Liv nodded. “I think so. I can pack up a couple of bags of clothes and toys once the forensics team have been round and drop them later.” Her shoulders stiffened. “Romy, I don’t want to worry you, but I think you should keep an eye out. Lock your doors – I know no one does around here – but if Cara’s in trouble they might target Mia, or think that Mia knows something.”
More fear. Worry. Panic.
“I’ll start locking the door.” Best I could do right now while I was suppressing terror.
“Good. I’ll come round when the girls are at school and do a security check on your house. You probably don’t need to be worried at all. Cara’s probably gotten involved with another shitty boyfriend and she’s escaped and he was looking for her stash of pills or something, but best to be prepared.”
“Agreed.” I would appreciate it if my heart rate could calm down so it wasn’t mirroring a stampede of horses. “Being prepared is my new motto.”
Liv shot me a grin, a proper one this time. “Disagree with new. You’ve always been prepared.”
My smile came with a dash of sadness. I hadn’t always been prepared, but Joel had been even worse than me, so one of us had needed to become that partner in the relationship who possessed some practical skills.
A black car pulled up and a tall man slunk out. I vaguely recognised him, but Liv knew exactly who he was.
“Boss,” she said, turning her attention to him.
“DS Scott. Where are forensics?” he said, when he was close enough.
“On their way. They were heading over from Rhosneigr. This is Romy McAllister. She’s looking after the child who lived here while her mother’s missing.”
The boss glanced at me, giving me a once over that made me feel like I’d been interrogated. “Has the child said anything about her mother?”
“Very little.” I wasn’t sure if to say my gut told me Mia was keeping something hidden. I didn’t like the idea of her being questioned by more strangers than necessary. Every motherly instinct told me to protect her, I just wasn’t sure exactly from what right now.
Liv’s boss gave another nod and turned his back to me, a key sign that I was dismissed.
I exchanged a goodbye glance with my friend and moved over to where Sue had instigated some clapping game with the girls, Mia even smiling as Heidi’s voice grew louder and louder.
“Hey, Mia. My friend Liv is the police officer who’s going through your house. She’s going to pack your stuff up when she can and bring it over to our house.” I watched her face for any signs of distress, none came, just a blank expression as the clapping game stopped.Sue headed over to Liv herself, leaving me with the girls for a moment, probably to find out what she’d missed.
“Why can’t we go in Mia’s house, Mummy?” Heidi shuffled over to me. I was convinced she’d grown an inch since this morning.
“Because the police are looking for fingerprints to see if they can help find Mia’s mum.” I knew we were going to be havinga long conversation about fingerprints and what they were. Maybe Liv would have a kit she could show the girls later; that would interest them without them thinking we were pretending everything was fine, which it was not.
“Is that my fingerprint?” And so it began.
Mia stayed quiet, watching Heidi, looking at me every few seconds, as if she was checking I was still there.
“That’s your fingerprint, yes.”
It was another five minutes of fingerprint talk before Sue reappeared, a couple of extra wrinkles visible.
“Okay, girls, shall I take Mia and Heidi for ice cream to give Romy a break for an hour?” Her gaze was sympathetic.
There were cheers, mainly from Heidi.
It was a good idea, I knew Mia would prefer not to be on her own, I was getting it now that she was anxious, worried, understandably so.
And there was something else she wasn’t telling us.
Not yet.
SIX
Cassian
“I’m assuming your cooker’s been disconnected, sugar.” Amelie put the steak in front of me and shook her head. “As much as I’m enjoying how my takings have increased this last week, I’m not sure how good this is for your health.” She took the seat opposite me and made herself comfortable. The ends of her hair were different today, a shade that gave her an air of busyness.
