TOYL

asked.
    ‘Strange?’
    ‘That you haven’t found anything else linking Stuart with Dan, especially when the original evidence was just waiting there for someone to see.’
    ‘I wouldn’t be too quick to believe that someone else is responsible,’ Gasnier said, reading her mind. ‘Richard is still very confused at the moment, and he’s got more drugs running around his body than a junkie – the phone call might have been a dream.’
    ‘Or it could have been a prank,’ Davies chipped in.
    ‘That’s what you said about the other letter,’ Emma countered.
    ‘Yes, and it was from Stuart,’ Gasnier said. ‘I still believe that Stuart Harris was responsible. Look Emma, I know you want to believe that someone else has Dan – it increases the likelihood that he’s still alive, after all. But I doubt it’s the case. Talk to Richard, and make your own mind up as to whether he really knows what he is talking about.’
    ‘I have an idea of who might be responsible,’ Emma said.
    Gasnier looked only vaguely interested. ‘Go on.’
    Emma explained to them about Guy Roberts, how he had paid the photographer to follow her, and also how his relationship with Stuart had gone back several years.
    ‘We’ll talk with him,’ Gasnier promised. ‘But I very much doubt he has anything to do with it.’
    Emma nodded – it was the best she could have got from this stubborn man.
    ‘Before you talk with Richard,’ Gasnier said, ‘have a look at these.’
    Emma examined the photographs that Gasnier presented, one by one. Each one showed Stuart and the same girl – kissing, holding hands across a table, his arm around her.
    ‘Where did you find these?’ Emma asked.
    ‘Hidden in Stuart’s flat,’ Gasnier replied. ‘Do you recognise the girl?’
    ‘No,’ Emma said, unable to take her eyes off the images. ‘Why did you show me these? Do you think they’re relevant?’
    ‘Not really,’ Gasnier said. ‘We just wanted to be sure.’
    ‘Someone took these without them knowing, didn’t they?’ Emma asked, looking up at Gasnier.
    ‘Looks like it. Do you think they’re recent?’
    ‘No,’ Emma said with certainty. ‘He’s wearing the gold watch I gave him as a present. When he left me, he left the watch too.’
    ‘So what you’re saying is, these photos were taken when you two were still together?’
    ‘Definitely.’
    Now it all made sense. He had left her for another woman.
    ‘But you don’t know who might have taken these photographs?’ Gasnier enquired.
    ‘No,’ Emma replied. ‘Unless…’
    ‘Go on,’ Gasnier encouraged.
    ‘Unless it was Stephen Myers.’

    ***

    ‘The police don’t believe me,’ Richard said, lolling his head off and onto the pillow. ‘They looked at me like I was delusional. You know, they even suggested I dreamt the telephone conversation. Can you believe that?’
    He laughed bitterly.
    ‘Gasnier doesn’t seem to give away much,’ Emma said. ‘He might believe you more than he’s letting on.’
    ‘He thought I was crazy. Maybe I am. Just before the police arrived I fell asleep, and dreamt about the attack. But Dan was the one attacking me – he just kept screaming something, bawling right into my face. I can’t remember what. I didn’t tell the police about it. I would have just confirmed what they were already thinking.’
    ‘It was just a dream,’ said Emma soothingly.
    ‘I wish this was all a dream,’ Richard replied. ‘I wish I would just wake up and it would all have been one bad dream.’
    ‘So do I.’
    ‘Don’t take any notice of me,’ Richard said, noticing her pained expression. ‘Things will be okay.’
    Emma reached out and held his hand. ‘We’ve all got to stick together. Right, Will?’
    ‘Oh, yeah, of course,’ Will said, seeming somewhat distracted. ‘Stick together.’
    ‘I didn’t imagine it, Emma,’ Richard said. ‘The guy did call me. He said he had done it. I think he’s out there – you should be careful.’

    ***

    ‘You okay?’ Emma asked Will as he walked back over. She had been waiting at the entrance to the hospital while Will spoke to someone on his mobile, just out of hearing distance.
    ‘Yeah, fine,’ Will replied, slipping the phone back into his jeans pocket.
    ‘It’s just that you seemed a little subdued in the hospital.’
    ‘I’m fine,’ he reiterated. ‘I just can’t help thinking about what Richard said. If someone is still out there, then maybe we are all in danger.’
    Emma’s phone