“Thanks,” he said, taking the seat. “I wanted to ask more about this Sarah.”
“You believe me now?”
“I’m leaning towards there being more to this than meets the eye. I just don’t know what it is yet.” He watched her. “Do you have any photos of her? Anything that could help identify her?”
Matty shook her head. “No. We weren’t what I’d call friends. She lived there, I lived there, and we got on. We chatted about life and my jobs. What we’d been up to. You know—casual stuff.”
“What kind of things did she talk about?”
Matty tried to rack her brains. She pulled a face. “Nothing, really, now that I’m thinking about it. I’d get home from Art sometimes and she’d be up in the kitchen drinking tea, coffee, or a beer. Sometimes Brandon was up too. We’d catch up, then I’d go to bed. I assumed that’s what they did as well.” She looked away. “I feel a bit stupid now.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Sloan said, reaching for her hand.
“But I think I did know.” Matty looked at Sloan, then back at Saint. “At least, I knew something was off. I just… She was nice, so I didn’t worry about it.”
He nodded. “Did you ever go into her room?”
Matty shook her head. “No. I never needed to.”
“Her room was at the top, right? Just to clarify?”
“Yes. The attic room.”
“That room’s empty,” he said. “Completely.”
Matty frowned. “But it can’t have been. She would get changed. She had to have had something up there.”
“Maybe she just had a big bag,” Gloria said. “Carried round what she needed, dropped it off in the room, made out like she was living there.”
Saint’s gaze flicked to Gloria, then back to Matty. “Would you be prepared to come to the flat with me and show me around?”
“Am I off the hook?”
“For now,” he said. “But I need to prove that this Sarah existed, and I need to find her.”
“What made you believe me?” Matty asked.
“A few things.” He sat back. “We found nothing in your room to suggest you had a hidden stash of cash or drugs. But mostly, I’ve met criminal masterminds, and unless you’re an Oscar-winning actress, you don’t fit the bill.”
“Of course she doesn’t,” Sloan said, squeezing Matty’s hand.
“Am I allowed to take some of my things if I come to the flat with you?”
He stood. “I don’t see why not. We’ve taken anything we deemed of interest…including your phone.”
“I’d like that back.”
“I’ll arrange for that.” He nodded once towards Gloria. “I’ll be in the car.” He left without another word.
They waited in silence until the front door opened, then thudded shut. Sloan moved to the hall to make sure he was gone.
“All clear,” she said. “Are you sure you want to go with him?”
Matty nodded. “Yeah. I think he’s genuine. And I want to clear this up. If I can help do that, then yes.” She reached for Sloan. “And I need some clothes. I can’t keep wearing yours.” She laughed, looking down at herself in the overly expensive sweatpants and designer T-shirt.
“I kind of like you in them,” Sloan said, smiling.
“Get a room, the pair of you.” Gloria grinned up at them. “And at least make me another cup of tea before you go.”
