Page 114 of Her Last Walk Home

‘She met with me as part of a murder investigation.’

‘I gathered that much. She’s investigating Laura Nolan’s murder. What has that got to do with you?’

He looked at the table, unable to meet her stare. ‘Laura was registered with my agency.’

‘Okay. Go on.’

‘And there’s a girl missing too. Shannon Kenny. She was also registered with me.’

It’s getting worse, Katie thought. ‘I didn’t hear that name mentioned last night.’

‘No, but you will the next time your mother lets fly about me.’

She had to smile. ‘I thought she said another name… Anita or something.’

‘Aneta, yes. She has a foreign surname. I didn’t recognise her photo and I double-checked everything this morning. She wasn’t registered with me.’

‘What if she used a fake name? Like you,’ Katie said, creaking her neck to one side.

‘I do my best to vet everyone.’

‘Mm. Maybe one of your male clients is behind the murders.’

‘It’s possible, isn’t it? I’ve given everything to the guards. Didn’t even wait for a warrant. I could get into trouble with GDPR, but I’m getting out of this business now. I can see how it can be abused. I’ll be concentrating on my photography.’

‘Did any of the women ever complain about being harassed?’

‘No, not one. That’s why I can’t understand how the guards are targeting me.’

‘Are they, though?’ she asked. ‘The investigation team has to gather all the relevant information about the victims to identify the killer. And if a murder victim happened to be an escort, then it’s the first place they’d check.’ She wondered why she was defending her mother’s job.

‘Do you think there’s a chance for us?’ he asked.

‘Not a chance in hell,’ she said. A sudden sadness nestled in the void in her chest and replaced her anger. ‘Not yet, anyhow.’

‘What do you mean?’ He leaned closer, an eagerness in his eyes. Should she be afraid?

‘I’m caring for my gran and my son at the moment. I haven’t the time or energy to be thinking of meeting with you.’

‘But maybe there is a chance. Soon? In the future? Sometime?’

She grinned despite herself. Greg Plunkett had a way about him, and she understood how he could manipulate girls. Maybe manipulate was too strong a word, but he was a charmer.

‘There might be a chance, Greg, if you’re not a murderer.’

He smiled, and then appeared crestfallen. His eyes darkened as he looked up from beneath his long lashes. ‘And what if I am?’

She pushed back her chair so quickly that it hit the stove and knocked an empty saucepan onto the floor. The sound reverberated around the kitchen and Louis ran in.

‘What’s the noise?’ he asked.

‘It’s okay, sweetheart,’ Katie said. ‘Just a pot.’

‘You must be Louis, young man,’ Greg said.

‘I am, but I’m a boy, not a man. You’re silly.’

‘I suppose I am. I better be off. You have my number, Katie. I was joking a second ago. Honestly. Please, call me.’

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