Emad was momentarily hurt that Gemma didn’t even remember he’d been present at the morning meeting. ‘Yeah, I was at the briefing. I was just about to ask about that. No news today, I assume? She’s either having a run of right bad luck, or someone really is after her.’

‘I know.’ Gemma opened her mouth as if to say something else, then thought better of it. She stood up and gathered her things.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Emad said.

‘No – it’s fine, you’re not on duty. Just please call Mavis and tell him and Lincoln what you found out about Catherine Brown. I want to get over to Meredith’s pronto, she sent me away earlier, and I thought she’d be OK with those two guys at the marina, but she could be in danger.’

‘Well, OK. But…’ Emad paused. They were colleagues, and friends, but he didn’t want to sound patronising.

‘What?’ Gemma made a face at him.

‘Just be careful. Will you call me when you get there?’

‘Sure,’ she said. ‘Oh, by the way, you know in that meeting the other day, when you picked up on why Pete had cycled up to Minstead House when they were meant to be going to the pub in the village, the night Ralph Allerton went missing?’

‘Yes,’ said Emad cautiously.

‘When I asked Meredith about it, she got all flustered and couldn’t answer. It’s what prompted her to ’fess up about shagging Ralph then ringing Pete for help. Nice work, my friend. That was a massive help.’

Emad sank his chin into the collar of his jacket, to hide the big smile on his face.

48

Meredith

Trevor and Johnny had been lovely, but having tolerated them fussing over her for most of a day, Meredith realised she just wanted to be at home. Their cloying concern and empty exhortations of optimism – ‘he’ll be FINE, I promise’ – were making her feel very stabby and irritable. How could they make groundless promises like that?

In the end, she begged Trevor to drive her back to the cottage, saying she was exhausted and needed to try and have a nap, in her own bed. And reminding him that not only would Gemma be back with her later that night, there was also a police presence on the estate already, guarding the ice house, now that it was officially a crime scene, so she’d be perfectly safe.

He acquiesced, albeit reluctantly, making her promise to keep the doors locked and her phone on her at all times.

Once home, Meredith couldn’t settle to anything. She wandered from room to room. It felt all wrong to be in her house; she should be out there searching for Pete – but where? How? The world outside her four walls felt vast and threatening.