“Good, Rob has a lot of experience.”
Cora laid the mug on the low table without having drunk any of its contents. Her eyes anxiously asked the question she could not bring herself to utter. Would she be returning to her home tonight?
“I’m sorry … The fire brigade caught the fire early though.”
Cora brought her knees to her chest and let her forehead drop onto them.
“Those bastards managed what the Chinese authorities did not succeed in doing … destroying much of my work.”
Nancy closed her eyes briefly, feeling the pain of her friend. She moved back to the settee and sat next to her. There was little she could say though. She cast an eye towards the box and files she had precipitously moved to another part of the room to make space for Cora.
“I want to know what you saw … please.” Her face hardened. She would not shy away from the reality of the assault.
Pole sat down on the edge of the armchair that faced the sofa. He gave a detailed description of what he had seen to the two women.
“There is one thing I don’t quite understand.” Nancy had taken out a yellow legal pad she always kept at the bottom of the coffee table. “You said the room, or what remains of it, confirms what Cora said to us … the people who went through it were searching for something.”
“Could be money, could be something else.” Pole added.
Cora shook her head. “Bits of jewellery but nothing much, and nothing very expensive. And why would they have pursued me?”
“Because they needed to ask you the location of what they were looking for … It could still be cash or valuables.” Pole hesitated for a moment. “Are Ollie’s parents wealthy?”
Cora looked intrigued by the question and its implications. “They are well-off, but they hardly ever speak …” Cora pulled the blanket tighter around her. “I have only met them once in the past three years. Why?”
“Kidnapping for ransom is always a possibility.”
“If that’s what it’s about … they won’t pay.” Cora stopped. She had raised her head to speak but let it fall back on her knees.
“We have to consider all possibilities.” Nancy stretched out her hand and squeezed Cora’s shoulder.
“I understand Nancy.” Cora’s voice was muffled and barely audible. “But whatever the reason, he certainly did not tell me he felt in danger.”
Nancy turned towards Pole. “Why the methodical torching of the place?”
“Either they wanted to destroy whatever they failed to find and thought was still there, or else they found it and decided to destroy it on the spot.”
“That is incredibly well organised … You need proper combustible liquid to burn down a place like the factory.”
“That is why I think they are professional. They were organised enough to bring what they needed.”
“Or rather something convinced them they needed to act quicker than they had anticipated. I’m not sure they had decided to torch the place initially, but something made them change their minds.”
“That’s a very good point.” Pole’s face dropped a little and Nancy picked up on it. Ollie might have given them what they wanted or told them what they needed to know.
So why keep him alive?
* * *
It was still early but Nancy had woken up just as Pole was preparing to leave. He had tiptoed around the bedroom and eventually sat on her side of the bed to wake her up with a slow kiss. “Got to go mon coeur … I’ll call Rob as soon as I am in.” Pole didn’t move. Nancy opened an eye and smiled. “I thought you were going.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself towards him, planting a quick kiss on his lips. “I’m sorry you had so little sleep.”
Pole gave her a naughty smile. “And not for the hoped reasons.”
Nancy sighed. “And to my own disappointment.” Sleep had vanished from her face and she turned serious. “I’m concerned this story is not going to end well.”
“I won’t lie to you … Keep Cora from returning home if you can, until I know what we are looking at.” Pole wrapped his arms around her slender body.
She gave him another quick kiss and pushed him away. “Come on Inspector Pole, the villains of London need to be brought to justice and I need to check on Cora.”
Pole stood up slowly, shrugged on his biker jacket and disappeared. Nancy let her eyes linger on the door Pole had just closed. His outfit did not only make him look sexy but also adventurous and free.
Nancy slid into a heavy silk dressing gown and entered the lounge on tiptoe. Cora had insisted she would rather sleep on the sofa. Pole had succeeded in leaving without waking her up.
Nancy leaned over her young friend for a while hoping she may notice her presence. Cora’s face had disappeared into the soft blanket she had wrapped around her. Her spiky hair, part of which had been dyed purple, had flattened against the pillow. Nancy could just make out the balls of her two fists resting against Cora’s chest.
The kitchen was still in darkness and dawn still a short while away. Nancy moved slowly around the furniture. She opened a cupboard without a sound, took out her teapot, found the tea caddy in which she kept her favourite Sichuan tea, and started to prepare a fresh brew. The gurgling of the kettle almost sounded too loud.
When the tea was ready, she pulled out a couple of mugs and moved back into the lounge.
Cora was up. She had dragged the blanket all the way to the large window overlooking the gardens. The sky was becoming lighter, purple turning into a haze of blues and light pinks.
Nancy came alongside her and handed her a mug. There was no need to speak. It was still too early, and the quietness
