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how those vital hours had slipped past, unnoticed.
    ‘It’s the shock, but don’t worry. When you said you wanted to stay, we asked one of the paramedics to check you over.’
    Kimberly remembered then, the green uniform, a firm voice, and her shaky replies. ‘And you’re my babysitter?’
    ‘I’m new, so I don’t know my way round well enough to be anywhere else right now.’ The young woman hesitated, then reddened slightly; clearly the words hadn’t come
out quite the way she’d intended. Not that it mattered. ‘Constable Sue Gully,’ she added.
    ‘You already introduced yourself, didn’t you?’
    ‘Yes, sorry. I wasn’t sure if you remembered.’
    ‘Only when you said it.’
    PC Gully looked awkward for a moment. ‘I’ll get that update, then.’
    Kimberly watched her climb out of the vehicle and approach Mr Senior Officer. They seemed to continue speaking for several minutes, though it could have been less, then they headed back
together.
    Kimberly hoped fate wasn’t paying attention. She crossed her fingers, in any case.
    Gully opened the door. ‘This is DI Marks, and he needs to talk to you.’
    He’d stopped about six feet back from the car. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.
    ‘I’m OK.’
    ‘Good. I need to check some more details. All right if I sit in the car with you?’ He didn’t wait for her to answer. Gully returned to her seat in the front, while Marks walked
round the car and joined Kimberly in the rear. ‘You said that your friend Rachel was looking after Riley?’
    ‘Did I?’
    ‘You did. And is that correct?’
    ‘Yes, since late this afternoon.’
    ‘Yesterday afternoon,’ Marks corrected, his expression remaining impenetrable. ‘And you’ve had no contact with her since?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘Did she often look after the child for you?’
    ‘Sometimes, yes. She’s very fond of him.’
    ‘And her husband, Stefan Golinski, what else can you tell me about him?’
    Kimberly wondered what else she’d already revealed. Gully was meant to be taking the notes, but instead she looked questioningly at Marks.
    ‘The people we’ve already asked think he does some kind of night shift and, based on that information, I’m working on the assumption that he was probably not at home at the
time of the fire. If you can tell me where he works, I’ll send a couple of officers over to speak to him, being Mrs Golinski’s next of kin.’
    Mrs Golinski. Kimberly never thought of Rachel by her married name, just as Rachel – or sometimes as Rachel Hurley. Eleven years old still, with white school socks, and the shape of
her AA cup bra showing through the thin cotton of her white school shirt. How had they travelled so many miles through the eleven years since?
    I’ve known Rachel exactly half my life. Rachel Hurley, not Mrs Golinski.
    She felt suddenly and inexplicably defensive. Like making her think of her best friend in such a formal and unfamiliar way was merely his attempt to pull them apart. Unless it was those other
unwelcome words – next of kin – that she was reacting to.
    ‘He’s a doorman at the Celeste. It’s a nightclub down Market Passage, just off Sidney Street.’
    ‘Yes, we know it.’ He opened his car door again. ‘I have to speak to a couple of my officers. It will only take a few minutes, then we’ll be leaving for Parkside Station
–’
    Kimberly interrupted him even before she discovered whether this was the end of his sentence. ‘I need to stay here ,’ she insisted.
    ‘The fire brigade will be on hand to make sure the fire is fully extinguished, but they won’t be able to start making the building safe enough to search until dawn at the earliest.
There’s nothing else that can be done at present. PC Sue Gully is going to stay with you.’
    His tone was firm but empathetic. He broke off eye contact, then moved on to his next task, before she could engage him in any argument.
    She saw him go and talk to an officer wearing plain-clothes.