Page 112 of The Vanished

“So, Logan knew Chrissy was dead,” Drew confirmed.

“Yes, which meant that this bloke had used a video Chrissy had recorded before she became ill and only wanted money. Logan told him to sod off and blocked his number. But he wouldn’t go away. Ronnie came to see him at the hospital. He said that legally Chrissy was the primary parent and could take Max anytime she wanted. When Logan told him he knew Chrissy was gone, Ronnie said her parents had a right to their grandson and could petition the court for custody. Which is rubbish. Logan is Max’s biological father, and Max has lived with him from the start. Chrissy’s parents had no legal rights.”

“Unless both biological parents were deceased,” Drew interjected.

“Precisely.”

“Did Logan think Ronnie Stalk was working on behalf of Chrissy’s parents?”

“Either that or he was just trying to shake him down.”

“So, what happened the day Ronnie followed Logan home?” Drew asked.

“I think you should ask Logan that,” Colin replied.

“We would if we could.”

Quinn experienced a strange sensation, as if someone were watching her, and then noticed a reflection in the window that hadn’t been there before. She whipped around to find Logan standing in the doorway. He looked anxious but otherwise unharmed.

“Logan!” she cried as she sprang to her feet and threw herself into his arms. “Thank God. Oh, thank God you’re all right.” Logan stiffened, and Quinn pulled away and looked up into his face. “What did you do?” she whispered.

“I’m going to need some of that brandy,” Logan said as he sank into the vacant armchair.

Colin poured him a generous measure and handed him the tumbler before resuming his own seat. Logan took a gulp, then another, then set the nearly empty glass down. He didn’t look at Quinn.

“I told everyone I wasn’t in contact with Chrissy, but I did speak to her from time to time, and I sent her photos of Max. It seemed cruel to refuse. She came to me several times during the pandemic. She wasn’t able to work and was skint, and I willingly helped her. She was Max’s mother, after all, and she had given me the most precious gift. Chrissy wasn’t devious,” Logan said with a shake of the head. “She was trusting and naïve, the perfect mark for someone like Ronnie. The guy was a petty criminal and had been squatting on someone’s houseboat when they met. He took Chrissy out for fancy meals, gave her a few trinkets—probably stolen—and she was convinced he loved her. I distanced myself once she moved in with him. I had no idea Chrissy had died until Ronnie contacted me and I had no choice but to try to ring her.”

“So, what did he want?” Drew asked.

“At first, he asked for twenty thousand pounds, but once he realized I knew Chrissy was gone, he lowered the number to ten. He said he would see to it that I never saw Max again unless I paid up. I called his bluff and refused. And then I caught him following me when I was on my way to collect Max from nursery.”

Colin reached out and grasped Logan’s hand. Logan didn’t look at him, but some of the tension seemed to drain out of him.

“I wasn’t going to lead him to Max, so I decided to go home,” Logan said. “I had to see what he meant to do, and I knew the nursery would call you if I didn’t come for Max.”

“What did he do?” Drew asked.

“He forced his way in, held me at gunpoint, and demanded that I transfer money into his account.”

Quinn thought she was going to be sick as she pictured the scene. “And then?” she asked quietly.

“A car alarm went off outside, and he was momentarily distracted, so I charged him. He hadn’t expected it, but we were evenly matched, and I had a decent chance of disarming him. We grappled, and he tried to shoot me in the stomach. I seized the gun by the barrel and wrenched it upwards just as it discharged. I knew he was dead before I even checked his pulse.”

“Why didn’t you ring the police? He attacked you in your own home,” Quinn exclaimed.

“Yeah, and I killed him,” Logan countered. “At worst, I’d be charged with manslaughter. At best, I would give Child Services and Chrissy’s parents ammunition against me. Besides, I didn’t know if he was working alone.”

“What did you do?” Drew asked warily.

“I cleaned up, wrapped the body in a duvet, and stuffed it into the boot of my car. Then I put on a cap to hide my face from the cameras and drove away.”

“Where did you go? They found your burned-out car in some abandoned lot,” Quinn said.

Logan nodded. “I used Ronnie’s burner to ring Colin and asked him to meet me at the lot. I knew there were no security cameras, and no one would have reason to follow Colin. We transferred the body and the towels I had used to wipe up the blood to Colin’s SUV and set my car on fire, since it would retain traces of the victim’s DNA even if I had it thoroughly cleaned.”

Quinn turned to Colin. She was amazed that he would take such a risk, but he would clearly do anything for Logan, even if it meant risking everything he had achieved.

“So, where’s the body now?” she asked.