press my ear to it. It might be my imagination but I think I hear a woman’s voice on the other side of the door, but then comes silence.
I knock loudly. ‘Hello?’
The door opens a crack and Sebastian peeks his head out, looking irritated. He holds the door half-closed and blocks my view with his body. ‘Yes?’ he asks, tersely.
I crane to look past him, catching sight of a desk against one wall with a computer, and a microphone and a pile of heavy-looking books. The walls are lined with some dark-coloured foam panels. It looks, from what I can see, very much like the kind of office you’d use for recording audio textbooks.
‘I was just about to head out to get some food,’ I say, forcing a smile. ‘If Kate turns up will you make sure she calls me?’
He nods.
‘And I wondered if you had a spare key so I don’t disturb you later.’
‘What time will you be home?’ he asks.
I’m taken aback – surely, I can come home whenever I like? I’m a paying guest after all. ‘Not late, probably before ten.’
‘You don’t need a key. I will be home.’
‘It might be useful to have a key though,’ I say, confused. What does he normally do when he has people to stay?
‘I don’t have a spare,’ he says hurriedly. ‘Now I must get back.’ He turns back into the room and my eyes track to the monitor, catching sight as I do of movement on it. A black and white movie by the looks of things.
He shuts the door on me and I stand there for a few seconds, staring. Why is he watching a movie in there when he has a whole flat screen in the living room?
Maybe it’s porn. But I’ve never seen black and white porn, though I haven’t seen much at all. And I’m assuming he’d want to watch that in the comfort of his bedroom. Though maybe he figured he could watch it at full volume in there, thanks to the soundproofing. I shudder thinking about it. Whatever is going on, he’s downright weird. But I can at least put to rest my suspicion that he’s holding Kate inside a soundproofed room in his house, torturing her. That’s something I suppose. I wish she were here, if only to share my increasing paranoid and crazy ideas about her disappearance with her. She’d find it hilarious.
As I step outside onto the street into the warm night air, I see Konstandin is already outside, waiting for me, leaning against his car smoking a cigarette.
‘How long have you been waiting? You should have texted me to say you were here,’ I say, walking towards him.
‘I got here early,’ he says, drawing on his cigarette before tossing it away. He’s wearing a beaten-up old leather jacket and he smells of smoke. I am happier to see him than I realised, which is surprising.
‘How are you?’ he asks as we move towards the car.
I shrug, my cheeks still overheated. ‘Not so good,’ I admit. ‘I’ve had to move out of—’
‘Orla?’
I jerk around at the sound of my name. Oh my God. A man is striding towards me across the street. It’s Rob.
Chapter Nineteen
‘What on earth are you doing here?’ I say, staring in astonishment at my husband.
Rob’s gaze moves from me to Konstandin. He frowns, his eyes narrowing, before turning his gaze back to me. Ignoring his look, I throw my arms around his neck and my body reacts like all the air has been sucked out of it at once. I almost go limp, the relief is so great at seeing him. ‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ I stutter before pulling back in alarm. ‘Where’s Marlow?’ I ask, looking around and spotting only a small backpack at Rob’s feet but no pushchair or baby.
‘She’s with Denise.’
‘The babysitter?’ I say, bewildered. ‘Overnight?’ We’ve never left her overnight, not even with her grandparents.
‘My parents are away, remember?’ Rob says. ‘And I couldn’t ask your mum to come over from Ireland. It would have taken too long for her to get there and Denise said she could take her for a night or even two if we need.’
‘You came,’ I interrupt, my eyes watering. I clutch his hand. ‘Thank you.’ It suddenly feels as if everything might be OK. Rob’s here. We’ll find Kate together.
I see Rob’s smile tighten and his gaze drift back to Konstandin who has stepped away to give us space and is waiting, hands folded in