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him to one side.
    ‘What was that?’ she said, staring straight at him. ‘How did he find out I was involved?’ She kept her voice down, but ensured the direct, paralysing tone was still present.
    ‘What? I told him. Well, he was there when Grace mentioned you and he asked me what we did before the meeting. Wasn’t I supposed to?’ He grimaced and she realised how hard she was holding him. She needed to send the message that this couldn’t happen again. Regulating what the residents knew would keep them from panicking.
    ‘Well, listen, from here on in, run anything you want to mention to anyone by me, ok?’ she said, genuinely intending to keep him out of proceedings, but understanding that she needed to keep someone on board. And, even though they’d only met that morning, he was the only person she really knew.
    ‘It’s Tom. He knows everyone around here. He was Dad’s friend when he was alive. I didn’t think it’d be a problem.’
    ‘It’s okay, just bear it in mind.’ She’d spent so much time around other coppers she’d begun to assume the rest of the world had the same mentality. ‘It’s just if people knew about the notebooks and the other scribbles, it may make them wonder about their own secrets. Did you tell him the place had been burgled?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Well that’s something. I’ll read through them as soon as I can. Listen, at this stage the less people know the better.’
    ‘Maybe we should tell them more? We’re all a part of this.’
    ‘And what good would that be until we – I –, have some answers for them?’ she said. ‘I’ll find him. Just trust me on this, okay? In the next couple of days, I’ll prepare a speech based on what I know and let people know. Doing it off the cuff doesn’t help anyone. Of course, by then, I’m sure he’ll have turned up.’ Her voice lacked yesterday’s confidence.
    ‘Ok. Like I said, I’m sorry.’ She released his arm and his face calmed to a smile.
    ‘The guy who asked whether anything had been removed, was that the Sean that took the book?’
    ‘Yeah, he’s a nasty piece of work and, believe me, he definitely won’t like you.’
     
    ‘He’s a very kind man. He takes the time to listen to you, your problems, and even comes to visit, which is more than I can say for my grandchildren.’ A small crowd gathered around Sarah in response to her request for information, but few offered anything of any use. She kept an eye on Sean, who was talking to a curly redhead near the exit.
    ‘That’s great. Do you know if he had any friends outside of Sunbury? Anywhere he’s likely to be staying?’
    ‘Oh no, dear, I’m afraid I don’t,’ said the elderly lady, ‘but he makes lovely shortbread. I’ve always wondered how he gets the colour so perfect. Mine always brown far too much and when they brown too much you really lose that shortbread look, you know.’
    ‘Okay. How about the last time you saw him? When was that?’ Sean moved towards the door.
    ‘Oh, I don’t know really. A while ago, I should think. Hard to be certain.’
    ‘Thank you for your time. Thank you all, I have to go now, but if there is anything else, I’ll speak to you another time.’ They looked bemused and, although somewhere in amongst the anecdotes they may have important information, she wanted to catch Sean as soon as possible. What she really wanted was a few extra officers to cover the amount of work this investigation was starting to take and a supervisor to point her in the right direction.
    ‘Excuse me?’ A smartly dressed man in his thirties stepped in front of her. Sean left the hall.
    ‘I’m in a bit of a rush,’ she said, stepping around him. ‘If there’s anything - ’
    ‘Don’t let me stop you, I just wanted to pass you my details in case you need them,’ he said, holding out his card. ‘Sam.’ She took a second to look at him; it was the doctor who’d raised his hand in the meeting. ‘Just in case you need anything or anyone