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“So you know them?”

“They’re friends of mine. They used to give me money sometimes. I live opposite.”

He gestured with his head in the direction of the street. It took her amoment to realize he was referring to the old toilet block across the road. Then he looked back at her again, a little more suspicious now.

“Who areyou, anyway?” he said. “Are you one of the people watching them?”

His choice of words sent a chill through her.

Like he was scared of something.

“What’s your name?” she said.

“Ben.”

“Okay, Ben. I’m Katie. I’m Chris’s sister.”

“He never said anything about a sister. And you don’t look much like him.”

“Maybe he didn’t tell you everything about his life. I’m here because his family is worried about him. What did you meanone of the people watching them?”

He hesitated.

“Talk to me, Ben,” she said. “I’m trying to help Chris too.”

And after another few seconds of silence, he did.

He told her that Chris had moved into this apartment about a year and a half ago, and Chris had been kind to him from the beginning: saying hello and giving him money as and when he could. James Alderson, Chris’s boyfriend, had arrived on the scene about a year ago. Alderson was doing a PhD in art at the university, and Ben said he had been nice too.

And for a while, everything had been fine.

“But then I saw Chris… maybe last week?” Ben said. “He looked more nervous than usual. You know how he always seemed so calm and in control of himself, right?”

“Yes,” Katie lied.

“Well, he wasn’t like that anymore. He was really on edge.”

Chris hadn’t wanted to tell Ben what was wrong at first, but finally he’d relented. He thought someone was following him, and because Ben had his eyes and ears on the street, Chris asked him to keep a watch out and let himknow if he saw anything suspicious. Anyone loitering in the area who didn’t belong or seemed like they were watching the apartment.

Any cars that looked out of place.

“What kind of car?” Katie said quickly.

“A posh one, Chris said. Like something a rich person would drive.”

That settled her slightly.

“And did you see anything?”

“I don’t know.” Ben looked uneasy. “Maybe—but not a car. A man. It was the middle of the night when there was nobody else around. I didn’t really see the guy. He was standing in a shop doorway a little way along the street. Hardly moving. I thought he was a shadow at first.”

“What did he look like?”

“I couldn’t see him properly. He was tall though. Big. And there was a bad feeling coming off him. It’s usually peaceful at that time, and I like being out and about because nobody else is. But that night, my skin was tingling. I had this feeling like there was something dangerous nearby. And when I spotted this man, I realized it washimI was scared of. That he was someone who enjoyed doing really bad things to people.”

“What happened afterward?”

“I told Chris—this was a few days ago. And then I saw him and James together. They had these big backpacks on, like they were heading off on an adventure. I’ve not seen them since.”