Page 35 of Five for Silver

Josh murmured close to Chad’s ear. “I thinksomeone’s got up on the wrong side of the bed.”

“Keep quiet, Josh!” Ally turned herattention back to Chad. “You’re addicted to beingtormentedand I’ve tried hard to be there for you.”

“I know.” Chad forced the words through histeeth. “You have been. You’ve been amazing—”

“But it’s not going to make adifference in the end, is it?”

“What do you mean?”

Ally averted her gaze. She slumped anddirected a sad sigh at her feet. “I can’t save you, Chad.”

“I don’t need saving.”

“You do, you just don’t realize it.”

“Ally—” Josh warned.

“You’re gonna die at the hands of a serialkiller, it’s just a question of which one.”

The doors opened again, releasing a freshwave of white noise. James Poole strode over to them rubbing hishands together with a big grin on his face. He looked at thembefore glancing back over his shoulder.

“The public are certainly behind us.”

“All until you fail them,” Ally said.“Vincent isn’t going to give you what you want. All that animalwants is power, control, and acknowledgement and you’ve stupidlyagreed to give it back to him.” She shot a savage look Chad’s way.“Say no, Chad. Even if it costs you your job, say no.”

“I can’t,” Chad snapped. “I need this job,Ally. Ineedit.”

“Chad understands what you fail to,” Jamessaid, making a placating gesture towards Ally.

Ally’s nostrils flared. “Which is?”

“His duty is to serve the public, whichmeans putting his own wants and ego aside and accepting the roleassigned to him.”

James patted her shoulder. Chad winced atthe grind of her teeth.

“Touch me again.” Ally hissed. “And I’llbreak all your fingers.”

“DS Coulson.”

All of them jumped except James. The DIstood on the bottom step of the stairs, file tucked under his arm,with another officer beside him.

“I need you and Josh upstairs in theincident room.”

“What about Chad?” Josh asked.

The DI’s defeated gaze shifted to Chad. “I’mgoing to leave Chad in the superintendent’s hands.”

“Superintendent,” Josh muttered beneath hisbreath. “You really are screwed, Chad.”

Chad side eyed him. “Thanks for that.”

“Ally, Josh,” the DI said, gesturing to thestairs.

Ally eyeballed James whereas Josh’ssympathetic eyes found Chad’s.

The DI led them upstairs, and then they weregone.

The superintendent waited until the door tothe incident room above had closed, before marching over with hishand out for Chad to shake. His grip was hard, and lingering, andhis stare was the same. He was younger than James and the DI, butgrey streaks peppered his hair and the wrinkles on his foreheadwere deep.

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