For Your Own Protection(24)

‘A traffic collision. It was a hit-and-run, so there isn’t much information, but the police think it was a four-by-four of some kind.’

‘I’m really sorry, Rachel.’

‘You think all this might be connected?’ The question had burst its way out of her and the sinister, deadly serious insinuation clearly threw the officers a little, who took a few seconds to consider their response.

‘You think the break-in might be connected to your partner’s death?’ the officer said. ‘What makes you suspect that?’

Rachel shrugged. ‘I honestly don’t know.’

‘Is there any reason to believe that your partner, Alex, may have had anything of value in the flat?’

‘I don’t know.’ Rachel put a hand to her head. ‘This is all just so . . . crazy. I don’t know what to think anymore.’

‘It’s a lot to deal with, Rachel. Have you seen one of our support officers?’

Rachel nodded. The liaison officer, a very nice lady, had been around the day after Alex’s death. She’d returned a few days later, and had offered continued support by phone. But what could she really do that would make it any better? She couldn’t change the awful truth.

‘Well, don’t be afraid of calling on them again. You may want to talk about what has just happened. It’s up to you, of course. We’ll send someone to advise about security, though, and in the meantime, get the locks changed. One of the team will be in touch. Should be today or tomorrow at the latest. Do you have family or friends you can stay with?’

Rachel was surprised. ‘I was planning on just staying here. You wouldn’t recommend it?’

‘Again, it’s up to you. The front door still works, so there’s no reason why you can’t stay. It’s just that after something like this, some people need to get away for a day or so.’

‘I think I’ll be fine.’

‘Just make sure you engage the double locks. Also, keep a key in the lock, just in case.’

‘In case what?’

‘In case the thieves have taken a set of keys. That way, even if they have a key, they won’t be able to open the door.’

The thought of them having a key and returning gave a fresh perspective to Rachel’s thoughts of remaining in the flat. ‘You think they might come back?’

‘Very unlikely. It’s a big risk to return to the scene of a break-in, particularly so soon after the event.’

‘And usually they already have what they wanted,’ the other officer added, ‘so there’s no need to come back.’

Rachel was troubled by a terrifying thought.

What if they hadn’t found what they were looking for?





CHAPTER FIFTEEN


Matt turned to Nikki, the deputy manager of the leisure centre. ‘Did you get a description of the lady who found Charlie?’

She looked confused as to why he was asking the question. ‘No, I’m sorry, I didn’t. Why?’

Matt hesitated. How could he explain? Especially with Charlie sitting there, listening. And he would be listening. ‘I just think it might be important. I might know her.’

‘Oh, right,’ she said, her face clouding over with concern. ‘I thought it was just someone who happened to spot your son. You think there’s something to worry about here?’

‘Maybe,’ Matt replied, checking whether Charlie was taking any notice. Thankfully his attention had been diverted by a toy Minion he had spotted on one of the shelves – he was straining his neck to get a better look. Matt moved a little closer to the woman. ‘I’ve been having some problems recently with a woman I was in a relationship with. I’m keeping a record of when things happen. That’s why it’s important to know whether it was her or not.’

She nodded. ‘I can call Alice in. She’d be able to describe her for you.’

‘What about the CCTV?’

‘Non-operational.’

‘You’re kidding me?’

‘We had some technical issues six or seven weeks ago, and it’s been offline ever since. To be honest, in all the time I’ve been here, we’ve never actually looked back at any of the footage, so we haven’t been in a rush to get it replaced.’

Typical.

‘If you could ask Alice then, that would be great.’

She radioed through, and Alice appeared at the door.

‘Alice, the lady who brought Charlie to you, could you describe her?’

Alice, a sporty-looking teenager with tied-back red hair, seemed thrown by the question. ‘Er, yes, I guess. She was about my height, blonde hair in a ponytail. Pretty.’ She looked between the deputy manager and Matt. ‘Why, is there something the matter?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ Nikki said. ‘Thanks, Alice, you can return to your station now.’

The girl nodded, looking somewhat confused, before disappearing.

‘Does that help?’ the woman said to Matt.

‘Yes, I think so. Not that there’s any real doubt,’ he added. ‘Charlie is very rarely wrong. If he said that it was Aunty Cath, then it probably was.’



‘Daddy, look at me! I’m tall!’

Matt smiled as Charlie stood at the summit of the climbing apparatus, both arms stretched up into the air. The playground across the road from the leisure centre was themed around pirates, and currently Charlie was perched up in the crow’s nest of the pirate ship. He had developed quite an obsession with all things pirate over the past couple of months.