‘Black with a lemon slice, please.’

I flipped open my laptop and got to work at the kitchen table as Sonny busied himself fiddle-faddling with the new coffee machine he’d bought me. The General Records Office held the details of every birth, marriage and death in Albion, available online for a ‘reasonable’ fee. By the time Sonny figured it out and had made my coffee, I’d submitted my credit-card details and received the information I was searching for. Now I had to decide what to do with it. Sonny plonked a cheese and sun-dried tomato sandwich and a steaming mug of coffee in front of me.

‘OK, let me have it,’ he said, pulling up a chair.

I took a deep breath and did exactly that – both barrels. As I spoke, his eyes grew wider and his expression stormier. Each time he tried to interrupt me, I raised a hand to ward him off and continued. I had to get everything out at once or it wouldn’t come out at all. The only thing I kept from him was the info I’d just retrieved from the General Records Office because I still wasn’t sure if the information was something or nothing. When I finished speaking, there was a stunned silence. I knew it wouldn’t last.

‘No! No! NO!’ Sonny exploded. ‘Sephy, have you lost your entire mind? We have to phone the police.’

‘No. We were given explicit instructions not to. Troy has been kidnapped and I know exactly how he’s feeling – terrified and helpless. I wouldn’t wish what he’s going through on my worst enemy. Plus I’m front and centre for Dan’s murder. Involving the police is out of the question – at least for now.’

Sonny began to pace up and down. ‘What you’re doing is a really bad idea. The police—’

‘Sonny, didn’t you hear what I just said?’ I sighed. ‘The moment Troy and Libby are home safe and sound, then I’ll be giving the police the full story with footnotes and an index, but not until then. Don’t make me regret telling you.’

Sonny stopped pacing to glare at me. ‘That’s not fair, Sephy. The police have the resources to handle this situation, you don’t.’

‘But Tobey, Callie and Jon working together do,’ I pointed out. ‘If it was anyone else but Tobey’s daughter with Troy, I probably would’ve gone to the police by now, but Callie pleaded with me to give Tobey twenty-four hours and that’s what I’m doing.’

Even though it was killing me.

‘If anything happens to Troy … well, it doesn’t bear thinking about.’ Sonny shook his head. ‘I know your son doesn’t like me much, but I care about him. I don’t want anything bad to happen to him.’