“I don’t know!” Elea snapped. “But you can be sure as hell I’ll find out.”
Swann seemed unimpressed. “We’re not in Finland anymore. If you’re hoping to find Liisa, well, it’s unlikely, you know that, don’t you?”
Elea couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. She wasn’t expecting fanfares, but she’d reeled in a lead within hours of getting here. “This isn’t just about whatIwant. Chelsea is someone’s daughter, too. Don’t give up on her, like you gave up on Liisa.” She pinned him with a glare until he looked away.
“I never gave up on her.” His words became hushed, his anger diminishing.
Elea folded her arms, unconvinced. Outside, police car sirens blared, but she was focused on the past. “You gave up the day you left Finland. It was quite the defining moment in our relationship.”
The sudden ring of the desk phone interrupted her flow.
“I know what you’re doing.” Swann leaned forward and silenced the phone. “But here’s the rub. Your police powers hold no weight here. You’re a consultant. You’re expected to toe the line.”
Elea didn’t like where this was going. Her muscles tensed as her frustration grew. “You’ve changed. We used to be the perfect team.” In the years following Liisa’s disappearance Elea had thrown herself into work. She and Swann had progressed to leading a team of detectives and their success rate was second to none. But there was one case they could not crack. The Ice Angels.
“The world has moved on.” Swann’s voice rose once more. “If you don’t follow the rules, then where will it end?”
Elea pushed back her swivel chair as she got to her feet. “It will end with my daughter walking in the door!” She took a sudden breath. She hadn’t meant to blurt it out. But Swann had a way of getting under her skin.
Heads swivelled in the outer office, but their observation was momentary, as work soon resumed.
“Then I have no choice.” Swann stood. He had taken risks in the past, but those days were over.
“Answer me one thing. Why did you employ me to consult on this case? Did you think I had stopped caring? That I’d mellowed over the years?”
“Of course not.” Swann spoke in stiff, measured tones. “The feathers were one thing. But the Martta doll...I saw the look on your face when you found out. It’s too close to the bone. I’m scared of what you might do.”
“Well, I’m scared of what youwon’tdo!” she countered. She grabbed the notebook from his desk and waved it in the air. “Why are we wasting time when I have the evidence in the palm of my hand?” A heavy silence filled the space between them as Swann seemed to contemplate his next move. Elea watched as he logged off his computer.
“Photocopy the notebook, upload it onto the system, and book it into property. We’ll take it from here.”
“What in the smoking hell? Where are you going?” Elea’s annoyance flared as she watched Swann make his way to the door.
“To speak to the super. Go back to your hotel and pack. We won’t be needing your services anymore.”
Chapter 11
Swann rapped on his superintendent’s door, fumbling with his emotions. Superintendent Jessica Collins (Jess to her friends) had been a steadfast presence in his career. She and Swann were in the same intake in the Met Police when they’d joined as youthful probationers in 1990. Jess had been instrumental in bringing him to Lincolnshire Police force when he returned from Finland. Despite this long friendship, he was hesitant to seek her out. He was known for his unwavering certainty, but today he conceded that his judgement had been off. Elea didn’t belong on his team, not even as a consultant. She was an unpredictable firecracker. The woman needed therapy, not another case to remind her that her daughter was still missing. On top of that, her presence was making Alice nervous. The electricity between him and Elea, however unwanted, was undeniable. He couldn’t blame Alice for feeling insecure. He hated himself for thinking it, but she had every right to be.
He entered Jess’s office, unable to ignore the multitude of trophies that dominated the back wall. A devotee of ju-jitsu, his superintendent was proud of her achievements. Now she was climbing the ranks of the police force and was effecting some real change. But he knew a part of her yearned for the gritty action of the streets, and that his weekly updates were something she looked forward to. But today he was here to deliver disappointing news. She sat behind her wide desk, watching him intently, the low chatter of her police radio playing as a backdrop to their meeting. She was only five feet four, but her muscular build and assertive nature left people under no illusion as to who was in control.
“Take the weight off.” She gestured towards the swivel chair. Jess’s highlighted brown hair was pulled into a bun. Her skin was tanned from a recent trip to Thailand, and she smelled faintly of Tiger Balm.
“It’s Elea,” Swann began, sinking into the offered seat. “Her consultancy isn’t panning out...ma’am.”
“Is that so?” Jess arched an eyebrow, a familiar mannerism. “What’s with the ‘ma’am’ crap? You only pull that out when you’re in deep water.”
She had him there. Elea, with only one day on the team, had left him compromised. Swann tried to form a coherent explanation that wouldn’t land her in cuffs. “She’s too personally involved with the case. I should never have brought her here.”
Jess studied his expression. “She’s passionate, which is exactly what I expect of my team. Unlike your bloody sergeant, who walks around in a daze.” She scratched her arm and Swann caught sight of a bruise dappling her skin. “Sparring injury,” she winked, following his gaze. “You look tired, Swann. Are you getting any sleep? Must be knackering managing the twins...at your age.” She delivered a teasing smile. “How’s Alice? I still think it’s a shame she left the force when she did.”
Jess was only being courteous. Alice was never suited for the hustle of police work. She was Elea’s polar opposite: risk-averse and strictly by-the-book. She completed her work, no more, no less, and her detection rate reflected it. “She’s fine. Home front’s stable,” he answered curtly, veering the conversation back to Elea. “Now, as I was saying—”
“I’m aware of Elea’s call-on,” Jess cut him off. “She’s cracked a lead on her first day here.”
Swann stiffened. She’d cracked more than a lead. “But Hobbs—” He stalled, preparing his words.
Jess pointed at her computer screen. “Haven’t you read the statements? Hobbs turned on his missus for letting Elea in. Elea acted in self-defence as she came between them, and now that we’ve got his wife’s statement covering years of domestic abuse, he’s going to be nicked.”
