Human Remains

Had he been pissed off, cross, upset?
    And how would he feel if he saw me again? Would he even recognise me?
    ‘If he comes out…’ I said out loud, and then didn’t finish my sentence.
    ‘If he comes out what?’
    ‘I want to talk to him.’
    Sam looked at me, alarmed. ‘What? No. I don’t think so.’
    I turned to him, trying to make sure I had his full attention. ‘I’ve got an idea, Sam. I know how we can find Audrey.’
    ‘How?’
    ‘He can take me to her.’
    ‘What? What do you mean?’
    I hesitated, wondering whether to tell him, what he would say if I did. And in that moment’s hesitation the chance passed, because Colin Friedland came out of his house and shut the front door firmly behind him. He got into a dark blue Fiesta which was parked on the driveway and reversed out into the road.
    Sam had already started the engine. He waited until the Fiesta got to the end of the road and helpfully indicated left towards the town centre, and pulled out to follow.
    ‘Don’t start,’ he said, even though I’d said nothing. ‘I just want to see where he goes. Alright?’
    ‘That’s fine,’ I said.
    ‘Really?’
    Once we were on the main road, a white van was between us and the Fiesta. We slowed down at the lights and I could just about see the side of the car, and Colin’s wing mirror.
    ‘Don’t lose him, whatever you do,’ I said.
    ‘I won’t,’ Sam said, with a sigh that suggested I was starting to get on his nerves.
    We were both privately hoping that he was going to lead us to Audrey, but a few moments later he pulled in to the Co-op’s car park. Sam drove straight past, up to the roundabout and back again.
    By the time we drove in, Colin had parked and was walking towards the supermarket. He was carrying a reusable Co-op carrier bag.
    Sam reversed into a space in the row behind the Fiesta and cut the engine. I undid my seatbelt.
    ‘Where are you going?’ he asked. ‘We can just wait for him to come back…’
    ‘No,’ I said. ‘I’m going to talk to him.’
    ‘
What?
’ Sam said. It was the closest I’d ever come to hearing him shout.
    I was rooting through my handbag for my mobile phone, just a cheap Pay As You Go one that Irene had given me – an old one of hers, I think – because the one Colin had taken from me was still in some evidence bag somewhere. I had considered buying a nice new one, but now I was glad I hadn’t – this would be ideal. It was small and lightweight. I found it at the bottom of the bag and to Sam’s surprise I undid the top three buttons of my shirt and pushed the phone inside my bra.
    ‘What the fuck?’
    ‘Look,’ I said. ‘I’m going to sit outside the Co-op, and when he comes out he might recognise me. You know? He might want to – have another try.’
    ‘Are you actually fucking mad?’ Sam’s eyes were wide. I’d never heard him swear once, never mind twice. ‘He was trying to kill you, Annabel. And you want to let him have another go?’
    ‘Not really, no. But things are different now, aren’t they? I know who he is, what he is. I’m not vulnerable now. I know what I’m doing. But he doesn’t know that, does he? That gives me an advantage.’
    Sam was frowning now.
    ‘You are mad. Seriously. What the hell are you thinking? And in any case, surely your lot will have him under surveillance or something?’
    ‘They’re all deployed to other jobs. I asked someone. Look, we don’t have much time,’ I said, ‘he might only have gone in to buy a paper. I don’t even know if this will work – he might not see me, he might avoid me. But if he has got Audrey, it’s not at her house or his house, is it? So where is she? He might take me to the same place, wherever it is.’
    I opened the car door and Sam went to grab my arm, missed, and got out his side instead. It was raining, a dull soft drizzle that made everything look out of focus. The clouds overhead were dark grey, the wind picking up and cold.
    ‘Wait. Just wait a second,’ he said, standing in my way. ‘What if I can’t follow you? What if we get separated?’
    ‘I’ve got my phone. You hold on to my bag. I don’t think he’ll search me, or anything. If he does take me somewhere, it won’t be far. Get hold of DI Frost and tell him. When I get a chance, I’ll send texts, so they should be able to find me.’
    ‘And what if they can’t find you? What if you can’t get a signal? What if he kills you straight away? Annabel, this is insane…’
    ‘He