“The two who didn’t speak English have gone home to Kosovo,” Jamie said. “Glad to be alive and not likely to visit the UK for a holiday in the future.” He frowned and gripped the steering wheel. “Makes me so fucking mad. These assholes that think…” He gritted his teeth.
“I know, man, that’s why we do what we do.” I paused. “And the other one, Sorenna, wasn’t it?”
I’d seen her at Rose Cottage. Jamie appeared to have a soft spot for her, but he was a man who kept his love life, and sex life, close to his chest. I’d never known him date and presumed his parents would one day set him up to marry some equally rich toff who would benefit both families’ business arrangements.
“Sorenna, yes.” He nodded.
“And?” I circled my hand in the air.
“She doesn’t want to go back. She was running for a reason.”
“What reason?”
“That’s her story to tell.”
“Fair enough. So is she going to stay at Rose Cottage?”
“For now, until we work something out.”
“We?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Jamie said, hitting the main route that would take us north up the country. “So spill, why are we going to Yorkshire?”
“Well, this woman I’ve met—”
“What? Back up. I mean about bloody time, old chap, but what woman?”
I laughed at his shocked expression. “You can talk.”
“This isn’t about me.” He pointed ahead. “I’m driving north because ofyourwoman. Who is she?”
“Amy, a friend of the twins’ girl, Rebecca.”
“Ah yes, okay, I did know something about that, carry on.”
“She grew up in this weird cult, Jesus Army style, preparing for the second coming. Anyway, she escaped before she was subjected to an unimaginable…assault…though she’s told me enough about her childhood to wonder why social weren’t all over this place. There was neglect at the very least.”
“Place?”
“Yeah, a place in Yorkshire, on the moors. Out of sight and out of mind for the authorities. The Commune of Light it’s called, but it seems pretty dark to me. It’s still going from what I can tell, even though she left ten years ago.”
“And that’s where we’re heading?”
“Yeah. Just to, you know…have a nose. Figured the uniform would get us further.”
“I agree. And if you can’t pull it off, I’ll outrank as your detective and get us in.”
“Exactly.” I handed him a fake ID.
“So well prepared. I’m impressed.” He slipped it into his jacket pocket. “Does she know you’re going? Amy?”
I hesitated. “No.”
“Risky move, man.” He downturned his mouth. “Chicks don’t like you poking into their past, especially if it’s traumatic, and it sounds like this one is.”
“I know but…what if there are other kids there who need…”
“Rescuing?”
