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could have just phoned. You didn’t need to make a special trip out to the backwater of Berkshire.’
    ‘I wanted to see you both. See how you were doing. Do you need anything? What about Ella? Is she okay for everything?’
    Hannah moved her hand away. ‘You don’t have to do this, you know.’
    ‘Do what?’
    ‘Protect me. Look out for me. For Ella.’ She turned to face him now. ‘We’re not your responsibility. No. Don’t say anything. Listen, you were Neil’s partner. I was his wife. Ella his daughter. The most awful thing happened. Neil was killed. You’ve been great to us, John, you really have and the first few months, I’m sure I would have died myself had it not been for you. And for that I am truly grateful. But, you know what? We’ve come out the other side and Ella and I are doing great. You need to look after yourself, so you can come out the other side too.’
    At that point Ella skipped over. ‘Can we go home, mummy? I’m hungry.’
    ‘Yes, come on, let’s go.’ Hannah rose from the bench and took her daughter’s hand.
    ‘Is John coming?’ said Ella. ‘He can meet Dan.’
    John’s eyes snapped up to look at Hannah. A look of unease swept over her face. ‘Who’s Dan?’ said John.
    ‘Mummy’s friend. He bought me the bag,’ said Ella, running her finger and thumb up and down the strap.
    John stood up. ‘Why didn’t you just say?’ His voice was cold despite the hot ember of anger igniting inside. Was he angry that she hadn’t told him about another bloke or was he angry because she was no longer the proverbial grieving widow, which ultimately meant she didn’t need him?
    ‘It’s none of your business, really,’ said Hannah, she raised her eyebrows. ‘The Met, the unit, my life as a widow are in the past, John. It’s been five years now. I can’t pause time any longer. If there’s something good that’s come from Neil’s death, it’s that more than ever I value my future, Ella’s future.’
    ‘With this … Dan.’
    ‘Maybe. Who knows? But I deserve some happiness and so does Ella.’ Hannah began walking away, she paused and looked over her shoulder. ‘You should be happy for us. Neil would want us to be happy.’
    John didn’t say anything. He stood and watched Hannah and Ella walk away. What was there to say? He didn’t want the burden of Neil’s memory to carry on his own. He thought it was a load he shared with Hannah. How could he have closure and move on when Neil’s killer was still out there? When John’s own guilt ravaged his mind and conscience both day and night.

Chapter 5
    John had been parked up outside Tina Bolotnikov’s house for about an hour. He looked through his notes once more, impatient for the return of their target.
    He wondered what she would look like after all this time. He picked up an old surveillance photo from when they were watching Sasha. A young couple, not been married very long, about eighteen months, if he remembered rightly. At the time he had been struck by their happiness; it had radiated off them. They had shared lots of happy times.
    John felt as if he had lived them too, although it had been from the other side of the camera. He was the third person in their marriage; unseen, unheard, unknown, but definitely there. He knew with certainty he would be able to talk to Tina about things that had happened as if he had been part of it. Like the time Sasha and Tina went to Hyde Park and got caught in a sudden rain storm. He knew they took cover under a large tree. He knew the lightning frightened her. He knew they ran to the café at the Serpentine. He knew they had hot chocolate. Tina had marshmallows. Sasha didn’t. He knew more details about their married life than a third party should.
    ‘Eyes up,’ said Martin. ‘Here comes the lovely Mrs B.’ Martin shoved his newspaper into the foot-well and focused on the mother and child walking towards him. ‘That’s her, isn’t it?’
    Picking up the camera, John zoomed in