Kelly stood up and looked at the two officers. She still had no clear answer for why they’d behaved as they had, and she still didn’t know if she could trust Will.

‘How did you find this place before me?’ she asked him.

Will’s expression didn’t change. Kelly locked glances with Liam and his eyes never flickered. She looked back at Jordan, who looked vacant and confused.

‘Informants?’

Will nodded.

‘And you, Jordan. What were you doing here?’

‘I worked out where they were.’

‘And you came here to do what?’

‘Is he under caution?’ Liam asked. Kelly glared at him. ‘Don’t say anything, lad,’ he told Jordan.

Kelly nodded. ‘Jordan, I’m going to have to take you into custody until we can work out what happened here.’

‘He’s gone,’ announced one of the medics. ‘Time: four fifty-four p.m.’

Kelly looked at Will and Liam. ‘I’m arresting you two as well.’

Rob entered the room, having dealt with the arrest of Jason Cotton, and looked at Will.

‘Rob, take these two officers to the station, please, I’ll accompany Jordan.’ She looked at Will. ‘Do I need cuffs?’

He shook his head.

The crime-scene team would soon arrive to start gathering evidence. No doubt the case would land on somebody’s desk tonight. It wouldn’t be hers. Counter-Corruption had already called and summoned her to Eden House.

It had begun.

But first she was going to see Johnny and Ted.

Chapter 55

Millie sat huddled in Sharon’s flat watching TV. Her father couldn’t settle and had gone to look for Jordan. He was out in the dark, walking round aimlessly. They couldn’t stop him and Sharon had explained to her that he needed to do it. Besides, Millie was happy to be looked after by the woman she’d grown close to over the last twenty-four hours. Sharon had made hot chocolate.

The afternoon’s violence was reported on TV, but it was interrupted by a bulletin promising breaking news.

‘Police in Penrith tonight targeted an address in the city and apprehended two suspects wanted in connection with the murders of Keira Bradley and Ella Watson earlier in the week. Cumbria Constabulary have issued a statement saying that one of the men has since died of wounds sustained at the scene. We’ll bring you more news as we get it.’

They stared at one another in disbelief.

‘Fucking hell!’ Sharon said.

Millie laughed, and it felt good. ‘My mum never swore in front of me.’

‘You’re shitting me? How did she manage that?’

She laughed again. ‘Did you always swear in front of Keira?’

Sharon looked at the TV, deep in thought. Millie thought she might have upset her, but then Sharon took her hand.

‘Always! I couldn’t bear the stench of her nappies, I swore every time I opened one. So will you, it’s disgusting.’

‘I want loads of babies.’