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coke.”
    Sheena’s story was starting to fall along similar lines. So many women were pimped out by their partners. “At first, she got money from her parents, but they stopped giving her any when they found out she was shacked up with him and Jake said he’d this good looking pal who’d pay Sheena 50 quid if she was nice to him, got dolled up. He said if she did that he wouldn’t have to move back to Aberdeen so he could get money from his gran.”
    Christ, this guy was a right piece of work who got the death he deserved. Everybody but Sheena could tell where the story ended: with Sheena selling her body on the streets to pay for his drugs. But, as vile as he was, he was long dead by the time Sheena was grabbed.
    “Was there anyone Sheena met that she was afraid of? Someone the other girls might have mentioned?”
    From the cases I’d read I knew that prostitutes were usually killed by people they knew: punters and even their own boyfriends or husbands.
    Donna stared off into the distance.
    “Someone out of place, weird?” I leaned in closer so I was almost in her face. “Sheena’s missing and there’s still a chance she’s alive. But, she might not stay alive if you mess me about.” Then, I added for effect. “And, my cousin might not be either.”
    No reaction. Still playing dumb.
    “If you know anything, you need to tell me now. You’re not helping Sheena by holding anything back.” A pause. “If you’re really Sheena’s friend, you’ll help me. Tell me everything you know.”
    For the first time Donna was rattled and the spell was broken. Then her mum called through from the kitchen that she’d be in soon and was buttering some scones.
    “I don’t need to tell you anything, you know.” There was that phrase again; it made me want to reach over and slap her. That’d go down well with her ma.
    Forcing myself to rein in my inner psycho, I spoke calmly. “You’re right, Donna. You don’t have to tell me a thing. And before you say it, I know I’m not the police. But, I’ll tell you this. If Sheena is still alive, and you didn’t tell me something that could have saved her, you will regret it for the rest of your life.” Pausing to let my words sink in, I added, “I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want that on my conscience. How about you?”
    At last I got a reaction. Donna blinked and her lips crumpled. “I…”
    She’d got the word out when her mum appeared in the doorway carrying a tray. Donna clammed up faster than a miser’s purse. As hospitable as Mrs. Di Marco was, at that moment I could have throttled the woman.
    Without even looking my way, Donna sniffed, “I don’t want to speak to you any more,” as she wiped an imaginary tear from her eye with the knuckles of one hand.
    Her mum’s smile dimmed. “I’m sorry, but I think you shouldleave. Donna’s too upset to carry on. This has been so hard on her.”
    Putting the card with my phone number on it down on the coffee table, I addressed them both. “If there’s anything you do remember, Donna, please call me. I really want to find out what happened to my cousin and to Sheena.” Then meeting Mrs. Di Marco’s gaze, I smiled and thanked her for her hospitality and told her I’d see myself out.
    As I headed out the door, I heard Donna’s mum say, “Are you sure you couldn’t tell that nice woman something? I know you’re upset, but she must be distraught.”
    Donna’s voice was shrill. “Mum, why would I lie? Sheena’s my best pal.”
    “Why don’t I believe you?” said her mum. And, I had to agree. Sheena’s pal was definitely hiding something. The question was what?
    I’d have to find a way of making her talk, preferably far away from her mother.
    Tommy was cursing away to a Radiohead track on the radio when I climbed in the car. When he hadn’t turned it off after a few minutes, I leaned over and did it myself.
    “Hey, I was listening to that,” he said. “So, how did you get on with little