Page 7 of Blood Ties

I glanced at the maintenance photograph. “I don’t have evidence of that yet.”

“You have enough to avoid going alone.”

He was right. That was inconvenient rather than decisive.

“I’m not entering any hidden route today,” I said. “I’m checking the exterior, confirming the alarm and seeing whether the estate office contains the case. I’ll send you my live location before I leave the village and contact you before I enter the house.”

“Bryony—”

“If anything looks wrong, I’ll stay in the car and call the police. I’m taking a torch, a charger and the personal alarm Edith bought me after I started investigating claims fraud.”

“She bought you that because someone followed you out of your office.”

“And it worked. He ran when I set it off.”

“You hit him with your handbag first.”

“That also worked.”

Arthur didn’t laugh. “Wait for me. I can be ready in an hour.”

I checked the journey time. Delaying by an hour would put us at Harrowmere much later, and Arthur wasn’t trained to search an unsecured property. If the house contained an intruder, I’d rather have the police than him beside me.

“You’re not coming into an unsecured property with me. Send the gate authority to the maintenance company and keep your phone nearby.”

“I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I. That’s why I’m checking before someone has time to remove whatever Edith left.”

He knew that possibility would work on me because it worked on him too.

“Call me from the drive,” he said. “If you miss one check-in, I’m contacting the police whether you approve or not.”

“Agreed.”

I ended the call before he found another argument.

The practical things took ten minutes. I put bottled water, a power bank, plasters and Edith’s papers into a small rucksack. The heavy torch stayed in the boot of my car beside an old blanket and a tyre pump. I added gloves and the alarm to my coat pocket.

The key went back inside my handbag. I considered returning it to the locked box, but Edith’s instruction said to take it, and the hidden route required it. Leaving the one object that might open a door felt less sensible than carrying it.

I checked the flat twice before leaving. Grief had made me forget small things all week. The cooker was off. The windows were shut. Edith’s letter was with me.

There was nobody left to call and complain that her final request was unreasonable.

I missed her most when I had something to complain about.

Rain fell steadily as I drove out of Leeds. Traffic kept me occupied until the larger roads gave way to narrower ones and the buildings thinned. I used the hands-free system to send Arthur my location, then left the call connected while he confirmed the gate code and temporary alarm code.

“You can still turn around,” he said.

“You can still find something useful about Adrian Rook.”

“I’m trying.”

“Then we both have work to do.”

He let me end the call after making me promise again to contact him from the drive.