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It rings—three, four, five times—and cuts to voicemail.
“Honey? Do you want to pay for those?”
The woman at the cash desk points to her sandwich and packet of crisps.
“Yes, yes, sorry,” Rom says, quickly waving her card over the reader.
“Man trouble?”
“Something like that,” she replies.
She walks away from the canteen, then pauses in the corridor. She dials a different number. Jamie answers immediately.
“Rom? Is everything okay? I heard about Ellie.”
“Yes, but … Jamie, have you seen Adam today?”
“Today? No. And he didn’t come home last night.”
“He was with me.”
A pause at the other end. Then: “Okay … Does this mean …?”
“Yes. Maybe. Oh, I don’t know. But listen, I’m worried. He’s not answering his phone.”
“He’s probably at the nick. Caught up in something.”
“He’s been suspended, Jamie.”
“What? What for?”
“I don’t have time to explain now.” She thinks about the meeting first thing with Marsh. Maybe that had run on. But that question at her front door.
“When he left this morning, he asked where Cole’s patient files were kept. And I said at the surgery.”
“You think he’s gone there?”
“Maybe. But he might be with Marsh. Jamie, could you check? Please?”
“’Course. Don’t worry, Rom. I’m sure he’s fine.”
Jamie hangs up and Romilly waits, the phone clutched in her hand. She curses herself for worrying. She’s sure Jamie’s right. That Adam’s got stuck in this meeting, being bollocked by his boss, his phone on mute.
She starts walking back to her office, but her phone rings.
“Jamie?”
“He’s not there.”
“He’s not with Marsh?”
“No. Tim said that Marsh was in the room with him as we were speaking.” He pauses. “I’m coming to you.”
“We have to go to the surgery.”
“Don’t go there without me, Romilly. Please.” He’s begging, his voice scared. “Promise me?”
“I won’t. I’m at the hospital. Come quick, please, Jamie.”
