But he didn’t want Elea to face the truth alone. The intelligence team had shared information on the gang listed in Phil Hobbs’s address book and it was blowing Swann’s previous theories apart. All this time his team had been hunting for an individual, but new intel on the gang revealed a darker truth: human trafficking.
The information was on a need-to-know basis and was part of an ongoing police operation. Could the Ice Angels abductions have been orchestrated by the group? There were connections that couldn’t be denied any longer. But deny them he would, if it meant keeping Elea on the case. Free from the ties of bureaucracy, Elea had done more in a day than his team had been able to do in months. God knows they had worked hard, watching hours upon hours of CCTV, scouting for witnesses, taking statements, chasing up countless dead-ends.
Hobbs had betrayed his stepdaughter to some extremely dangerous individuals. Had Swann realised what they were capable of, he might not have allowed Elea to visit Ant and Sienna’s home. Ant Thompson was connected to a gang of armed individuals who were immersed in the Dark Web and capable of anything. Three separate sources now confirmed that the gang had been abducting homeless people, forcing them to work in drugs farms. They needed cheap, disposable labour to water cannabis plants and maintain the hydroponic set-ups. But had the gang gone further? Were they snatching children to order, too? Undercover officers were involved, due to cases of human slavery, and now it seemed that children weren’t off the cards. Those people were the lowest of the low. Swann and his team had been warned to step back. They couldn’t risk compromising an investigation that had been ongoing for months. The police weren’t privy to everything. Swann had known nothing about it until Elea seized the address book.
He switched on a lamp, observing her taking in the living room. One whole wall was thick tinted glass, which looked out onto the Brayford.
“This is amazing.” Elea seemed in awe. “I knew it would be nice, but this...Why on earth did you move out?”
“It wasn’t practical.” Swann spoke with more than a hint of regret. “Alice wanted a house for the children, and Nettleham is handy for work.” He was glad of the opportunity to speak to Elea in private without any interruptions. “About Alice...” he began. “What I said—”
“Water under the bridge,” Elea replied, taking everything in. His pictures of Finnish landscapes were still on the walls, because Alice preferred modern art in their house. His bookcase was still half full of books about forensics, poisons, famous murder cases, and everything in between. Elea would love them all. Her blue eyes were alight. She seemed happier today.
“Emotions were running high. It’s been an adjustment having you here. It all feels a bit,” he paused, “surreal.”
“It doesn’t to me. England is my home, too.” She was remembering all the times she’d visited her English father and stayed with his family in the past.
“Funny how we both have a foot in both countries,” Swann mused. He looked out onto the Brayford, at the slightly murky waters and the swans that settled on the small islands, which were wildlife-protected. “It’s not as clean as Finnish lakes, but there’s a good canoe club if you’d like to join.” They exchanged a glance. “I tried it once, but I couldn’t keep up.”
Elea smiled. “Yes, you’ve put on weight. Alice has been feeding you well.”
“Too well.” Swann patted his belly.
“Do you want your divorce?” Elea blurted out. “Because I can sign the papers. Just get them to me and—”
The smile faded from Swann’s face. “Can we leave it for now? There’s no immediate hurry.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. It was better to wait. Because Alice would have him down the registry office before the ink was dry on the divorce paperwork. He couldn’t divorce and remarry in such quick succession. He needed time to come to terms with everything.
“Then what will you tell Alice?”
“That you refused.”
“You want me to lie?”
He turned to face Elea. “I need more time to process everything. Alice...” he sighed. “Don’t be surprised if you get a call. She’s planning on asking you out for a coffee, so she can apologise.”
Elea grimaced in response.
Swann appreciated her efforts to be diplomatic, but she would never be besties with Alice. He didn’t blame her in the least. Had he been in her position, he would probably have felt the same.
“I was planning on letting this place out, but I couldn’t bear to let it go to people I didn’t know.” He walked around the room. “It’s too nice to spoil with strangers.” He didn’t tell Elea that it also eased his conscience to help her out. “Oh, there’s one more thing I want to show you.”
Elea arched an eyebrow. “Oh yes? What have you up your sleeve?”
Swann forced himself to focus as she delivered a heart-stopping smile. “Come with me.”
Elea followed him down the corridor, past the bathroom. She watched as he opened another door. “It’s a sauna.”
She gasped in delight. “Oh my goodness, this is perfect!”
Swan’s grin broadened. “I missed it so much that I had one fitted. It’s the only one in this entire block. On the whole of the Brayford, probably. There’s a communal swimming pool in the basement, too. I think you’ll be happy here.”
Elea pressed her hands together and touched her lips. “I think so too. I’ll pay rent. The going rate.”
“Let’s not talk money now.”
“Oh, let’s,” Elea said. “You don’t want people thinking I’m a kept woman, do you? Have a tenancy agreement drawn up on a month-by-month rolling basis. That way everything will be above board.”
“Whatever makes you happy.”
