beautiful little boy, isn’t he?’ The woman cut across her.
‘What do you want?’ Sarah swallowed back the shard of glass in her throat. ‘Why have you—’
‘You know what they say.’ The woman sighed expansively. ‘Fair exchange is no robbery. You stole what’s mine …’
Oh God. Nausea burning her throat, Sarah locked petrified eyes with Joe.
Inhaling hard, Joe reached for the phone. ‘Courtney,’ he grated. ‘What in God’s name … Courtney! Fuck it!’ Ramming his door open, he pulled his own phone out, radioing for help with one hand as he raced towards the apartments, calling someone on his phone with the other.
Her heart pelting in her chest, Sarah spilled out after him, catching up with him as he punched a security code into the intercom at the entrance. ‘Kayla? Joe,’ he said into his phone, swinging the door open and pushing through to the foyer. ‘She’s fine. She’s here with me. I’ve called it in, but I need backup fast, no sirens. My old address, Severn House apartments. I think Ollie may be here.’
Jabbing the lift buttons, he cursed liberally. ‘Where is the fucking thing?’ Glancing up at the elevator display, he dragged a hand over his face, then, ‘Jesus, Sarah, I’m sorry,’ he said, his voice choked. ‘Why the hell didn’t I—’
‘The stairs,’ Sarah stopped him. The lift wasn’t coming. It was stuck, sitting on the third floor while … She would kill her. She would kill her if she harmed one hair on her baby’s head.
‘Shit!’ Stumbling as she climbed, her shin screaming with pain, Sarah limped upwards, waving Joe on