She found him fairly quiet. He didn't say much, as far as she remembers. But she does remember that he made her feel uneasy. She couldn't explain why. He was apologetic, and assured her that it wouldn't happen again. But she wasn't entirely convinced.'

When did the girl disappear?'

A couple of months later. Debbie left Renshaw. She paid off her rent, and moved away. Gwen wasn't too concerned, because the girl had talked about doing exactly that when they'd last met. She talked about going to find a job in London, where she had family.'

Does she know what happened to Renshaw?'

No. The flat they shared was rented in Debbie's name. She'd been there alone before Renshaw moved in with her.'

That matches the story that Tracy Beck told me yesterday. Him moving into her flat. We need to trace this woman, if only to check that she's still alive and well. A statement from her would be a real bonus.'

Gwen Davis has offered to do it. She said she feels a sense of responsibility. I said I'd be back in touch with your decision.'

If you're happy with her, Barry, then it's okay with me. I think we'll also be getting names from Susie Pater's address book today. The Bournemouth lot are going to send across details of anyone that might be in the age-range we're looking for. It's interesting that he moved into Debbie's flat. I wonder if it means that he did the same with Donna? Maybe we need to find out more about where she lived after she pulled out of her course.'

Sophie sat down on the nearest chair. She looked tired and drawn.

Ma'am, I'm worried about the incident at your house and the fact that our suspect may be targeting you and your family. Who's dealing with it?'

Matt Silver, so I'm sure we'll be okay. I just don't know what this man's game is. It's frightening, but at least it's brought him out of the woodwork. That might make him more vulnerable. But it does mean that the kind of protection that I've been pushing for Tracy Beck has now got to apply to my family. It's a weird feeling. It also means, I'd guess, that he's given up on Vilis Berzins being prosecuted for the murders. Maybe he only set that in motion to gain time.' She paused. Sod it, let's get that journalist Rogers in and get him to tell us what they spoke about on Friday. I'm fed up with pussy-footing around the issue. See if you can find him, Barry. Get him in now if you can. And can someone get me a coffee? Please? With two sugars? And a couple of biscuits?' She smiled at Marsh. Don't worry, I'll be fine.'

Just then a courier arrived with a package from police HQ. It was the previous week's CCTV footage from the Poole to Studland ferry.

Well, that's Jimmy's job for the next couple of days sorted,' said Marsh.

They sat in the interview room. Bill Rogers looked nervously across the table at Sophie.

So you say he'd been there earlier in the week?'

I think it was on Wednesday. I thought I recognised him when he appeared on Friday. When he spoke to me it gave me a chance to look at him closer up. I thought he was a new hack from one of the local rags, but he said he was just passing by.'

Anything unusual about him or what he said?'

No, not really. Nothing that stuck out. He was quite tall, medium build. No, maybe a bit heavier than average. Looked fit.'

Could you tell anything about his attitude?'

Difficult to say.' Rogers swallowed. He did look kind of determined. Focussed . . . Look, I'm sorry about what I told him.'

What was that, Mr Rogers?'

That you were leading the investigation.'

Barry Marsh asked, Was he trying to find out?'

No. I just happened to see the Chief Inspector's car come in at the back.'

Why did you ask that question about the car we were looking for? How did you find out about it?' asked Sophie.

One of the other guys had just got news of it on his mobile. He told us but didn't seem keen to ask the question himself, so I thought, nothing to lose. I'll ask.'

Barry looked at Sophie. Ties in with what we know.'

She nodded and turned to Rogers. What about your new friend?'

What do you mean?'

How did he react, if at all?'

I felt him kind of tense up slightly, but I thought it was just my imagination. You know, it was just a feeling I had. And you were looking directly at us at the time.'

What difference does that make?' asked Sophie.

It sure makes me nervous. Like now.'

What did he do when I'd finished answering your question?'

He just turned and walked away. He crossed Kings Road and stood at the brook for a couple of minutes. Then he walked down towards town, I think.'

Marsh looked at him. Have you told us everything, Mr Rogers? It's just that I get a sense that you're holding back on something.'

Rogers seemed happier talking to another man. I told him about the DCI's reputation. I said that she was one tough cookie, or something like that. I told him about our run-in a couple of years ago and that she's got a law degree.' He looked at Sophie. Look, it wasn't illegal. It was all stuff that was common knowledge.'

Absolutely, Mr Rogers,' said Marsh. It's just that there was a possible attempt to kidnap one of the DCI's daughters earlier today, almost definitely by the same man. And knowledge of this is not in the public domain, and never will be, we hope. Do you understand our concern?'

Rogers gulped.

And do you understand why I'll be personally very displeased if you spread or report any of this until I give you the nod to do so? In exchange, Mr Rogers, you have my word that you can have first claim on any story once it's all safely tucked up and put to bed. Okay?'

Rogers nodded.

For example,' Marsh went on, it might be in your interest to call me tomorrow morning. Say about nine-ish? Information you get then would make it into tomorrow evening's edition, I expect?'

Sure.'

Sophie stood up. Thank you, Mr Rogers. You've been very helpful.' She left the interview room. Marsh accompanied the reporter out of the building, then returned to the incident room.

Ma'am, you need to go home. There's nothing immediate going on just now. It's just a question of Jimmy getting on with the CCTV footage and me following up a bit more about this man, Rule. I just wonder whether his possible birthday on August twenty-fifth might give us a lead, so I want to do a bit of digging. But nothing requires you to be here. I think you should head off, and try to be home when your daughter and husband get back. They'll need you there, really they will.'

Okay, Barry. Thanks for your concern, and I'll do what you say. I'll be on the end of the phone if you need me, and we'll see what Rogers makes of the news about Berzins tomorrow morning. Should be interesting.'

Sophie was home ten minutes before Martin and Jade arrived. She watched from the lounge window as the car backed into the drive, then opened the front door.

Hi, Mum. What's this all about?' asked Jade.

Sophie gave her daughter a hug, A bit later, Jade. I need to talk to your dad first.'

Jade shrugged and disappeared up to her room.

Martin put his arms around his wife and squeezed hard. A bit of a fraught day, I take it?'

Just a bit.' She felt tears welling up in her eyes. More than a bit. It was terrifying when I realised that he was somewhere here, near the house. I thought he might be inside. I was so scared.'

How did Hannah take it?'

She didn't seem worried in the slightest. When I phoned I asked her to lock all the doors and windows until the local police arrived. I stayed on the phone to her all the way here from Swanage until I could see she was safe. Rather than being worried, she was calming me down.'

Just like Jade just now. She kept saying, "Don't worry, Dad. It's all fine." I wish that was true. They're real treasures, aren't they?'

Sophie could only nod. Kevin travelled on the train with Hannah as far as Bournemouth. She phoned me when she got to Waterloo.'

Shall I phone for a take-away this evening?'

No. We're moving out to a hotel for a couple of days. It's just not safe to stay here for the next day or two.'

I noticed some men just along the road. Are they the forensics officers?'

Sophie nodded. The mud on the side of the road means that they've got a good tyre print. They don't think he got out of the van, and Mrs Bentley didn't see him outside of it. We think he was just watching. The local police are doing a house-to-house to check if any of the other neighbours noticed anything. Nothing so far.' She hesitated. He took a photo of Hannah.'

Christ, this is appalling. What if he finds out where she stays in London?'

The college will look after her. I spent a while on the phone to the principal late this afternoon. She'll be staying with one of the tutors, and getting a cab into college with her. I'm hoping it will take just a couple more days, Martin. We're getting closer. I can sense it.'

CHAPTER 17: Friction.

Tuesday Morning Despite the comfortable rooms, the night spent in a nearby hotel hadn't been restful. The Allen family had made good use of the pool, eaten well and enjoyed a late evening drink in the lounge bar. But Sophie had not slept well. Neither had Martin. Only Jade reported sleeping through the entire night. But the breakfast was worth savouring. Instead of the usual rush of cereal and toast, the two adults had enjoyed fresh fruit and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs. Jade was now worried that she'd put her morning training session for the school hockey team at risk because of all the food she'd consumed.

I'm stuffed,' she announced solemnly, as she made her way to Sophie's car. I'm going to turn into a porky if we stay here too long.'

No one's forcing you to try everything on the menu, Jade. There is such a thing as self-control, you know.'

Mum, if you only knew how much I love bacon and eggs and all the other stuff, you'd understand that I just can't refuse it when it's all there, inviting me to gorge on it. It's like I'm in heaven. I really didn't think I'd manage anything after that meal last night, but then I saw all the breakfast stuff laid out, there was my appetite, back in a few seconds.'

Maybe I'd better explain all this to Mrs Wentworth when I see her. I'll tell her that, because of all the anxiety and tension that you suffered yesterday afternoon, you were forced to eat a plateful of bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms and tomatoes. After a dinner of venison casserole last night. Not forgetting your pudding of banoffee pie. Two helpings, wasn't it?'

Sophie unlocked the car doors and watched her tall, slim daughter climb in.

I just don't know where you put it all. Well I do, actually. I was the same at your age.'

And you've kept your figure brilliantly, Mum. Everyone says that you're the best-looking mother among all my friends.'

Well, they won't be saying that if we stay at this place for much longer.'

It was eight o'clock. A low sun was peeping through the clouds to the east. Once she'd dropped Jade at school, and had a word with her head teacher, she'd be back on this road heading into the sun as it climbed into the sky above Swanage.

Did you find Sasha Purfleet, Lydia?' asked Sophie.

Yes, ma'am, but she wasn't at all helpful. She's a druggie and where she's staying, well it's just a hovel really. It's not as though the area is too run down, but her house was one of the filthiest I've ever been in. It stank. And she seemed as if she was in a world of her own. You know, completely out of it.'

So nothing really helpful from her?'

Not really. She was just so vague. She couldn't even remember what year she'd been with this Andrew Ridgway. She did confirm his name, and said the photofit could have been him, but she wasn't totally sure.'

Could she remember anything about how her injuries happened?'

He'd hit her, that's all she'd say. But it was all too vague to be useful. She wouldn't be a reliable witness unless she got herself off whatever she's taking. Otherwise it's pointless. She'd be torn to shreds in court by any half-competent barrister.'

I still think we need to get her somewhere safe. Did you suggest it to her?'

Yes. She mumbled something about her parents. I called her mother after I left. She hasn't seen her daughter in over a year.'

Are you surprised?'

Well, I expect things haven't been easy between them. Anyway, her mother said that she'd do what she could, if only for a few days.'

Could you follow it up later this morning? If nothing has happened, we may need to do something ourselves. I don't want her to be at risk, particularly if she's not aware of what's going on around her. She'd be easy prey for our man if he did decide to wipe his history. By the way, have there been any updates from Walsall?'

Yes. Liz Angel had time to do a bit of digging. She phoned me yesterday, and is sending down some documents later.'

Marsh walked over to them. Jimmy's just about to start working his way through the CCTV footage for the Sandbanks ferry. It could take days, ma'am, and might not produce anything useful.'

Get him to start with the second half of Friday morning, when we know he was out front here. He would have heard about us looking for the car, so my guess is that he'd have avoided using the main road out of Swanage. Opting for the ferry would have been safer. Say from about ten thirty. We think he was also here on Wednesday morning, but we weren't looking for the car then. He'd probably have come by road. Make that his second priority, okay? Apart from that, you're right. We don't want anyone's time wasted, so he can start looking for the student who was Donna's first boyfriend at university. George Warrander was his name. He may know something. Meanwhile, we've been emailed the list of contacts from Susie Pater's address book. That's for you and Lydia to start on. I want the locals who might have been friends. Check each one, then we'll shortlist those that might be worth a visit. I don't understand the relationship between Susie and our man Andy. What was it? Were they just friends? Was he just a punter? Were they lovers? It niggles me. I've got to visit HQ for a meeting but I should be back before the end of the morning.'

Sophie visited the station's senior officer, Tom Rose, before she left.

Tom, I'm in a rush and all my team are up to their eyes in chasing stuff up. But I want to find out the details on the transfer of ownership of Donna's flat when it was left to her in her grandmother's will. Can you put someone local onto tracing the solicitor who handled it? I want them to get as much detail as they can about the will and the transfer. That would be great.'

Of course. Anything else I can do?'

Donna went on a holiday sometime in the past year with Susie Pater. I think it was Corfu. I wonder if she booked it locally. Could someone pop into the local travel agents and see? I'd like to know when she went and if anyone else went with them. That's if we can trace the company. And thanks.'

The meeting in the assistant chief constable's office was an informal one, chaired by him. They were seated in comfortable chairs around a low coffee table. Silver and Dunnett sat either side of Sophie.

The ACC, Jim Metcalfe, began, Can I say, Sophie, how shocked we all were to hear of yesterday's events? It's rare to hear of a criminal targeting an officer's home or family, outside of the gangland world. This man is obviously very disturbed. There has been a suggestion that we take you off the case and you go away on holiday with your family for a couple of weeks. You'd all be out of harm's way.'