Aidan felt his intestines knot together. Everything inside of him squirming. ‘I can’t give you money, Lucy would notice. Please. Connor has been through enough. My wife has been through enough.’

‘Okay.’ She nodded and Aidan thought she had seen sense until she said, ‘Not money, though. Something else.’

‘What?’

‘Tramadol. Diazepam. Ketamine. Whatever you’ve got in there. I know you treat animals with the same drugs as humans.’

‘I can’t. It’s illegal and besides, my receptionist Donna orders the stock. She’d notice if suddenly I was supplying a dealer—’

‘I’m not a dealer! It’s for me. Personal use. To numb the pain of what your wife did to my daughter.’

‘My wife—’

‘It will relax me. Soften my anger. So I don’t speak to your son or report him.’

Aidan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

Think-think-think.

Lucy did blame herself although it wasn’t her fault. If Connor hears Lucy on the recording their relationship might never recover. What if the hospital did find out that Lucy had known she was too exhausted to operate? It’s not a cut and dry case. A no-win, no-fee solicitor rarely takes things on without it being almost certain they would win, but nevertheless, there could be grounds for an investigation at the very least.

Not only that but if Connor realized that Lucy didn’t believe him, called him a liar… What if Julie played that recording to the police? Mr Marshall? What had happened that night and what might the consequences be? Donna had cut her hours, was retiring to look after her grandchild. He could take over managing the stock. Nobody would know if the drugs went missing.

‘I’ll give you what you want. But it’s a short-term offer. I’m not risking my licence for you. My family. My freedom.’

But Aidan knew that once he handed over the first box of pills she would have another hold over him, but what could he do? He would do whatever he could to protect his family, but he hadn’t envisaged then that her demands would become so frequent, so ruinous. Long after she had left his car, his skin crawled as though she had physically touched him. Dirty. He felt dirty.

That day when he foolishly said yes, the sky was still cornflower blue. The sun still beat down.

But although oblivious of what was to come, Aidan felt a chill that had never left him since.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Connor

PC Leighton places a hand on Connor’s shoulder as he gulps down the water he has been given. The icy liquid travels down his throat and into his stomach, but it still doesn’t eradicate the hot fear that bubbles deep in his gut.

‘Julie… Julie must have…’ He is light-headed. Struggling to breathe. To speak. ‘Tyler…’

‘Tyler’s been found today,’ PC Leighton begins.