Read Necessary as Blood for Free Online Page A

but it was Hazel who got in the first word. ‘She disappeared? This man‘s wife disappeared, and you didn‘t tell me?‘
    ‘When would I have had the chance?‘ protested Tim.
    Standing, Hazel balled her small hands into fists. ‘You rang up this man you hadn‘t seen in years because his wife disappeared? And you offered him counselling? That‘s — that‘s unethical. And just sick.‘
    Tim looked up at her. ‘It wasn‘t like that. I just thought Naz needed to talk. I never charged him. And since when are you the queen of ethics?‘ The bitterness on both sides was out in the open now, blistering as acid, the air in the room charged with animosity. Charlotte started to cry.
    ‘I don‘t understand.‘ Alia looked from Tim to Hazel. Hugging Charlotte tighter, she whispered, ‘Hush, Char, it‘s all right.‘
    ‘What either of you thinks, or did think, isn‘t the point right now,‘ Gemma said sharply. The simple fact of a man missing an appointment and failing to ring his child‘s nanny had suddenly become infinitely more complicated, and Hazel and Tim‘s bickering was not going to help. Rapidly, Gemma considered the options.
    ‘Tim, I think you should take Charlotte home with you for the moment, if there‘s no immediate family to call in. It‘s too much responsibility for Alia, and—‘
    ‘I can take her,‘ put in Hazel. ‘I can take both the girls.‘
    Gemma shook her head. ‘Charlotte knows Tim and has been to the house with her father; it will be a familiar environment. And Tim has a relationship with her father, whether personal or professional. You don‘t.‘
    She turned to Alia, who was still gently rocking Charlotte. ‘Alia, would you mind taking Charlotte upstairs and getting some overnight things together for her?‘
    ‘Okay.‘ Alia looked uncertainly from her to Tim. ‘But — but what if Mr Naz comes home and we‘re not here—‘
    ‘You and Dr Cavendish can both leave notes for him, and Dr Cavendish will leave messages on his phones. Tim, do you have his mobile and his office number?‘ When Tim nodded, Gemma turned back to Alia. ‘And Dr Cavendish and I will both get your phone number. We‘ll let you know just as soon as we learn anything. And you‘ve done a great job looking after Charlotte today.‘ Gemma smiled, wanting to reassure the girl, but her copper‘s instinct was sending up fizzing red flares.
    ‘But what should I...?‘
    ‘Change of clothes, pyjamas, toothbrush, hairbrush.‘ Gemma thought for a moment. ‘Does she have a special blanket or stuffed toy?‘
    ‘A green elephant. She calls him Bob.‘ Alia‘s face relaxed into a half-smile. ‘I don‘t know why.‘
    ‘Okay. Bob, then. Make a game of it, if you can,‘ Gemma added quietly as Alia got up, hefting Charlotte onto her hip.
    When Alia left the room, Hazel moved to clear the dishes from the table, her movements sharp with disapproval.
    Gemma could deal with soothing her friend‘s ruffled feathers later. She turned to Tim, who said, ‘Gemma, do you think — could something really have happened to Naz?‘
    ‘I don‘t know. But I think it would help if I knew exactly what happened to your friend‘s wife.‘
    ‘No one knows. That‘s what I was telling you. She just vanished into thin air. There was a missing-person appeal, telly and newspapers. The police investigated. They even — well, they even treated Naz as a suspect.‘ Tim‘s tone was defensive, and below his beard his exposed neck turned a telltale red. Hazel, her back to them as she dried the baking sheet, had gone still.
    Dangerous territory, this, and Gemma thought she would have to traverse it carefully if she didn‘t want an explosion of hostility between the two, whose cooperation she needed. She sat beside Tim on the sofa, near enough to touch. ‘Let‘s back up a bit. You said your friend‘s wife is called Sandra. Is she not Pakistani?‘ Although the name, combined with the daughter‘s light-coloured hair and eyes and frizzy