Necessary as Blood

something about the girls,‘ insisted Cullen.
    ‘I thought so, too.‘ Gemma unlocked her car and opened the door a bit to let the interior cool. ‘But if his passport‘s clean...‘
    ‘He could have travelled on false papers.‘
    ‘I‘m just not sure I see him as that enterprising. Or competent.‘ Gemma gave a shrug of frustration.
    Kincaid had been standing, gazing thoughtfully at the front of the house. ‘Truman ticks all the boxes. The connection with Sandra. The connection with Ritchie‘s club. The access to ketamine. But even if we assume that Sandra was on to him, either about the girls or the drugs, and that he was somehow responsible for her disappearance, we can‘t connect him with Naz. The pieces don‘t fit. There‘s something missing, and I‘m damned if I know what it is.‘

Chapter Twenty-Seven

‘He may be a common policeman , but I have every reason to believe he is a fine young man and will make a good husband.‘ (Sister Julienne)

Jennifer Worth, Farewell to the East End

    While Kincaid and Cullen returned to the Yard to begin the tedious process of checking John Truman‘s record with Customs and Immigration, Gemma went back to Notting Hill.
    ‘We‘ll have to come up with something more solid to have any hope of getting a warrant to look at his passport,‘ Kincaid had said, and although Gemma knew he was right, she felt frustrated and discouraged. They were so close to the truth, but she couldn‘t see how to move forward.
    The more she thought about what must have happened to Sandra Gilles, and what would happen to Charlotte, the worse things seemed. Everything they had was merely hearsay, speculation. No matter how convinced they were that they were right, they had no proof.
    They couldn‘t talk to Alia again without risking her trust; nor could they interview Lucas Ritchie without presenting a very convincing case to Kincaid‘s guv‘nor and the Assistant Commissioner.
    She called Melody into her office and told her about her unexpected encounter with Alia, and about their interview with John Tuman. ‘The man‘s a complete slime. I know he‘s dirty — I‘m just not sure how dirty. And if he was really in Spain, he couldn‘t have killed Naz, and we‘re back to square one — Sandra‘s brothers.‘ She sighed. ‘But we couldn‘t have got this far without that list, and your help,‘ she added. ‘Now, if I just knew what to do next...‘
    ‘I‘ll have another look at the list. Maybe there‘s something we‘ve missed.‘ Melody stood up and gave her an odd look. ‘Oh, by the way, Hazel rang you here. Your phone was off and she wanted to make sure you got the message. She wanted you to call her as soon as possible. Something about lunch tomorrow.‘ Looking as if she were trying to suppress a grin, Melody went out.
    What had got into Melody? Gemma wondered. She shook her head, which was aching again, but obediently dialled Hazel‘s number.
    ‘What‘s this about tomorrow?‘ she asked when Hazel answered.
    ‘I‘m taking you to lunch at the Oriel Cafe,‘ Hazel announced.
    ‘Oh, Hazel, I‘d love to, but I‘ve said I‘d go to Leyton, and anyway I‘m not sure I feel much like—‘
    ‘No, it‘s all set. Tell your mum and dad you‘ll come on Sunday. I‘ve organized the day off tomorrow, and I‘ve already worked things out with Duncan for Holly to play with Toby while we‘re out. It will be a treat for all of us, and you, darling, need a bit of pampering.‘
    ‘But I told Mum and Dad I‘d come on Sunday last weekend, and then I didn‘t make it.‘
    ‘Well, you had a good excuse for not showing, I should think. Now, really, I‘m insisting. I‘ll call your mum myself, if I must. I‘ll be round about eleven,‘ she added, ringing off.
    Gemma stared at the phone, bemused. Hazel could be a stubborn cow, when she set her mind to it. Gemma found she was glad to see her friend more like her old self. And she was relieved, although she hated to admit it, to put off her visit to Leyton for a day. She was going to have to tell her parents — and, more than likely, her sister — that she still hadn‘t made plans for the wedding. She wasn‘t looking forward to it. Maybe a day out with Hazel would make it seem easier to cope.

    When Hazel and Holly arrived on Saturday morning, Hazel examined Gemma‘s bruised forehead, then gave her a pat on the arm. ‘Much better. I‘d say you‘re coming along nicely. But you‘ve had a rough week, and we‘re going to