Helen scanned the team and was pleased to see anger mingling with determination. Police officers hate being goaded.
‘So it’s time for us to push up a gear, be one step ahead of her for a change. Top priority is to find Stephanie Bines. She’s the obvious next victim and I do not want her death on our consciences. Charlie, can you coordinate efforts on this? Use whoever, whatever you need – we have to find her. Mark, I need you to focus on finding Louise Tanner. She’s highly dangerous, has a particular animus against me and has already attempted to kill one of our own. So pick a couple of guys and get on her, ok?’
Mark nodded, the eyes of the team upon him. He was playing it just right, Helen thought – straight, unembarrassed, determined. He was making a superhuman effort – with his colleagues, with his appearance (ok, he still looked like shit but was clean and sober) and with her. She felt massively grateful to him and pleased that he had decided to trust her once more.
The team sprang to life. Now that Helen was acting station commander, her officers were even more determined to win her approbation and there was a sense that the man or woman who brought the killer in would be in pole position to succeed Helen as DI. So everyone redoubled their efforts, scenting glory.
Helen retired to the privacy of Whittaker’s office. Even though he was currently suspended and in reality would never be returning to this nick, it still felt like hisoffice. So Helen avoided sitting in his chair for now, standing next to his desk as she once more leafed through the file she had just stolen.
She picked up the phone, rang Social Services and soon had the address she needed.
The rest of the team were out hunting down Bines and Tanner, so Helen had a few hours’ grace. But that still wouldn’t be enough and she had a long way to go, so she cranked the throttle and sped on her way. The M25 was its usual snarled-up self and so it was with some relief that she peeled off on to the M11. Soon she was on to the A11 and heading towards Norfolk.
Following the signs for Bury St Edmunds, Helen found herself in unfamiliar territory. As she zeroed in on her destination, she realized that she felt nervous. This was an uncomfortable place for her and returning to it was like opening Pandora’s box.
The house was a pleasant-looking bay-fronted house with well-kept gardens. Technically it was a hostel, but it looked much nicer than that. Locals knew to be wary of it, but a passer-by would think it an attractive, welcoming place.