Necessary as Blood

flowers and had rung Kincaid to take the mickey, threatening to run him in for assault.
    But by Thursday she‘d been chafing at the bit, and after getting a release from the doctor that afternoon, she charged into the office on Friday morning with a zeal that had her staff groaning in mock dismay.
    At least she hoped it was mock. By mid-morning Melody came in with a sheaf of papers, reassuring her with a grin, ‘They‘re all beavering away, determined to prove they haven‘t been slacking in your absence. I think they missed you, boss.‘
    ‘Not enough to solve these damned burglaries,‘ said Gemma, glad for a break from the scrolling computer screen. Melody, she‘d noticed, was wearing a bright-pink T-shirt under her tailored black suit jacket, surely a sartorial statement of liberation. When they‘d spoken on the phone during the week, Melody hadn‘t said anything about how her meeting with her father had gone on Sunday afternoon, and Gemma hadn‘t wanted to ask.
    But now Melody nodded towards the chair and said, ‘Got a minute, boss?‘
    ‘Glad of it.‘ Gemma blanked her screen as Melody sat down, giving her her full attention.
    To her surprise, however, Melody said tentatively, ‘I was just wondering if you‘d ever told the Super what I learned from Roy Blakely about seeing the bruises on Sandra‘s arms the week before she disappeared.‘
    ‘No. I meant to, but — there‘s been no word from Narcotics, and he hasn‘t been able to get any more information on the whereabouts of Kevin Gilles‘s mate‘s transit van on the day Naz was killed. He‘s even checked nearby furniture stores for a record of a purchase that day that matched the leather suite I saw in the flat, but no luck there, either. And even that wouldn‘t prove any connection with Naz‘s death, only that they had the means to transport him.‘
    ‘I wouldn‘t be surprised if the furniture fell off the back of a van.‘
    ‘More than likely,‘ Gemma agreed. ‘But there haven‘t been any reported thefts, so everything is circumstantial. And after—‘ She didn‘t want to mention the newspaper story. And I hated him to think I was meddling again,‘ she amended. Absently, she touched the bruise on her forehead. It had faded to an unattractive yellow and she‘d done her best to cover it with a little make-up.
    ‘What about Charlotte‘s social worker?‘ Melody asked. ‘Did you speak with her?‘
    ‘She said that even if Roy was willing to testify, it would still be an unsubstantiated allegation, and not likely to help in court. The next hearing is set for Monday, and so far Gail Gilles has apparently passed muster. I couldn‘t ask if she‘d moved all the loot out of the flat.‘
    ‘You‘re worried, then, about the hearing?‘
    ‘Yes,‘ said Gemma, although ‘worry‘ didn‘t begin to describe how she felt. The more time she spent with Charlotte, the less she could even bear to think of Gail Gilles getting her hands on the child. ‘I‘ve talked to Louise Phillips again, and she‘s willing to tell the judge that Gail‘s custody would have been very much against both parents‘ wishes. Still... there‘s no guarantee that will help, if the judge is set on kinship care and Gail‘s toeing the line.‘ She didn‘t know what else she could do that might influence the court, and she had begun to feel sick with anxiety over Charlotte‘s fate.
    And although she didn‘t share it with Melody, Gemma was also feeling a little uneasy about Duncan. She‘d tried several times that week to bring up the subject of the wedding again. As she‘d begun to recover from the effects of the concussion, she felt she‘d been a bit overwrought about the whole thing, and that maybe she could screw herself up to do something that would please her family. But he‘d breezily told her not to worry about it — she just needed to get well — and had promptly changed the subject. Had he decided that she was an emotional basket-case and changed his mind?
    ‘Well,‘ said Melody, ‘I don‘t know what I can do to help with Charlotte, but I thought this might be useful on the investigation front.‘ Looking rather pleased with herself, she handed Gemma the top few sheets from the papers she‘d brought in.
    Scanning them, Gemma saw that the pages comprised a list of names. She glanced up at Melody. ‘What...‘
    ‘It‘s the membership of Lucas Ritchie‘s club. I told you my father owed me. Sometimes his connections are useful. And I told