72

‘TAKE IT EASY,’ SAID STEVE, LEANING DOWN AND speaking to Evi through the window of her car. ‘It’s a long way and there’s a hard frost forecast.’

She didn’t need telling that. She could see Steve’s breath spiralling away into the darkness. The frost was already starting to gleam on the dry stone walls that lined the narrow road. ‘I’ll be careful,’ said Evi. ‘And thank you.’

Seeming reluctant to let her go, Steve crouched lower and leaned both forearms on the window ledge. ‘A couple more things occur to me,’ he said. ‘These girls were taken for a reason. When children are abducted, the obvious motive is to fulfil a sexual need.’

Evi had to bite her lip. Joe was there again, hovering like a little ghost in the driveway. ‘I know this child, Steve,’ she said. ‘He has dark-red hair and freckles and—’

‘Stop it.’

Evi blinked hard.

‘His mother can weep about his red hair and freckles. You have to stick to the facts if you’re going to be any use to him. Now, Megan and Hayley were both found wearing the clothes they were last seen alive in. Does that suggest sexual abuse to you?’

‘Makes it less likely,’ agreed Evi. ‘So if the killer’s motive isn’t sexual, we’re looking for something else?’

‘Second, the place they’re killed is important. There is a reason why they’re dropped from the church balcony.’

‘I agree,’ she said. ‘So does Harry. He thinks it’s all about the church.’

‘Third, there is a link between these victims, including Joe,’ said Steve. ‘Whoever took them had a connection with all of them. Otherwise, he or she would have gone much further afield to find their victims and in doing so would have reduced the chances of being caught. He or she stuck to home ground, suggesting to me it couldn’t be just any girls, it had to be those particular ones. Find the link and you’ll find the killer.’

‘Or find Ebba.’

‘Exactly. Will the GP talk to you, do you think?’

Evi shrugged. ‘I have no idea,’ she said. ‘He might think I’m ambushing him when I turn up at Saturday-morning surgery.’

‘Well, you have to give it a try.’

‘I know. Are your knees up to prolonged crouching?’

‘No part of my body is up to anything much these days. Call me when you’ve spoken to him.’

‘Will do.’

‘And stop beating yourself up about Harry. Up until this morning you did everything by the book. People don’t get struck off for a moment of poor judgement.’

‘I’m so grateful, Steve.’

‘Now are you sure I can’t get you anything for the pain?’

Evi shook her head. ‘It’s not that bad, really. I’ll have something as soon as I get home.’

‘OK.’ Steve stood up, then seemed to think of something and bent down to the window again. ‘There’s something about Joe that’s bothering me, Evi. He doesn’t fit. The detective’s right about that at least. He’s needed for something else.’