TOYL

upstairs. ‘David, door for you.’
    They heard a toilet flushing and then the sound of someone bounding down the stairs.
    When David Sherborn appeared, sporting a designer shirt, Emma had to catch her breath.
    It was Eric.

60

    ‘I built this studio onto the back of the house, two years ago,’ David Sherborn said, shepherding them in through the door, around the back of the house. ‘Thought that it would be nice to be able to work from home, but not be at home, if you know what I mean.’
    Emma stepped inside onto the wooden flooring. The studio was nicely done, with each wall decorated with stunning photographs, some of panoramic mountain views, and others black-and-white art-house style close ups of faces. In the centre of the room were a stylish black leather sofa and a glass table with several large photo albums. The room smelt of perfume.
    ‘Please, take a seat,’ said David. ‘Can I get you anything to drink?’
    ‘I’m okay,’ Emma said, sitting down.
    ‘Me too,’ Will said, taking a seat next to her.
    The man nodded, before pulling up a stool.
    ‘This was always my dream,’ he said, looking around the room. ‘My dad bought me a camera when I was ten, and ever since that’s all I ever wanted to do. It’s not a bad life either. That photo over there,’ he said, gesturing towards a photo of a desert landscape, drenched in red, ‘was taken in Australia. I got paid to fly out over there, working for the Australian Tourist Commission. They were trying to promote the country in the UK and wanted an English photographer.’
    ‘It’s beautiful,’ Emma said, turning back to look at him. He looked older now, dressed smartly, and talking more eloquently and authoritatively. Despite his baby face, she’d now place him at least six or seven years older than her original estimate. ‘This is all a bit different from your more recent work.’
    ‘Yes,’ David said, looking distinctly uncomfortable. ‘That Australian trip seems like a long time ago now. Things have changed since then.’
    ‘You’re now spying on people,’ Emma said. ‘And selling your photos to downmarket newspapers.’
    ‘I am,’ he said, looking her in the eye. ‘That’s exactly what I’m doing. I never dreamt that I ever would, but sometimes things don’t turn out the way you planned, do they?’
    ‘No. Sometimes they don’t.’
    ‘I fell into it, really,’ David continued. ‘My other work started drying up, I was getting fewer and fewer commissions, and suddenly I was struggling to pay the mortgage on this. I had taken out a hefty loan to build this studio. Then Claire, my wife, found out she was pregnant, and I knew that I had to do something. I met a guy at a conference and he suggested celebrity photojournalism. It’s not easy, but it can pay well if you get the right photo.’
    ‘Like the photo of Stuart being carried into an ambulance?’
    David averted his gaze. ‘I’m not particularly proud of some of the things I do. I know it sounds like a copout, but this is all for my family.’
    ‘You pretended to be someone you’re not,’ Emma pressed. ‘You lied to me, just to get photographs.’
    ‘Yes,’ he said.
    ‘All that business about you being warned off by Dan, it was all a lie. When you were crying outside the museum?’
    ‘It was all an act. I played the part of Eric so that I could get close to you. I’m sorry.’
    ‘You’re just sorry you got found out.’
    ‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘Maybe I’m just embarrassed of what I do. Not many people know that I do this – not even Claire. She thinks the money is still coming in from my preferred work.’
    ‘I can’t say I’m happy about what you’ve done,’ Emma said, ‘but that’s not why we’re here. We were hoping you might be able to help.’
    ‘Go on,’ he said.
    ‘You obviously know all about our situation. You know that Stuart died, and that they still haven’t found my fiancé.’
    ‘Yes. I know. I hope they find him.’
    ‘But you’ve not just been following me,’ Emma said. ‘You must have been following Stuart too – otherwise you wouldn’t have got those photographs outside his flat.’
    ‘I was following him that day, yes,’ he confirmed. ‘But I swear, I didn’t realise he was going to do what he did.’
    ‘Did you follow Stuart a lot?’
    ‘On occasions. Mostly when he was with you, though.’
    ‘Did you see him do anything suspicious?’ Emma said. ‘Did you see him go anywhere? Somewhere he might have