Heavily, Will sat back down in the armchair. He took a sip of his brandy and watched the flames lick at the dry bark of a log. He recalled their first days at Holland House, happy times with a Kate who was still childlike and enthusiastic. Days before they knew about the missing and dead children, before her acquaintance with that slimeball Grove. His thoughts strayed to the man’s decaying shack. If only the man had stayed away until Sophie was found. Better still, stayed away, full stop. The house should be allowed to do as Swifty had suggested and just slip into the water. He wondered what on earth the man thought about out there alone in that dreadful old ruin. Well, he did have electricity, that was one thing, and a telephone. He thought of the new cable snaking up the crumbling brickwork . . .

Will sat forward with a start. ‘Matt! There are two lines! At Grove’s place!’

Matt dragged himself away from the painting and stared at him. ‘Sorry?’

‘Two BT lines. Why would anyone want two telephone lines?’

‘Some business thing, like for his academic work maybe?’ Matt shrugged.

Will was on his feet. ‘No, no! You don’t need two incoming lines. There was one line in on the ground floor — that would be the usual main BT telephone line. But I saw another separate line running upstairs. Did you hear them say who checked that house over? Because I think they missed something.’

‘They just said CID searched it from top to bottom,’ said Matt. Then he took a breath. ‘Ah, but I wonder . . . ?’

‘What?’ asked Will urgently.

‘There’s a second attic area. Just a small space and it’s accessed by a trapdoor in the box-room ceiling! They might have searched the main attic, but I doubt they will have even realised the other one is there!’

‘We’ve got to find Swifty! They have to get back there before Grove does! Sophie could be there!’

‘We’ll come too.’

Will and Matt raced out into the night, with Philip and Sam at their heels.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

In the glare of the halogen lights, the garden had taken on an unearthly glow.

Jack Fleet was at the refreshments’ vehicle, talking to the sergeant. ‘Our turn to offer you a drink, I reckon.’

‘Bugger the drinks! Swifty, you have to get back into Grove’s cottage! I think you boys have missed something,’ Will said. ‘I’ll explain as we go!’

Fifteen minutes later, the cottage door swung open and Will received a blast of the foul air from Gerald Grove’s kitchen.

A PC on a ladder had traced the second line to the level of the attic.