“I called out when you got out of the car. You didn’t hear me. I didn’t want to use the radio, in case … well, I didn’t know what you were doing. Whether it was related to the case, or … personal.”

Harper lowered the Enforcer. She took a step toward Atkinson. “Whatever you think you’re seeing here, just forget it, okay? That’s a direct order. Turn around and go.”

Atkinson took a step backward. He seemed uncertain.

“Who lives in there, boss?”

For a few seconds she just stared at him.

He went on, “It’s 7b, isn’t it? The flat that overlooks our victim’s. You said you’d take the statement, but I guess they didn’t answer?” He glanced at the Enforcer that she still held in one hand. When their eyes met, she got the feeling he was nervous. He thought she’d gone rogue, that she wasn’t in her right mind. She too looked down at the Enforcer and then at the door. Maybe she had, and maybe she wasn’t.

“Do you trust me, Steve?”

A very slight hesitation, then. “Yes, boss.”

“I feel like I could explain,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“But first I’m going to do this.”

Joanna turned, and in one fluid movement lifted the Enforcer and rammed it into the lock. The frame splintered, the lock gave, and the door swung inward, banging hard against the wall. Harper turned and glared at Atkinson.

“Now. As you can see, what I’m doing here isn’t strictly by the book, so I’m going to give you two options. You can either keep your mouth shut and stay aboveboard. Turn around right now. Go and do the task you’ve been assigned to do.” She paused.

“Or? What’s the alternative?” said Atkinson.

She met his eyes. “The alternative is that you take that look off your face and help me find out where she’s gone.”

CHAPTER

29

The Injured Man

Remembers

HE IS FOLLOWING a man through the churchyard. The target is unaware of his presence, as he has been for the past month. As he follows, keeping a safe distance away, he copies exactly the target’s gait, his way of running his fingers through his hair every few seconds. When the target stops walking to check something on his phone, he stops too, checks his own phone, mirroring the same stance. The target glances up at him, but he’s not really looking, not really noticing. If he were, he might have thought it odd that the person he is looking at has the same haircut as his, and the same shoes.