27

‘I’ve just turned into his street,’ I shout into the radio.

The rain is coming down in torrents and visibility is low. I slow the car to manoeuvre around vehicles parked on kerbs outside houses, though their bulk partially blocks the road.

Once outside Ed’s house I pull up on the kerb and kill the engine. I stare into the darkness of the house, wondering if another body awaits me. I keep the engine running so that the car continues to be filled with heat.

The static hiss of the radio makes me jump, before Liam’s voice sounds, informing me that he is not far behind and warning me in no uncertain terms to wait for him before entering the house.

I assure him that I will wait, and pull out a pair of blue, protective gloves from a box in the glove compartment and slip them on. Liam shows up a few minutes later and parks just in front, hitting the kerb a little faster than intended.

He jumps out of his car and gives me a little nod, pulling the hood of his coat over his head. I turn my keys and pull them out of the ignition, before pocketing them and joining Liam outside. The clock on my phone tells me that it has just gone past quarter to eight, though the oppressive rainclouds and deserted street make it feel more like the middle of the night.

I bemoan the heavy rain that is still pouring from the heavens; worrying about the evidence it could interfere with, though Liam assures me that the forensic team aren’t far behind him.

As we walk up the path, I see the front door has been forcibly removed from its hinges. It is lying on its side, half inside and half outside. I get my phone from my pocket and select the torch icon, letting the light flood the area.

Some of the plastic on the PVC door frame has been snapped away and a small amount of blood is present. I bend down to take a closer look and deduce that Ed has probably been taken from his home by whoever broke in. Ed must’ve put up one final attempt at freedom on the doorstep, wrapping his fingers round the door frame and clinging on with all his might.

This is a welcome find for two reasons; it means we are probably not going to find Ed’s lifeless body within the walls of the house and it could mean we have a chance of locating him before he meets his maker.

We move through the hall and into the living room, which has been trashed. The sofa stands untouched amongst the debris, a lone survivor amongst the chaos. The drinks cabinet-cum-table has been tipped on its side, causing the bottles of assorted alcohols to tip and smash, showering the room in broken glass and making it smell like a particularly grotty pub at last orders. The television has been pushed to the ground and the curtain pole ripped from its fittings above the bay window.