Bloom considered that. What did they really know about Harry? He wasn’t an ordinary member of the community, working out his days in a safe little job and raising his two point four kids. He was a worldly-wise military officer who had been to war three times. They didn’t know what he’d seen, what he knew, how that might have affected him.

‘Did any of you ever go with him when he visited his sister?’ asked Bloom.

They shook their heads.

‘Why do you ask?’ said Karene.

‘Just interested.’

‘I’ve known you too long to think you ever ask anything without good reason.’

‘Just keeping busy,’ Bloom replied. ‘A distraction.’

Karene was staring at her. ‘I don’t buy it,’ she said. ‘It’s too random. Why are you asking about his sister?’

‘How long had he been visiting her for?’ asked Bloom.

Karene glanced at the teenagers and then said, ‘As long as I’ve known him.’

Sophie and Jake shrugged.

‘Did he visit her when you were younger or just more recently?’ Bloom said.

‘You mean, in the last four years?’ said Karene to Bloom.

‘I dunno,’ said Jake.

‘He doesn’t talk about Lucy,’ said Sophie.

‘And yet he spends a full day of every month with her. Don’t you think that’s strange?’

‘What are you getting at?’ said Karene.

Bloom wasn’t sure how this would go down but Karene deserved to know. ‘I asked the police to confirm the visits. It was just out of curiosity and I wasn’t sure they’d even do it, but when I spoke to the Detective Superintendent earlier he said there was no record of Harry visiting Lucy at all in the past ten years.’

‘That must be a mistake,’ said Karene.

‘The security in these places tends to be pretty watertight,’ said Bloom.

‘Maybe he used a different name?’ said Karene.

‘To visit his own sister? Why would he do that?’

‘I don’t know. There could be many reasons.’

‘Or maybe Harry’s not been as honest with you as you think.’

82

They sped along the residential streets, nearly three times faster than the speed limit. Jameson braced himself against the door frame. Caroline had called as they left the mansion. Jake’s watch had reappeared near Warsash Harbour.

‘Where’s the last known location?’ Grey’s voice boomed from the Range Rover’s speakers.

‘In the River Hamble,’ said Jameson. ‘Heading towards the Solent. They’re on a boat.’