‘I think you should go home. Just for the rest of the day, OK?’

Alex was standing in the superintendent’s office, summoned there following Leighton Matthews’ arrest. Harry had been in the recording room watching on screen as the interview unfolded. Like Chloe – and like the solicitor, if her angry complaints had been anything to go by – she surmised that Harry didn’t feel she had conducted the interview appropriately, although he hadn’t said as much.

‘We’ve got a confession and an arrest,’ she said defensively. ‘What more do you want? This is the way you like things, isn’t it, sir? Nicely wrapped up and packed away.’

She was angry. She was convinced Matthews was lying, but the pressure to secure a charge was weighing over her. She could now only hope that proof of Melissa’s guilt would make itself apparent before he went to court.

Superintendent Blake’s eyes remained fixed on her. ‘I’m going to let that one go,’ he said steadily, ‘considering what you’ve been through over the past couple of days. But the past couple of days are the exact reason you shouldn’t be here. You need to go home, get some sleep. I’m not saying don’t turn up for work tomorrow, not if that’s what you feel you need to do. I’m just suggesting you call it a day now.’

‘There are still things that need doing.’

‘They’ll wait until tomorrow.’

Alex rolled her eyes. ‘Waiting until tomorrow is the reason we’ve got ourselves into this mess. If we’d done things properly the night Keira died, we might have found her killer by now.’

‘I know why this case is getting to you so much, Alex.’

She held his eye, well aware of what he was referring to. ‘It makes no difference.’

‘Doesn’t it? Keira’s death has become personal. That’s why you need to take a step back.’

‘I think Leah Cross killed Tom Stoddard,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘She had the opportunity, and there’s a likelihood his death is linked to Keira’s. If we find out there’s also a link to the drug dealing, we might end up with something bigger on our hands. We need to involve Cardiff – get them on board with us.’

Blake nodded. ‘I think you might be right.’

‘There’s a first.’

He sighed. ‘Not at all, Alex, and you know that’s not true. There are people here who care about you, me included. We don’t want to see you run yourself into the ground.’

‘I know Keira’s death wasn’t an accident, sir. I’ve always known it. Chloe’s theory about the similarities between the two girls holds a lot of weight.’

‘I agree, and I’m sorry if you feel I was working against you. We work differently – we always have. We need proof, Alex – that doesn’t change, you know that.’

She nodded. She hadn’t realised the extent to which she had needed the super’s support. Not needed, she thought; wanted. It would be a shame for their working relationship to end on a negative note. Nor, she realised now, did she want to lose his friendship.

‘She’s a smart kid,’ Harry said, referring to Chloe. ‘You’ve brought out the best in her.’

‘I don’t know about that.’ In truth, Alex suspected that for the previous couple of months it might have worked the other way around. Would she have functioned effectively without Chloe to fall back on? It seemed to Alex that Chloe might have helped her hide a multitude of flaws from the outside world.

She turned to leave the office. ‘Boss,’ she said, looking back, ‘I’m sorry. I’ve said some hurtful things. Let’s try to end this on a positive, shall we?’

Harry gave a nod; it was all Alex needed. She left the office and went back into the corridor feeling differently towards the case, a fresh sense of energy powering her step. There were things she couldn’t control. Her mother’s illness, the relationship they’d shared; the awful death that had dragged on for years before its eventual arrival, draining them both of every reserve of energy. These were the things she had always struggled with: things she had no control over.

But she could control this. There were ways of finding the truth, and she had them at her disposal. She could also control the way she reacted to others, and she needed to apologise to Chloe for not having done so. The way she had spoken to her earlier that afternoon had been unnecessary and unfair.

She found her in the main investigation room, talking to Dan. ‘Chloe … have you got a minute?’ They crossed the room to a quieter corner. ‘I’m sorry for what I said to you before.’

‘Don’t worry, it’s forgotten.’

‘No,’ Alex said, ‘it was wrong … I know you were only looking out for me.’

Chloe nodded. ‘Honestly, you don’t need to apologise.’

Alex managed a smile. ‘Thank you. Harry was a bit less forgiving at first. He was watching the interview.’

‘Don’t worry about it. You did what you had to; we got a confession. Think Matthews is telling the truth?’

Alex shook her head.

‘Me neither.’

‘The woman he told us about,’ Alex said. ‘Carol Chambers.’

‘What about her?’

‘Well, the address in Devon – the one Leah gave the university as her home address – belongs to a couple called Jonathan and Carol Brooks. Chambers might have been her maiden name. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find out.’

Chloe looked confused. ‘But when you called, the woman you spoke to said she’d never heard of Leah Cross.’

‘Exactly. Why might a mother lie about knowing her own daughter?’

‘I don’t know. Unless she’s managed to upset her as well. Seems Leah makes pissing people off a bit of a habit.’

Alex nodded in Dan’s direction. ‘How’s he getting on with her social media accounts?’

DC Mason had been requested to access Leah Cross’s Facebook account in the hope it might shed some light on her whereabouts. It was a long shot – Alex suspected Leah would be too clever to reveal anything incriminating on social media – but if they didn’t check it, it would only be added to the list of things that had already been overlooked.

‘He’s into her account,’ Chloe told her, ‘but there’s been nothing posted recently. She’s not done an online check-in anywhere either. He’s still working through it.’

Alex nodded. ‘Keep going. I’m going to go and make another phone call to a certain Mrs Brooks.’

Chloe hesitated over her next words, choosing them carefully. ‘You know if you want to talk about anything, I’m here. No one’s trying to interfere. I just wonder if being at work is the right thing for you.’

‘I’m fine. I can’t change what’s happened. At least here I can do something constructive.’

‘There must be a lot to organise, for your mum.’

Alex shook her head, dismissing the thought of the already countless administrative tasks she would have to undertake as a result of her mother’s death. Between them and this place, she was being kept busy. It was the very thing she needed. ‘I’m fine,’ she said again, trying to make the words sound more convincing this time.

Chloe gave a sad smile. ‘We’re going to work this out,’ she told her.

Alex returned the smile. This was why she needed Chloe working by her side: that eternal youthful optimism. Hours earlier, she might have doubted Chloe’s faith in their abilities.

Now, there seemed no reason why she shouldn’t be right.