“Nah, she’s in prison.” The girl tried to skirt past, dragging the toddler along with her. “I shouldn’t have said nothin’. People don’t like snitches round ’ere.”
“As I said, I’m not looking to cause trouble. Do you know where Ry moved to?”
“No, but he ain’t gone far. I seen ’im around.”
“You think he’s still living on the estate?”
“No other reason he’d be here.”
“When did you last see him?”
“Yesterday.” The girl paused, considering. “No, the day before. Walkin’ past the kebab shop.”
“The kebab shop on the other side of the south tower?”
She made it to her front door and took three attempts to get the key into the lock. Still nervous?
“Yeah. But like I said, just keep the damn belt.”
The door slammed behind her, and Alaric heard voices from inside—not another occupant, but the canned laughter of a TV sitcom. Just another evening in paradise.
“Is there any woman you haven’t managed to wrap around your little finger?” Ravi asked as they headed for the stairs.
Only two. And as luck would have it, one called as they hit the ground floor.
“About that flight…” Emmy started.
Shit. He should have updated her. “We can’t make it. Not tonight.”
“Ditto. The dude I was meant to be meeting got delayed in Tokyo. Now he’s not arriving until tomorrow afternoon, and it’s easier for me to wait than reschedule again.”
“Tell me you’re not taking on the Yakuza?”
“No, I want to add a saké line to my portfolio. I’m gonna call it Four Fox. Four Fox Saké—get it? Did you know I bought a distillery a couple of years back? No Fox Given Gin, available from selected retailers and the wet bar at Riverley.”
“I didn’t know, but it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. I’d better put an order in. We’ll all need it before this job’s over.”
“The missing girl? She didn’t show up yet?”
“No, but we’ve narrowed down our main suspect’s address to a few square blocks in Hounslow. I don’t suppose you could spare anyone to help tomorrow? Somebody who wouldn’t look out of place wandering around the housing estate from hell.”
“You can borrow Sky, and I’ll see if there’s anyone else free. What time are you starting?”
“First thing.”
The sooner they started, the more chance they had of finding Gemma alive. The clock was ticking in the background, an unrelenting march towards an outcome Alaric didn’t want to contemplate.
“Text me the address, and I’ll send her over for eight. Good luck. You’ll need it,” she added under her breath.
Good luck with Sky or with the search? Either one had the potential to be a nightmare.
CHAPTER 40 - ALARIC
SKY CERTAINLY CAME dressed for the part. When she fell out of an Uber on Wednesday morning, she looked as though the love child of a hangover and influenza had staggered through a branch of Sports Direct and barely lived to tell the tale.
“What the hell happened to you?” Alaric asked.
She rubbed bloodshot eyes. “I stayed up late helping Emmy to prep for a meeting.”
Hmm. Exactly what kind of prep did one need to do to import Japanese rice wine? “You were taste-testing saké?”
“I swear I’m never drinking again.”
“You shouldn’t have been drinking in the first place. You’re only seventeen.”
“Not anymore. Emmy got me a new passport.”
Of course she did.
“That’s not the point.”
“You’re telling me you never touched alcohol before you were eighteen?”
Ravi laughed, but Beth just looked worried. Alaric hated seeing her like that. She should be safely behind her desk at home, tidying up reports and making sure Judd flew to Paris, France, instead of Paris, Texas, this time. Barbara’s predecessor hadn’t been hired for her brains.
“Here, have my coffee.” Beth held the travel mug towards Sky, who sucked most of it down without pausing for breath, then passed the mug back. “Do you want to sit for a moment?”
“Nah, I’m fine. Just tell me who we’re looking for.”
Alaric gave her a copy of Ryland’s picture, then did the same with two foot soldiers from Blackwood who turned up shortly afterwards. They’d start at the edges of the estate and work inwards while Alaric, Ravi, and Sky focused on the centre.
It was slow going. A handful of people thought they might have seen Ryland around, but most either shook their heads or ignored the questions completely. Every hour, Beth tried calling Gemma just in case she resurfaced, but her phone remained off, its whereabouts unknown. Alaric had taken Ryland’s number from his file at the gym too, and that was out of service.
He was losing hope when his mobile rang.
“I just saw him,” Sky said, breathless. “A minute ago. I’m sure I did. Massive bloke. That photo doesn’t do him justice.”
“Where?”
“Walking past the kebab shop. But by the time I got outside, he’d gone.”
“Which direction?”
“Towards the skateboard ramp.”
“We’re on our way.”
Dammit, the man was a ghost. Sky was right—he’d vanished. But at least they knew he was still around, and between the stink in his old flat and the “creep” factor, they couldn’t afford to let up in the search. Alaric considered calling the police and explaining the situation, but from what he’d heard, the Bellsfield Estate was considered a problem child and they avoided it whenever possible. He tried Emmy instead.
“How’s your hangover?”
“I’m rethinking the saké idea. How’s your search?”
“Frustrating. Sky spotted our guy, but he disappeared again. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
A long pause was followed by a heavy sigh. That was new. Old Emmy had never sounded so weary.
“My meeting’s done. I’ll come over.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know. It’s just…”
“What?”
“Never mind.” Now wasn’t the time to have that conversation. “I appreciate the help, Cinders.”
The breakthrough came later that afternoon. Funny how you could spend hours chasing your own tail only to catch the prize when you least expected it.
It happened when Alaric gave in to his hunger pangs and stopped at the Co-op for a sandwich. Ryland’s not-quite neighbour, the girl from 503, was ahead of him in the line with her baby in one arm and a basket of food in the other. Instant noodles, plain yogurt, jars of baby food, a loaf of bread… No luxuries, but when she got to the checkout and saw the total, she stared at it in shock.
“I will put something back.”
She pulled out two apples and put them on the counter, then a package of pasta and a box of laundry powder. Fuck. Nobody should have to choose between clean clothes and healthy food. He slid a twenty-pound note across to the cashier.