Page 77 of Dead to Me

Kav Rohin let himself into the briefing room at a point when Reid had drifted off again, and Reid blinked in an effort to focus as the DC said, ‘Got location info on Roland Frankland.He’s in Madrid.’

Reid took a moment to remember that finding Kit’s father had been his request, back when he’d been the only one doing this.Because of the room at Trinity.And the attack.

‘Madrid?’he asked.

‘Yeah, ANPR caught his reg going towards Stansted,’ Kav said, ‘so I checked with passport control.He got on the three forty this afternoon.’

‘Thanks,’ Dom said.‘Nothing on the son?’

‘I’ve left him a message asking him to come in urgently,’ Kav said.‘But his friends haven’t seen him and the college porters say he’s not in his room.’

‘OK, I want someone to head round to his dad’s house,’ Dom said.‘That’s, what, Kew?’

‘Yeah, I can get the address,’ Kav agreed.

‘Someone needs to be chasing the urgent authorisation on Anna’s phone records.It shouldn’t be taking this long.And let’s pursue one on Kit Frankland.I want eyes on James Sedgewick as soon as possible.And I want CCTV from South Mimms, too.It’s possible that ping was before or after Anna pulled in there.’

Between one blink and the next, they were scattering, presumably to do what Dom had asked.Reid got to his feet and was alarmed to find the room tilting and his vision closing in on him for a good few seconds while a ferocious pain shot through his head.

The moment it had cleared he staggered out to his desk and sat heavily, leaning down to rifle in the drawer.

‘Are you all right, mate?’

It was Dom’s voice, and when he looked up Reid realised that they were the only two still in that section of the building.Kav and the other DCs had left and there was nobody else still working.

It must have been late, he thought, trying to focus on the clock on the far wall.Did it say eleven thirty?Or was it half twelve?

He closed his eyes, suddenly unable to stand the brightness of the room.

‘Reid?’Dom asked.

‘I’m just… looking for painkillers,’ Reid said, making an effort to open his eyes again.

‘Stay there,’ Dom said, reaching into his own desk.‘I’ve got tramadol and ibuprofen.You OK with opiates?’

Reid felt wretched with guilt, even through everything else he was feeling.Here was Dom, helping him when he least deserved it.

‘I would… actually love some opiates.’

He saw Dom give a slightly strange smile and then nod,but he was too weary and in too much pain to do any more than sit back in his comfortable desk chair and shut his eyes once more.

He had the unsettling sensation from that point on of only being kept awake by Dom bustling around.But when he felt a hand on his shoulder he managed to force his eyes open and take the offered three tablets and glass of water.

‘The packets are there for another dose in four hours, then another in the morning.Just make sure you take some laxatives tomorrow,’ Dom added, ‘or you won’t shit for a week.’

‘I… thank you,’ Reid said.And he did suddenly feel a rush of gratitude, both that Dom’s MMA career meant he was now a walking pharmacy and that he was willing to ignore all of Reid’s behaviour towards him over the last two years and help when he needed it.

He swallowed the pills and tried to focus on Dom’s concerned face.

‘Are you sure you should be here, mate?’

‘I’m… I really need to be.’

He felt a sense of relief as Dom nodded.

‘OK.But you know I’m not going to let anything happen to her if I can avoid it, right?’

‘Thanks, Dom.’

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