One time, when studying electronics at university, Karl and a pal went out for a drink, got drunk, got in a fight with two other guys, and got separated. Karl called hospitals, but they all refused to say whether or not they had his pal as a patient. A safety feature, probably born after some guy who cut someone up got a helpful ‘oh yes’ from a receptionist and strolled down there with a knife to finish the job. So, he knew he was wasting his time as he called around to try to find Katie. But he did it anyway, and clocked up a big number of polite professionals refusing to give anything away.

He had a list of police stations on Danny’s computer screen, too, but he didn’t dare risk calling those. At least hospitals didn’t trace the calls and wouldn’t come to get him with a screaming siren. Besides, he doubted Katie would be in custody. She was a victim, not a perpetrator.

Danny had gone to do something, and when he returned it was to see Karl’s shoulders slumped. ‘Anyone she could have gone to stay with?’ he asked. ‘Mum, dad, brother?’

As he said dad, Karl was already dialling Peter Davies. Katie’s dad was a formidable man, a theatre director and a former drill sergeant, which meant he could still roar like King Kong. Karl was not looking forward to this conversation.

He got an answer machine. For months, Peter had had the same message on his machine: Not in right now, obviously, so either call Pinnora Playhouse or leave your name and a number and your reason for calling. But now, the recording Karl got was: Call my mobile. And only if it’s urgent. Back soon. En route to pick someone up.

Karl had no doubt who that ‘someone’ was. He called the mobile, and Peter answered quickly.

‘Who’s this?’

‘It’s Karl.’

There was the honk of a car horn. Karl imagined the shock of his call almost making Peter crash his car. ‘What the hell is going on, Karl? Where are you?’

‘Is Katie with you?’

‘I just picked her up. Christ, what fun and games, right? Someone tried to kill her. There was a car crash.’

‘I know. I was in it. Is she okay?’

‘I don’t care if you’re innocent or guilty, Karl. Get yourself handed in to the police. Before more people get hurt.’

‘I am. Soon. But let me speak to Katie.’

‘You’re not speaking to her. She’s asleep in the back. And that’s good, seeing as how distraught she is. What the hell is going on, Karl? I’m hearing all this news about three dead people last night, some detective gone missing, another one who’s a criminal. No one will tell me anything, and Katie was too full of shock. What have you done, Karl?’ His tone was accusing, as if the aforementioned tales of terror were all his doing. Karl Seabury, in league with a bent detective, responsible for murder and mayhem.

‘I want to speak to my wife. You don’t have all the facts, Peter, and until you do, don’t make assumptions, okay? Where’s Katie?’

‘Katie herself said the police want you, possibly for murder. She claims you’re innocent, but a naive wife would say that, wouldn’t she?’

‘Katie’s not naive. I’m innocent and she knows it. Put her on the damn phone, Peter.’

A long pause as Peter considered his options. He decided on: ‘I’ll get her to call you. But when she gets up on her own. I’m not waking her. Not after this.’

And he hung up. Karl called back, but it went to voicemail. He’d turned off the phone.

‘We can’t go there yet,’ Danny said, as if reading Karl’s mind. Karl looked at him in defiance. Danny raised surrendering arms. ‘We don’t know what that McDevitt guy is doing. If the cops have him, lord knows what he’s telling them about you. The police will be watching your wife’s dad’s house. They’re probably following him right now, knowing you’ll try to contact your wife. It’s safer if you turn up there backed up by a solicitor. You need to just be patient. We all do. We wait for Mr Gold. That’s the plan, and if we stick to it, everything will work out okay.’

Karl’s glare challenged him. ‘My plan for tonight was to cuddle my pregnant wife in front of the TV.’

---

Liz came downstairs half an hour later, freshly dressed in a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt. Although her elegant dress was missing she was finally clean, damp hair in a bun on top of her head. And with red eyes, as if she’d been crying. Karl told her about his earlier chat with Katie, and the plan to hand themselves in to a police station close to her father’s house.

Liz had a mobile phone in her hand, which she waved. ‘I just spoke to Mr Gold. Bromley is only fifteen miles from here. Twenty-five minute drive.’

‘We’re going there? He’s not coming here? But we’re going to Pinner, right?’

She nodded. ‘Of course. Mr Gold will take our statements and arrange our surrender. He’ll be at home at five o’clock, after court. So, we have three and a half hours to wait.’

‘But we go to my wife’s dad’s house first? Before the police. I want to see her for the evening before I do it.’

‘Of course.’ She actually smiled. Maybe it was relief that all this would finally be over.

‘So that’s us sorted then,’ Danny said. ‘We’ve got a while. Grab a shower, mate. Liz, you must need some food.’

Karl took the hint and left the room. In the preceding half hour, Danny had given him a warning: do not talk about your wife in Liz’s presence. She’d lost her husband and shouldn’t have someone else’s relationship thrust in her face. Karl understood. He understood too that Liz was important to Danny and he wanted to protect her.

He stood under a hot shower for five minutes, needing to refresh his mind. The hot spray felt great, but everything else was wrong. It was wrong to step into another man’s bedroom, wrong to wear his clothing, and wrong to use his cutlery.

The food was good, though. Eggs on toast. Three plates on the table, with Danny and Liz waiting for him. Karl was surprised by how fast he attacked the food, and he noticed Liz eating with the same vigour. It reminded him that, bar a slice of toast, he hadn’t eaten all day. Even longer for Liz.

Danny used his phone while they ate, and he was the only one who spoke. Liz soaked up the information he imparted without looking away from her meal, as if none of it mattered to her. And it didn’t. Rumours of two injured police officers, a woman at the scene being questioned by police, and all of it tied to a heavy police presence at an industrial unit in Old Ford. Nothing about Liz’s husband, though: he was shielding her from that.

‘Nothing about McDevitt?’ Karl said.

‘Early doors yet,’ Danny said, putting away the phone. ‘Let’s just eat to get energy for tonight.’

They finished the meal in silence.