assessment. If he knows I’m a doctor rather than a police officer, he might be more inclined to take advice.’
‘No,’ Ava and Luc said simultaneously.
‘That’s not fair on you,’ Ava said. ‘You’re off duty and I wouldn’t want to impose. I’ve got it in hand.’
‘It’s no problem. I was going to wait until Luc had finished his shift anyway. I have a surprise for him,’ she said, winking.
‘You really don’t want to spend the next hour in the cells,’ Luc said. ‘If it’s necessary we’ll call an ambulance.’
‘Luc, you know I don’t have an off switch. If there’s a person in the cells who needs help, then it’s my duty to step in.’ She looked at Ava. ‘Luc says he has another hour before he can get away. I’d rather fill my time usefully than sit here and do nothing. Besides, I’d like to get a look around backstage. Hopefully it’ll be the only time I end up in a police cell.’
She laughed, and Ava noted how beautifully white her teeth were against the tan of her skin, which had somehow not lost any of its native Spanish glow in spite of the cooler Scottish climes. Selina was rolling up her sleeves before Ava could think up an excuse to dissuade her. Not that she wanted to dissuade her, she told herself. It was helpful. She had no idea why she felt suddenly territorial. What better compromise than for Mikey Parsons to have access to a doctor without going through the rigmarole of persuading him to get in an ambulance?
‘Great, that’s kind of you,’ Ava said. ‘I’ll have the custody sergeant sign you in. Detective Sergeant Lively will stay with you to make sure you’re safe, although the patient is very passive. He’s a drug addict though, so help yourself to gloves. We keep a stock behind the desk.’
‘Thanks,’ Selina said. ‘See you in an hour.’ She leaned across to kiss Luc on the lips as she walked past him. Ava looked away until the doctor had disappeared into the space beyond the doors.
‘She’s really lovely,’ Ava declared brightly to Luc.
‘It’s casual,’ Luc said. ‘But I guess it’s easier seeing someone who understands shift work and why you’re effectively on call all the time.’
‘And you two have the European thing. That must be good for you. Not having to understand the Scottish accent, for a start. So how long have you been seeing each other now?’
‘Weeks, in reality,’ Luc said. ‘Not that often either, given our work schedules. What was it you wanted to see me about?’
‘Just a catch-up on Zoey Cole. We should talk in my office for confidentiality,’ Ava said, waving her security pass in front of the electronic lock and pushing the door open.
‘Sure,’ Luc said.
‘You want a coffee or anything?’ she asked as they left the stairs and walked down the corridor.
‘Um, no, I’m okay,’ he said. ‘Listen, I didn’t ask Selina to come to the station. She was trying to surprise me. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ Ava said. ‘I encourage my squad to invest time in their private lives. Happier homes make for happier officers, as far as I’m concerned.’ She looked at him and cringed. ‘God, I’m sorry, I don’t know where that corporate sound bite came from. Listen, Luc, I’m glad you’re involved with someone. I know how hard it’s been for you, and Selina seems great. We absolutely should go out sometime. I could, I don’t know, bring Natasha maybe.’
As they stepped into her office, Ava tried not to roll her eyes at her own suggestion. Going out for a foursome with Luc and the best-looking female he could have identified north of the border with her lesbian best friend as her plus-one wasn’t exactly an ego boost. Somehow everyone on her squad seemed to have someone to go home to, or go out with, except her.
‘I’m not sure Selina and Natasha would …’ Luc said.
‘You’re just worried that Natasha would seduce her,’ Ava said. ‘You know how she is about women with legs that long. I’m not sure even a man as good looking as you would be able to compete with Natasha in full flirtation mode.’
‘Are you okay?’ Luc asked.
‘Yes, of course, fine. Why?’ Ava asked.
‘You just paid me a compliment, that’s all. Not that I’m complaining, but it’s kind of unusual,’ Luc said.
Ava adjusted some papers on her desk before answering. ‘I think I’d call it a technical observation rather than a compliment,’ she smiled. ‘And don’t expect another one. That’s what your girlfriend’s for, after all.’
‘I’m not sure I’d call her my girlfriend,’ Luc said. ‘How is Natasha, by the way? I haven’t seen her for ages.’
Professor Natasha Forge – Ava’s best friend – disappeared and reappeared depending on the intensity of whatever fling she was in the middle of. Ava was used to it, but it still meant she suddenly got dropped without warning when a new woman appeared on the scene.
‘Single,’ Ava said. ‘So I’m seeing more of her than usual. Right, any progress on Zoey Cole?’
‘The stepfather has a watertight alibi and no previous convictions,’ Callanach said. ‘He was with about a hundred other people during the period when Zoey was abducted, and they’re all sending us photos to prove it. The boyfriend of Sandra Tilly, who runs the shelter where Zoey was living, turns out to have previous for blackmail and threatening behaviour, though. I’ve asked for the files. His name is Tyrone Leigh.’
‘Get an officer in the incident room to check it out for you,’ Ava said, ‘then go and rescue Selina from the cells. She seemed keen to take you away to whatever surprise it is she’s organised.’
‘I’ll stay if you need me,’ Luc said. ‘Selina can wait.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Ava said. ‘We’ll have a briefing tomorrow morning to make sure the squad is up to speed. Have a good evening.’
‘I will,’ Luc said. ‘Thanks, Ava.’ He shut her office door as he left.
Ava sat down to write up her notes of the day, trying to banish the sensation that there were other things she was missing out on.
The news that another young woman had gone missing just three days after Zoey’s body had been found was treated with quiet sadness in the incident room. Everyone on the squad had been prepared for the possibility, but that didn’t make the announcement any easier to hear. Ava decided to handle the initial enquiry herself with Callanach. There was no point mobilising the full unit until they were certain what they were dealing with, but her guts were churning. There were coincidences and there were patterns, and the new missing person report felt much more like the latter.
Leith’s mother and baby unit was housed in a grey building that had unmistakably been erected in the 1970s, featuring pebble-dashed walls to protect it from the sea to its north and the ensuing gales. Callanach
