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While the job completes, Lucy opens her Gmail andfinds ninety-two new messages. She scrolls through them: marketing circulars, supplier invoices, newsletter notifications, messages from friends, messages from journalists; and there, incongruous among them, an email from Daniel.
6
Claws on her shoulders. Hooks in her skin. Lucy turns, half expecting to find something crouched behind her chair, but the office and passage are empty. Leaning backwards, she flicks the door closed and returns her attention to the screen.
>> Daniel (Not Work)
Over and Out
03 Mar
Lucy can hear the roar of her blood, a sound like white noise. Only yesterday she’d watched a shadow beat its fists against her front door. At the time she’d hesitated. Something about the intrusion had felt wrong, portentous. To be avoided at all costs.
She feels the same way now.
And yet she cannot ignore this.
Over and Out.
No way Daniel took Billie and Fin into that storm without good reason. No way he’d do them harm.Sheknows that, even if no one else does.
Over and Out.
Her finger hovers over the mouse.
03 March. Yesterday’s date.
Over and Out.
Oh God, oh God, oh God.
Click.
TWENTY-ONE
1
It’s a small, unwelcoming space. White walls, fluorescent strip lighting, a table, recording equipment, three chairs.
Abraham takes the seat opposite Daniel Locke; Cooper settles beside him. He switches on the recorder, introduces those present, notes the time and location. Then he confirms that Locke understands he’s being interviewed under caution.
‘I also need to ask if you want a solicitor, Daniel. Or if you’re content to speak to us without one.’
Those cobalt-blue eyes, tinged now with red, are as unnerving as they were yesterday. ‘I don’t need a solicitor.’
Abraham’s pulse accelerates a little at that. ‘OK,’ he says, keeping his expression neutral. ‘Obviously, you can change your mind at any time.’
Silence, from across the table.
‘Yesterday morning, at eleven a.m., did you visit Headlands Junior School in Skentel?’