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‘What was it?’ Poe could barely understand what she was saying.

‘It was the children, Poe,’ she replied. ‘It was the children being sold!’

That got through. Oh shit . . .

He looked across at Swift who was looking at him strangely.

‘And Poe, Hilary Swift was on the boat.’

Shit. Shit. Shit.

‘She and Carmichael organised the whole thing.’

Poe tried to focus on the woman opposite. His vision was blurring and he realised it was nothing to do with a hangover or late-night fatigue.

This was something different.

‘We don’t have anyone near. You and DS Reid are going to have to detain her. Can you do that, Poe?’

Poe recognised the early stages of sedation. He tried to fight it but had no chance; he was about to succumb to whatever he’d been given. ‘Steph,’ he slurred, ‘she’s fucking drugged us.’

He tried to stand but fell back onto the sofa. He dropped the phone. He was vaguely aware of Flynn shouting through the BlackBerry’s microphone.

‘Poe! Poe! Are you all right?’

Eventually the voice faded and his eyes rolled back. Ten seconds later everything disappeared.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Poe came round in instalments. He tried consciousness a few times before it fully took. He had no idea how long he’d been out; it could have been days, it could have been minutes. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the people milling around him.

‘Jesus, what happened?’ he heard Reid say. ‘I’ve a mouth like a camel’s scrotum.’

Poe’s throat was parched as well. His head was thumping.

He tried putting the pieces together. After a while, fragments of memory began to take shape and his brain could form thoughts. Hilary Swift had drugged them both, and judging by the hideous pink colour scheme, they were still in her house. If that were the case, then they couldn’t have been out for long. There were over twenty people in her front room, and some were wearing the green of paramedics. He looked down when he felt something tightening on his arm. His blood pressure was being taken. Some idiot tried to stick something in his ear and he jerked away.

‘Poe, stop being a dick and let her take your temperature.’

It was Flynn.

‘Steph?’ His voice was little more than a croak.

‘You and DS Reid have been drugged.’

Poe scowled. ‘That much I’ve worked out.’ Another thought formed. ‘Where’s Swift?’

‘She’s gone, Poe. DCS Gamble’s team are searching the house now but it looks like she left in a hurry. Must have been picked up as her car’s still outside.’

‘What about the grandchildren?’

‘What grandchildren?’

‘There were kids in the house.’

‘Are you sure?’ she asked urgently.

‘I heard them.’