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“It’s easy to forget how close we are to the Thames,” said Wi
“Oh, what a lovely smell,” exclaimed Gemma as she followed Wi
“Do you like it?” The woman in the wheelchair rolled towards them, her small oval face lit with pleasure. “It’s one of my candles. I make them, from soy wax and essential oils. This one’s a blend of bergamot, lavender, and ylang-ylang – it’s meant to be calming.” On a small table near her chair, a candle burned in a green glass jar. Beside it lay a walk-about phone.
“Fa
“Basically, anything I can get my hands on,” Fa
Wi
On closer inspection, Gemma saw that Fa
“No.” Fa
“And you’ve rung her mobile phone?” Gemma asked.
“She doesn’t have one. An u
“No uniform?” Gemma smiled. “I’m in CID. We wear plain clothes. Why don’t you tell me about your friend?” she added, leaning forward in her chair, her hands clasped on her knee. “Start from the begi
“Her name is Elaine Holland. She-” Fa
“Wi
“I posted a notice on the hospital board. I was a nurse before my illness, so I knew it was a good way to find someone compatible. I offered a reduced rent, in return for help with chores around the house and shopping. Elaine was the first applicant I had and we made a deal on the spot.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Almost two years.”
Gemma smiled. “So you must have got on quite well.”
“I- yes, we did. We do.”
“You said this morning that her parents were dead, and she hadn’t any siblings,” put in Wi
“Elaine didn’t – Elaine doesn’t like to talk about personal things,” Fa
“And she never brought anyone here, to the flat?”
Fa
A slight thump came from the kitchen, and a black-and-white cat appeared in the sitting room doorway. It regarded them seriously for a moment, as if assessing their suitability as guests, before jumping into its mistress’s lap and curling into a ball. “This is Qui
Gemma smiled, thinking of their cat, Sid, and his unerring talent for picking out those with feline phobia. “Did Elaine have any other health problems that you know of?” she asked. “Seizures? A bad heart?”
“No, not that she ever mentioned. But she was good at looking after others – I mean, she knew how to do… things.” A flush of embarrassment rose in Fa
“I think it’s a possibility we have to consider.” Gemma looked round the room, suddenly aware of the one thing missing in the clutter. “Fa
“No.” She frowned, as if the realization surprised her. “I can’t remember there ever being an occasion to take one.”
“She didn’t bring any photos of her own?”
“Not unless they’re upstairs in her room.”
Wi
Glancing at her friend, Gemma thought it was no wonder Wi
“Well, she’s about my age, midthirties, I’d say.” Fa
“You don’t know exactly?” Gemma asked, curious.
“Elaine didn’t hold with birthdays,” Fa
“Okay.” Gemma smiled, trying to put her at ease. “What else?”
“Um, she’s tallish. Fair-complexioned. Brown hair, about like this” – Fa
“I think that’s good enough for a report. We can just ring-”
Fa
“Look, I understand you don’t want to upset your friend.” Gemma tried to soothe the woman’s agitation. “But I think you have a serious welfare concern here, and for Elaine’s sake, you must report her disappearance to the police. What if she’s lying ill somewhere and needs help? We’ll ring the local station, then Wi
“You’d do that?” Fa
“Of course we would,” Wi
Fa
“It’s all right. They won’t expect it,” Gemma told her, but she was happy enough to comply. She rang the local station directly, as she hated to tie up a 999 line with a nonemergency call, and identified herself. The duty officer said he’d send someone round as soon as he could, but they were a bit shorthanded because they’d had a fire.
“Yeah, got half my constables tied up with house-to-house and perimeter control,” the officer responded. “Southwark Street, not far from your address.”
It was close, Gemma thought as she hung up, visualizing the page of the A to Z she’d glanced at before meeting Wi