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‘Coercive control,’ Hal says. He glances at Jen. ‘How did she get rid of him?’
‘She told him her father was coming over with some of his friends and wanted a word. Apparently, Olly’s a coward. He packed up and was out of there within the hour. Before he left, he told her she was a talentless nobody who wouldn’t amount to anything.’
‘That’s nice,’ Jen says.
‘She said she’s struggled to trust anyone since.’
‘How did you find her?’ Jen asks.
‘A deep dive on Facebook. She re-joined her writing group and made some disparaging comments about him there. We contacted her and got more than we bargained for.’
‘Olly has form being coercive, then,’ Jen says. ‘This backs up Anna Creed’s story. I wonder about Sasha. Is she his victim too?’
Hal says, ‘If she is, it’s in a Stockholm Syndrome sort of way. If we believe what we read in Anna Creed’s journal, Sasha’s as guilty as he is of coercing Anna Creed. Finn, do we have any update on the whereabouts of Olly’s Aunt Kitty?’
‘Nothing. No official record of her existing since she left her position at the Manor. She seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth at that point.’
‘Can you find out if there’s any update on the visit to Patrick Young’s home yet?’ Hal asks.
‘Hold on.’ They wait while Finn checks. He’s back on the line quickly: ‘They’ve been there but there was no sign of him.’
‘ANPR on the Jaguar?’
‘No trace so far.’
Hal grimaces. ‘We should never have let him go.’
‘I agree, boss,’ Jen says, ‘but we couldn’t arrest him, and I think Olly Palmer is possibly a bigger threat.’
‘Patrick has form being violent,’ Hal says. ‘And he might still be in the area. He must be a priority.’
‘Olly and Sasha are playing a long game,’ she says, ‘but that doesn’t mean they’re not just as dangerous. I’d feel happier about them if we’d found Aunt Kitty, but we haven’t.’
‘You think they’re a direct risk to Nicole?’
‘I think they’re potentially very dangerous.’
He believes she might be right, but in this case, he sees danger in many other places, too, and he can’t focus on all of them. The decisions he makes at this stage of the investigation could have very serious consequences.
‘Get that car organised, Finn,’ he says. ‘I don’t want Nicole Booth unprotected.’
61
FRIDAY
Nicole
Nicole wakes up late, at nearly half past ten, and comes downstairs to find Kitty in the kitchen, cutting fruit. It’s a relief not to see Patrick and not to be alone.
‘Morning,’ Kitty says. ‘How did you sleep?’
‘I can’t believe I slept that long,’ Nicole says. She’s been in bed for almost twelve hours. Her sleep was deep and dreamless, and this is the first time since Tom died that she feels a bit more like herself. It makes her feel guilty.
‘How about you?’ she asks. Kitty looks a little tired.
‘The bed was very comfortable. I woke up early and popped home to get a few things. I hope I didn’t disturb you.’
‘You didn’t at all. Did your security pin work okay?’
