dark ginger beard, buzz-cut short hair. Thick neck. Nose kinked in the middle from some long-ago break.
An unpleasant buzz of fear loosens my stomach. I cross my arms over my chest.
‘That’s him,’ I say. ‘Dominic. The guy who abducted us on Tuesday.’
He stares at me for a moment but doesn’t contradict me. I realise after the words are out of my mouth that I said us and not me. As if there is a bond, a promise, a connection between Mia and I that is more than just chance.
‘This mugshot was taken earlier this year,’ he continues. ‘Dominic Church, twenty-nine years old. Before all this he had convictions for assault, robbery, possession of drugs. We haven’t managed to track him down again yet, but it’s only a matter of time.’ He slides over the other image until the two are side-by-side on the table in front of me. Two violent men. I shudder at how close I’ve been to both of them in these past few days. ‘Him and Markovitz have something in common.’
‘What?’
‘Dominic Church was questioned over the same case – he was our other prime suspect. In fact, we looked at whether they were working together, and that is still an open line of enquiry. But he also slipped through our fingers.’
‘So . . . someone else was arrested, then? Convicted?’
Gilbourne shakes his head, suddenly unable to look at me.
‘No. As I said, it’s still a live case. Still my case, unless my idiot boss decides to shuffle the deck to please the chief. I’ve not got long left on the force but I’ve sworn to the victims’ families that we’ll get a result before I leave.’ He taps the mugshots with his index finger again. ‘As far as I’m concerned, these two are still prime suspects, so if they try to make contact with you, if you see either of them again, if you even think one of them is following you, do not engage with them. Do not approach. As you already know, these are both very dangerous individuals. Whatever you do, don’t trust either of them. And promise me you’ll let me know. Immediately.’
A memory floats up out of nowhere, like a flash of déjà vu. The scrawled instructions of Kathryn’s note: Don’t trust anyone.
‘OK,’ I say. ‘I’ll let you know.’
He puts a hand over mine, the skin warm against my fingers. It’s been months since I’ve felt a man’s touch and I’m suddenly aware just how much I’ve missed this small intimacy.
‘I can’t stress how important that is, Ellen. For your safety. I’ve put a request in for renewed surveillance on both of them but until then you need to be extra careful.’
‘How long until the surveillance starts up?’
‘Within the next twenty-four hours, hopefully, as soon as the chief super approves the overtime.’ He gives me an apologetic shrug. ‘Form filling and red tape. Sorry.’
I look down at his hand and he moves it away.
‘All right, but I still don’t see what this has to do with Mia.’
For a moment I think he’s going to tell me more. Then he drops his gaze and starts gathering the sheets of paper back into the leather folder. Zips it shut briskly and stands up.
‘I’ve already told you much more than I should have.’
‘Have you found Kathryn yet?’
He ignores my question. ‘She should never have involved you in this.’
‘But she did.’
‘Yes,’ he says quietly. ‘She did.’
I think for a moment. ‘The case those two men were suspects in, Church and Markovitz, did it have anything to do with Kathryn’s sister?’
He stops and his head turns toward me again, his eyes finding mine. ‘What?’
‘Her sister. It’s connected, isn’t it?’
His voice is flat, neutral, some of the warmth leached away. ‘What makes you say that?’
For a moment, I consider lying to him. Keeping this to myself. But he’s gone out of his way to help me, to tell me things he probably shouldn’t have, and I feel bad holding anything back from him.
‘I went to Kathryn’s flat,’ I say. ‘Talked to her boyfriend.’
‘What . . . ?’ He frowns in exasperation. ‘This is what I’m talking about, Ellen. You do things like this, it will put you in more danger. How did you even . . . know where to find her? When were you there?’
‘Earlier today. I saw DS Holt as he was leaving and—’
He puts both palms up like he’s stopping traffic. ‘Hold on, Nathan was there?’ He sits back down again, his frown deepening. Clearly, this