Page 94 of Five for Silver

“You were the one that just made a jokeabout it. This,” Josh rested his hand on the rucksack. “This is abig deal.”

Chad groaned and grabbed the closest magpiecushion to sink his nails into. “Come on, Josh, you’re killing mehere.”

“So as you know, I had my annual review withthe DI a month ago and it went well. Other than the club incident,and then him walking in on me being handcuffed to a bed, he waspleased with my performance. He said I’ve got potential to gofar.”

Chad smiled. “I agree.”

“But he also said I should start thinkingabout my future. I need to put myself out there, I need to take onmore responsibility and look for ways of proving myself to him andthe chief.”

“O…kay.”

Josh took a deep breath. “Last month, awoman came into the station. Charlotte Sinclair. I overheard herasking for help looking for her missing grandad, but she was palmedoff by the guy on reception so I strode over and offered myservices.”

Chad snorted softly. “You fancied her youmean.”

“Yes, but that’s beside the point. Her dadwent missing, just—completely vanished. He was due round her housefor Sunday lunch, but never showed up. His car is still parkedoutside the house, and when she went inside, the TV was still on,and there was a cold cup of tea on the living room table. His phonewas there, his wallet, even his hearing aid.”

Chad scooted forward on the sofa, listeningintently.

“Weird, right?”

“Weird,” Chad agreed. “Hundreds of thousandsof people go missing each year.”

“More like 170,000 to be a little morespecific, and around 90,000 of them are adults. They get less presstime, less police resources.”

“Someone has been doing his research.”

Josh shot him a pleased smile, then yankedthe rucksack wide open. He searched through the files inside beforepulling out one and opening it up while directing another pleasedsmile in Chad’s direction.

“This is him,” Josh said, sliding out apicture, “Graham Brennan.”

Chapter Seventeen

Ice swept through Chad.

It accumulated in his chest, stalling hislungs before shattering. His breath hitched, and he clutched thet-shirt he wore in front of his heart, twisting the fabric as hisfingers shook.

“Chad?” Josh flapped a piece of paper athim. His happy smile dimmed slightly as Chad forced himself tobreathe normally. Chad swallowed a few times, but a cold lump hadformed in his throat, and he couldn’t get air or saliva past it. Hechoked.

“Shit, the pizza isn’t repeating on you, isit?”

“No,” Chad said, reaching for the sheet ofpaper without looking. He knocked it from Josh’s fingers. Itfluttered to the floor, landing by Chad’s feet, and there he was,Graham Brennan, except he didn’t look as ill as when Chad and Romeohad seen him. He sat in an armchair with a walking stick across hislap.

A woman with red hair crouched beside him,hand over one of his as they beamed at the camera.

Chad’s fingers twitched. He hovered his handabove the print off, before snatching it back and grabbing histhroat. “Actually,” he croaked, “I’m just gonna get somewater.”

Josh stooped down to grab the sheet instead.“Okay.”

Chad swayed as he got up from the sofa, butJosh didn’t notice, neatly slipping the piece of paper back intothe folder. One folder ofmany. Chad stumbled from the roomand into the kitchen, crashing into the sink. He gripped the edgeof it, breathing hard before spinning on the taps.

He didn’t drink anything. He was pretty surethe lump of sharp ice in his throat would’ve stopped him, but hedid run his hand under the tap before sweeping it through his hair.The harsh shock to his scalp stopped the room from spinning.

Chad straightened, taking a deep breath. Heinhaled on one, and exhaled on five until he could breathe evenlyagain.

“You good?” Josh asked when he stepped backinto the living room a few minutes later.

Chad nodded and sat back down on the sofa.Josh waited until he’d settled before reopening the folder andhanding over the printout of Graham. If Josh noticed Chad’s fingerstrembling, he didn’t comment.

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