Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(29)

‘Last night. I looked at Olivia Grantham’s profile. She’s still up on the site.’ Harding turned and looked questioningly at Carter.

‘I know, but it’s not our business to inform them,’ he said. ‘We need to see if anyone has been looking at her profile.’

Harding turned back to her laptop. ‘That would mean you would have to admit to breaking into it – which you are obviously trying your hardest to do.’

Carter didn’t answer.

Willis was leaning in to read what Harding had put on her profile. She stopped and looked at Harding. ‘You’re not worried about putting all this detail online?’

‘No, because I go through a vetting process before I meet them and this site isn’t cheap. It’s thirty pounds a month – that puts it out of the ordinary weirdo’s price bracket. No one can look at my profile unless they pay, and I am in control as to who sees what. If I “favourite” them then they can see more intimate pictures.’

Harding was about to click on the link to profile pictures that were hidden.

Willis stopped her.

‘It’s okay. I don’t need to see.’

Harding shrugged. ‘Please yourself. This section here shows the last twenty-four hours. I’ve had five views and I’ve got an email.’ She clicked on the link to read it. ‘Okay, well this is from a guy I’ve been talking to for a week or so. We’ve exchanged about three messages. I’ll give him my mobile number now and we’ll talk. If he sounds like someone I want to meet then we meet for a drink. If he passes that test then – bingo. It’s not really that different from any other dating site. Some people vet scrupulously – some people never even talk on the phone, they just want to meet straight away.’ She looked at Willis. ‘Have you never tried Internet dating?’

‘I look at it sometimes but I don’t have the time for it. Is anyone on there that you think Olivia Grantham might have been interested in?’

‘Yes. I think I could pick out a few.’

Harding clicked on a profile of a man. His erect cock filled the screen.

‘Hardly anyone shows their face. They are married or at least they are in a relationship that doesn’t quite do it for them sexually and they think this way is cleaner, safer, no one gets hurt and it’s free. Free sex is always a man’s goal.’

‘Do people who are one site tend to be on others?’ Carter asked.

‘Of course. Some people are on every single site.’

‘Are you?’

‘No, I find the right sort of people on this.’

Willis pointed to the cock onscreen. ‘Do you know that man? Have you met him?’

Harding leant forward to look at the name on the account.

‘No.’

‘Are you willing to talk to us about any of the men you’ve met?’ asked Willis.

‘Yes. Bring me details of someone you’re interested in and I’ll tell you if I’ve had sex with them.’

‘We have some photos to show you now,’ Carter said.

‘Shoot.’ He took out the file Pam had given him.

‘We’re giving you all the info we have on them so far. These are the men who definitely contacted Olivia Grantham. They are from her phone. They have been given the surname Naughties by Olivia, which we presume means she knows them from there, so we’re hoping you might recognize one or two.’

Carter handed Harding the first man’s details.

‘This is a man named Peter Hill; he lives in Kent but works in the City.’

She took the photo, studied it and shook her head.

‘No. Don’t know him.’ She pushed the picture aside.

‘This one is Malcolm Roberts – accountant.’

‘No.’

‘John James Ellerman – JJ – high-roller. He lives in—’

Harding held up her hand to stop Willis. ‘Yes. Definitely.’

‘When? With Olivia?’

‘Once with her. I met him a few times on my own.’

‘When was that?’

‘Must be two years ago. But he still looks at my profile online. I still get the odd text from him. He’s on this site all the time.’

‘Why didn’t you keep meeting him?’ asked Willis.

‘He didn’t want to. I wasn’t what he was looking for.’

‘What were your impressions?’

‘He was a bullshitter. He tried to impress with his car, his talk of going all over the world. I remember thinking: “Can we just cut the crap and get on with it?”’

Carter smiled.

‘You think it’s not just the sex with him?’ he asked.

‘That’s right – he wanted to take me for dinner. He wanted to take me on holiday.’

‘You weren’t keen?’ asked Carter.

‘I made it plain I just wanted sex. That’s what the site is for – not for relationships.’

‘Of course . . .’ Willis said. ‘Did you know he was married? Did he tell you?’

‘Yes, he did, even though I wasn’t interested in hearing it. He said he had a son, couldn’t leave his wife — all that bullshit.’

‘What do you want me to do?’ asked Harding.