A fleeting look of fear passed across the boy’s face, but he relaxed when he realised they weren’t going to do anything. He closed the door and Imogen turned to Adrian.

‘That doesn’t sound like the Finn we’ve got in holding.’

‘None of that means we can hold onto him for any longer though.’

‘No. We’re just going to have to find something else.’

‘I’ll find Gary when we get back and see if there is anything else we can use. We’re running out of avenues right now. Where the hell is Russ Beacham? If we didn’t have a photo of him I would almost swear he and Finn were the same person. How has Beacham stayed a ghost for so long?’

Chapter Forty-Two

Imogen couldn’t keep her eyes open in the station. Two hours’ light sleep really wasn’t enough. Everyone had been working round the clock to try to find out where Russ Beacham was before another body turned up. Adrian was still in with Gary, and she didn’t want to go and find them. It’s not that she needed a break from Adrian, but she was worried that she was getting too dependent on him; she had to remember how to work alone. Adrian could just relay any information to her when he got back. In the meantime she wanted a coffee and couldn’t face the tepid mud from the machine. There was a little cafe near the station. She could go and pick up some coffees and pastries for everyone before it closed; she could use the fresh air as well. Grabbing her bag, she left the station.

Ten minutes later the cafe owners had put all the coffees in a box and the owner’s son was carrying it back for Imogen, when she saw a pregnant woman standing outside the station, pacing. She was clearly very anxious and looked as though she had been there some time. Imogen knew who it was. She waved to Constable Ben Jarvis who was standing near the entrance; he came over and took the box from the cafe owner’s son.

‘Hand these around will you? Can you put two black coffees on my desk and a couple of pastries before they all disappear? Thanks, Ben.’

She tried desperately not to be flirtatious with him, remembering what Adrian had said to her previously about the way she was with him. She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.

‘You’re a star. Thanks, DS Grey.’ He smiled.

She waited for Ben to go back inside before approaching the woman.

‘Are you Abigail Lucas?’ Imogen asked.

The woman looked startled and her eyes darted to the road; Imogen could see she was considering making a break for it.

‘I prefer Abbey, but yes.’

Imogen spoke again. ‘I work with DS Adrian Miles. Do you need to see him?’

Abbey paused before speaking to Imogen, obviously trying to decide if she could trust her or not. ‘I came to see him the other day about my husband. I just wanted an update.’