‘You’re trying to fix me. You’re frustrated because you can’t help Nicky, so instead you’re—’

Holly stopped talking. Her face fell, as though she’d heard through Fleet’s ears what she’d just said.

‘Oh, Rob. I’m sorry. Really, I’m so, so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.’ She reached out, but her hand stopped centimetres short of Fleet’s arm.

His jaw had clamped shut, and he swallowed painfully.

‘It’s fine,’ he said.

‘No, it’s not fine. Forgive me, Rob, please. I had no right to … to even come here in the first place, I …’

‘I’m the one who had no right,’ said Fleet.

‘But—’

‘Holly, really. Forget it. Forget I even brought it up. It’s like you said. Now isn’t the best time. It obviously isn’t, because I completely messed up what I was trying to say to you.’

Holly’s expression dissolved into a smile. ‘You’re trying to look out for me. That’s all. I know that, and still I allowed myself to get angry.’

‘No, it’s … it’s not that. I mean, yes, it is, but also …’ Fleet sighed. He took hold of Holly’s outstretched hand. ‘Look. All I was trying to say—’

But he got no further.

There were voices in the background, and Fleet turned to see Sean Bevan, the young DC who’d brought the anonymous email that had started all of this to Fleet’s attention in the first place, talking to the uniforms by the air conditioning unit. As one, the uniforms pointed Fleet’s way, and when Bevan spotted him in the corner, he immediately hurried over.

‘Sir,’ he said, breathless. His freckled skin was flushed, the colour of his cheeks clashing with his ginger hair.

Fleet glanced at Holly. ‘What is it, Sean? Is it Nicky’s car? Her phone?’

‘Sir, it’s … it’s both. One led us to the other. I’m not sure which we found first, but—’

‘Where?’ Fleet cut in.

The DC tipped his head towards the docks without breaking eye contact. ‘A block from the shore. The car was parked outside an abandoned house. DS Collins’s phone was on the floor inside. But, sir …’

Fleet braced himself. There was more, clearly. And whatever Bevan still had to say, it obviously wasn’t good news. ‘Spit it out, Sean. Did they search the house? Is Nicky … Did they …’

‘The house was empty,’ said Bevan, and Fleet closed his eyes momentarily with relief. But when he opened them again, the DC was still staring at him apprehensively. The officer’s eyes flicked towards Holly, who had tucked in tight beside Fleet.

‘You can speak freely, Sean,’ Fleet reassured him.

‘Yes, sir.’

Bevan appeared to be gathering himself, and Fleet waited for him to go on.

‘Sir, they … they found something else as well. Not in the house. In the water.’