Hearing his ringtone, Alicia knew Justin had just called. She was desperate to call him back after the way their last call had ended, but first she needed to hear what the detective inspector had to say. ‘You’re sure you won’t have some tea or coffee?’ she asked him, having already established that he wasn’t here with news of Sophie and then gone through the awkward civilities.

‘No, thanks, Alicia. I can’t stay long.’ Giving her a brief smile, DI Taylor checked his watch.

‘Something stronger possibly?’ she asked him, making a supreme effort to be cordial, despite the fact that all she wanted to do was scream at him to do his job and bring Sophie home. She’d rung around all her friends, only to be told Justin had already called, and to receive the same news he presumably had. She’d supposedly been with this mysterious friend – whom no one had any idea about – two, getting on for three days ago, which meant she could be anywhere now. The nagging thought had also occurred to Alicia that this ‘friend’ might not even be a girlfriend. A boyfriend would be worrying, but what if it were neither? What if it were some predatory adult?

‘I’d love something stronger,’ DI Taylor smiled, regretfully this time. ‘I’m still on duty though, unfortunately.’

‘Right, well.’ Alicia smiled back. ‘What can I do for you, Detective?’

‘Do you mind if we sit?’ Taylor asked, and walked across to seat himself on the sofa anyway.

Alicia took the armchair, uneasiness creeping through her as she noted the troubled look on his face. He hadn’t called by with news of Sophie. And Justin had just phoned, so what on earth was this all about?

‘Paul Radley,’ Taylor said, and paused. Alicia’s stomach turned over. ‘I believe he’s an old acquaintance of yours?’

Oh no. Alicia dropped her gaze, feeling an immediate sense of deep humiliation.

‘Mine’s not to judge, Alicia.’ Taylor smiled kindly. ‘I’m merely trying to ascertain all the facts in regard to your daughter.’

Alicia drew in a breath and nodded. ‘Yes, of course. Yes, he is,’ she confirmed falteringly.

Taylor nodded thoughtfully. ‘Justin came to see me,’ he said. ‘He was rather irate at the time – exhausted, clearly, having been searching for Sophie.’

Alicia nodded, immense sadness settling inside her. She had no idea how Justin was pushing himself on. He wouldn’t be sleeping. She could tell he was barely eating. He’d lost weight. She suspected the only thing keeping him going was his determination to find Sophie.

‘He seemed very concerned about Mr Radley having any contact with your daughter. I take it he told you Mr Radley did in fact speak to her on the telephone?’

Alicia nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said tightly. ‘He did.’

Taylor studied her for a second. ‘And what about future contact, Alicia? If Sophie turns up, which I’m quite sure she will, would you want Mr Radley to be in contact with her?’

‘No, absolutely not,’ Alicia stated categorically. ‘He’s… a womaniser,’ she added. ‘Not the sort of person who would be a good influence on an impressionable young girl.’

‘I see.’ Taylor nodded. ‘Would that be why Justin would want to warn him off, do you think?’

‘Warn him off?’ Alicia’s gaze shot worriedly to his.

‘We had a call-out,’ Taylor explained, ‘from one of the staff at Mr Radley’s place of work. Apparently, Justin paid him a visit.’

He let it hang, watching her carefully, then said, ‘He attacked him, Alicia. Quite aggressively, by all accounts.’

‘What?’ Alicia stared at him, stunned. Justin? He’d never been violent in his life. He simply didn’t have it in him to be violent. ‘Was he injured? Paul?’ she asked, fear that Justin might be arrested causing her chest to constrict.

‘He did have an injury, according to my officer’s report. Sustained earlier at the gym, according to Mr Radley. It seems he wouldn’t confirm the initial report we received. Said there’d been some misunderstanding.’

Now Paul’s sudden decision to fly back to Dubai made sense.

‘The strange thing is, the attack took place before your husband learned of this contact.’ DI Taylor paused. ‘A reaction to the difficulties he found himself him, no doubt. Understandable.’ He sighed expansively. ‘Nevertheless, Justin is still at fault. Please try to persuade him to stay away from Mr Radley, Alicia. He could very easily have been charged with assault, which would have done no one any good, would it?’

Still uncomprehending, Alicia shook her head and nodded all at once. ‘He’s leaving. Paul… Mr Radley. He says he’s going back to Dubai.’

‘Ah, right.’ Taylor’s smile brightened. ‘In which case, hopefully that will be one less obstacle on the road to recovery, hey?’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘I’ll see myself out.’

Walking him to the door anyway, Alicia maintained her composure. But when she’d closed the door behind him, she leaned against it and pressed a hand to her forehead. He’d attacked a man. But Justin wasn’t aggressive. He’d never condoned violence of any sort. It was because of the paternity test, she realised. He was as determined to be a good father to Sophie as he was to find her. And Justin was her father – the person who’d nurtured her, loved her, laughed with her, cried for her. He would never give up on her, never bow out of her life. If there was anything positive to gain from this, it was that Paul Radley at least knew that now.

But what about Justin? What state of mind must he be in?

She picked up her mobile, unsure what she was going to say to him or how much she should reveal of her conversation with DI Taylor.

Justin picked up straight away. ‘Hi,’ he said. ‘Thanks for returning my call.’

Hearing the formality in his tone, the politeness, Alicia felt another crushing wave of sadness.

‘Obviously, I would,’ she started, and then stopped. He was keeping her at a distance. He’d hung a no-admittance sign on his emotions, one he wouldn’t easily let her past, not now. ‘Sorry I couldn’t get back sooner,’ she said, trying to keep the devastation from her own voice. ‘DI Taylor was here.’

‘I gathered. Did he have anything to say worth listening to?’

‘Not in regard to Sophie, no,’ Alicia answered cautiously.

Justin sighed wearily. Clearly, he’d expected as much. ‘So, why the visit?’

Not sure what his reaction would be, Alicia hesitated. ‘He wondered whether I knew that Paul Radley had been in touch with Sophie. He was a bit concerned, I think.’

‘About?’ Justin asked curiously.

‘You. He said… He told me you attacked Paul Radley. He was—’

‘He said what?’ Justin sounded immediately agitated.

‘He was worried about you, Justin. About the consequences. If you’d been charged with assault…’

‘It would have been worth it,’ Justin assured her.

‘It would have affected your job, Justin,’ Alicia pointed out, feeling scared that he didn’t seem to care. ‘Your future.’

Justin didn’t answer immediately. ‘I don’t have much of a future, though, do I, Alicia, without my family?’ he said quietly.

Alicia felt fear pierce through her like an icicle. There had been no contempt in his voice, no accusation. Nothing. He’d sounded empty. Flat. As if he truly didn’t care.

‘I’m sorry if it upset you,’ he went on, drawing in a long breath, ‘but he had it coming.’

‘Sorry?’ Alicia shook her head. ‘Justin, I’m only upset for you. I don’t care about—’

‘We need to talk,’ Justin said quickly over her, as though he had steeled himself to say it.

Alicia nodded, closing her eyes. He needed answers, none of which he would want to hear. ‘When?’ she asked, gulping back the heavy weight of remorse.

‘Tomorrow,’ he said. ‘At the house.’

Surrounded by the ghosts of what had been, and the future that could never be. It would hurt meeting him there, seeing him there, being reminded of everything she’d thrown away. She didn’t think that was Justin’s intention, but it was fitting.