A Deadly Thaw by Sarah Ward

they were actually quite old-fashioned. That’s why we had the TVs in our rooms. Dad didn’t really want one in the living room so we were allowed our own. Mum and Dad preferred the radio, which they’d listen to in the kitchen.’
    ‘Did you watch the TVs separately?’
    ‘It depended. We were both big movie fans, especially Lena. We loved all the old horror films. I dreaded her going away to university as I’d have to watch them by myself, but she stopped wanting to watch them anyway.’
    ‘And was it? Bad, I mean, when she left home?’
    Kat stirred her coffee. ‘She never did. She was expected to go to university, of course. That was the plan for both of us. But aged eighteen, she changed her mind. Didn’t want to go away, didn’t want to leave Bampton.’
    Kat saw Connie frown. ‘Any reason for this?’
    ‘Difficult to say. She did okay in her exams. She definitely could have gone but, for whatever reason, she decided to stay put.’
    ‘She became a well-respected artist though. Was she self-taught?’
    ‘No. She eventually did an art degree at the college, but that was later. She worked in a florist’s first and then started to paint seriously.’
    ‘What did your parents think?’
    ‘Do you know what? That was the funniest part. They didn’t say anything. It was quite strange really. They just took everything in their stride. Let her do what she wanted.’
    ‘And Whitby?’
    ‘Well, she went there when she was fifteen or so on a school trip and fell in love with the place. Have you been?’
    Connie shook her head.
    ‘It’s got a very strange energy about the place. Quite a lot of black-haired goths wandering among American tourists. Anyway, Lena loved it and used to go there a lot. Especially after I left home to go to university. She found a place to stay and spent days there at a time.’
    ‘What for?’
    ‘What for?’ echoed Kat. ‘Not for anything. To get away from Bampton. You’ve seen what this place is like. We all need to get away.’
    Connie looked unconvinced. ‘So when she went missing, you thought she might have gone there.’
    ‘Exactly. It really was the only place I could think of. I had an old address from years ago, and I went there. It was a long shot really. It’s still a holiday home, but the good-looking guy next door said that Lena used to visit a lot and then one day stopped. It must have been about the time of her arrest.’
    ‘But you didn’t find her. This time, I mean. You didn’t find out where she was?’
    Kat shook her head. ‘Like looking for a needle in a haystack really.’
    Connie lifted her cup. ‘It was a good hunch. It’s what we usually do. Look for a pattern and investigate that in the first instance. You really should have mentioned it to us, you know. You could have called and we would have contacted the local police. There are procedures in place for working with other Forces. Please don’t go haring off on investigations again.’
    ‘But why are you so interested in Whitby? Do you think there’s a connection?’
    ‘There’s a witness who says she saw Andrew in Whitby a few years ago. There’s a possibility that’s where he was hiding.’
    ‘What?!’
    Connie opened her mouth to speak as her phone went in her bag.
    Kat watched her answer and saw her face blanch. She felt the deep pull of dread within her. Connie cut the call. ‘I’m sorry, Kat. I’ve got to go.’
    ‘What is it?’ She could see her debating how much to say.
    Connie reached across and touched Kat on the arm. ‘Go back to the house. I need to be able to find you. I don’t know if it’s news, but please make sure I can contact you. Can I have your mobile number?’ Kat watched as Connie tapped in the digits.
    ‘I’m ringing you so you’ve got mine. Try not to worry. I’ll call you when I can.’

27
Saturday, 29 August 1987
    Kat turned the volume down low and listened for a noise from Lena. Any noise. But it was silent, not a stir from the bedroom below. The