Page 23 of The Vanished

“What about her?”

“Isn’t her father-in-law the chief constable?”

“He retired.”

“OK, but he was a policeman for decades, right? Maybe he can offer some advice. Or better yet, make a few calls.”

“That’s a good idea,” Quinn conceded. “I’ll ring her.”

“Do you need me to come?” Jude asked. “I can be on the next flight to London.”

“No. I’m still hoping Logan will turn up, apologize, explain, and take the bollocking I intend to give him with good grace.”

“I hope so too. Because I’m not prepared to consider the alternative. Is Max OK?”

“He’s watching Haunted Mansion with Alex and Mia. He’s anxious, though. He keeps looking at the door, as if he expects Logan to walk in at any moment.”

“Not having their parent come for them is one of the most frightening things to happen to a child, and Max already has crippling separation anxiety, thanks to Rafe. That wanker,” Jude added under his breath.

Quinn agreed with Jude’s assessment of Rafe’s betrayal, but now was not the time to bash Logan’s ex. And she could admit—though not to Logan or Jude—that the situation hadn’t been entirely Rafe’s fault. When Logan and Rafe had announced they were having a baby, Quinn had seen hundreds of red flags snapping in the wind, but it hadn’t been her place to tell her brother that his new partner was still a child himself and that, from her vantage point, the relationship was clearly never going to last.

Logan had wanted a child with an intensity that bordered on desperation, and it was this nonnegotiable desire to become a father that had led to the breakup with Colin, with whom Logan had happily cohabited for years. Colin had loved their life as it was and hadn’t wanted to complicate it by bringing a baby into the mix. Now Colin was in a loving relationship with Adam, and Logan was alone, embittered, and too afraid to expose Max to another partner who might not stay.

“Should I keep Max at home tomorrow if I don’t hear from Logan?” Quinn asked.

“I think you should take him to school. Any disruption to his routine will only make him more anxious. At school, he will be surrounded by other children and kept busy. At home, he will be watching you for any sign of trouble. You know how observant he is.”

“That’s true. Thanks, Jude.”

“Please, keep me posted. I will leave immediately, day or night, if you need me to come.”

“I’ll ring you tomorrow. Say hello to Tamzin and the girls.”

“Will do.”

Quinn ended the call and selected Nicole’s number. Her friend picked up on the second ring.

“Hi. I’m so glad you called,” Nicole said eagerly. “How did it go? Was Colin able to determine the cause of death?”

Like Gabe, Nicole was fascinated by Quinn’s gift and eager to vicariously experience her forays into the past. Quinn had helped Nicole several times with her own research and had even been able to offer reassurance when Nicole’s husband’s younger sister, Edie, had disappeared on her way to work several months ago. Edie had narrowly avoided a terrible fate, but although she had been rescued, and just in time, the young woman hadn’t been the same since and had relocated to the States, where she wasn’t assaulted by memories of her ordeal every time she left her flat. And now Quinn hoped Nicole might return the favor.

“I’m actually calling for a different reason,” she said and quickly explained what was happening.

“Oh, God,” Nicole said softly, and Quinn knew that she was thinking of Edie. “I’ll ring Sean straight away.” She paused. “Maybe it would be better if you spoke to him directly. He knows you, and I’m sure he’ll be happy to help. I’ll send you his mobile number.”

“Thank you,” Quinn said. “I appreciate that.”

“Anything Kyle and I can do, you only have to ask.”

Quinn wished Nicole a good night and opened the text containing Sean’s number. She made the call and waited with trepidation for Sean Cadogan to answer the phone.

FOURTEEN

Sean was a lovely man, and Quinn did not feel any awkwardness as she explained the situation and asked for his advice. She knew he wouldn’t dismiss her fears, but neither would he stoke them unnecessarily. What she really wanted was for Sean to tell her that everything would be all right and Logan would return to them unharmed, but he wouldn’t do that either. He would give her his honest opinion, both as a friend and as an experienced policeman.

“Who is it, darling?” Sean’s wife, Carla, called out in the background when there was a lull in the conversation. “Is it Edie?”

“It’s Quinn.”