‘A review of disgraced medics hasn’t turned up anything.’
‘Perhaps you should check out a few from the ranks of the undisgraced.’
‘Yeh. So, have you been able to determine ethnicity?’
‘Blood markers suggest a Central European origin. And the tattoo ink would seem to confirm that. Quite likely manufactured in the Czech Republic.’
‘Recent? The tattoo?’
‘No, loss of symmetry and fading would suggest it was done several years ago.’
‘Right. Thanks, James. Keep me posted on that. I’ll put someone on to checking Europol’s Missing Persons data. Possible child abductions. So, what would we be talking about here? Six years ago? Probably longer if she’d been put to work before the pregnancies.’
‘At least six. As I said, there doesn’t seem to be any history of tissue damage so it would have to have been softly, softly. It’s likely this lass was well cared for. Her unfortunate fate has probably been a financial inconvenience as much as anything else.’
‘Right. Well, I’d better get back to HQ and give Short the good news…’
‘Sam, there is one other thing, before you dash off: the nail varnish. I checked it against our database. It appears to be identical to varnish found on the body of a young woman, early twenties, washed up in Plymouth last year. Thought to have fallen off a boat, possibly dumped at sea. She’d been in the water for some time. There was no identification. Central European markers. Might just be a coincidence. It’s not uncommon… the varnish, that is.’
‘Were there any signs of previous pregnancies?’
‘There was a lower section scar – I’ve requested more images – but there were also previous compound fractures of the long bones. And she was HIV-positive.’
5
Sophie fought for vocabulary. ‘What?’
John Wilkes flashed a look at his fellow officer. ‘Preliminary enquiries have revealed that the car is registered as belonging to a Robert Perrin. Mr Perrin is also the sole name on the insurance policy.’
‘I’ve never heard Jonah mention anyone called Perrin.’ She watched Officer Tyler wander over to engage with Laura. What on earth was going on?
Officer Wilkes continued. ‘DVLA records have Mr Perrin listed as residing along the Topsham Road south of Exeter. We were hoping you might be able to explain the confusion.’
‘Exeter?’ She ought to tell them about the clinking-glass woman, but she already felt unbearably foolish in front of these uniformed people. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t explain it.’
‘Perhaps, if we might take a look at Mr Royston’s driving licence. You believe it might be in his car along with his insurance documents? Officer Tyler will watch your daughter. If I might accompany you.’
Sophie put her hand across her mouth. That had always proved to be an efficient way of preventing herself from saying the wrong thing. And, at the moment, everything she said was likely to be the wrong thing. She fetched Jonah’s keys and followed Officer Wilkes out into the street, averting her eyes from the sand still in the gutter. They walked in silence through the narrow shortcut to Jonah’s car where a brief search revealed his wallet on the floor behind the driver’s seat, his sunglasses and mobile phone beside it. Officer Wilkes scooped them up then asked Sophie if she would check the glove box, so she climbed into the driver’s seat, leant across and retrieved a wad of papers and an unfamiliar silver iPhone.
She eased herself back onto the pavement. ‘I’ve no idea why Jonah has two phones. I’ve never seen this one before.’
‘I would imagine it’s one he uses for business purposes.’ Officer Wilkes took another cursory glance inside the car then pushed the door closed. ‘Shall we go back to the house? You look as if you need to sit down.’ That sounded positively empathic. In fact, it was nothing less than alarming.
Back inside, both officers watched Sophie investigate Jonah’s wallet. She discovered his driving licence in a zip pocket, pulled it out and looked at the photograph: a younger version of Jonah, slim around the neck, very short hair. Both ears intact. Her eyes strayed to the details alongside:
1. PERRIN
2. MR ROBERT BRIAN
3. 16-03-76 UNITED KINGDOM
4a. 29-03-15 4c. DVLA
4b. 28-02-25
Then a long number and a signature and the Exeter address Officer Wilkes had mentioned. Sophie thought she might be losing her mind. She pulled out Jonah’s Mastercard, Visa card, his AA Breakdown card. They all carried that same signature. Even his library card belonged to Robert Perrin. Why had she never noticed? She tried to think back. Jonah always paid in cash whenever they went out to dinner or shopping. He said he liked to feel the money in his hands. She looked again at the photo, re-read the details, then handed the licence to Officer Wilkes. ‘It’s not even Jonah’s proper birthday,’ she said. But it occurred to her that it was probably Robert Perrin’s proper birthday.
Officer Wilkes noted down the details. ‘We’ll forward this information to the hospital. It would be in everyone’s interest if the medical staff were made aware of your partner’s true identity. His medical notes may be important.’
‘And then what?’
‘We’ll ensure that there’s no criminal explanation for Mr Perrin adopting an alternative identity, which, if it has not been used fraudulently or to procure loans or benefits, is not likely to be regarded as a criminal act. Mr Perrin’s car insurance, road tax and licence are all valid. Preliminary checks have revealed no outstanding fines.’ He paused to gauge Sophie’s response ‘We’ll check with the Inland Revenue to ensure that the dual identity is not associated with any attempt at tax evasion. Would you have access to his tax returns?’
‘They’re probably in his office.’ Sophie shook her head. She couldn’t believe that she’d spent the last five years of her life living with somebody who didn’t exist. Then she had a thought. ‘But Jonah’s company is called Royston Computer Solutions.’
‘We’ll check with Companies House, but as long as he has used his correct name in the documentation, there is nothing to prevent him calling his company whatever he chooses.’
‘Do you think Robert Perrin is Jonah’s correct name?’
‘The evidence is tending to that conclusion. This is a photograph of your partner, is it not? The person you have known as Jonah Royston?’ He handed back the licence.
‘Yes, it’s him.’
Officer Tyler got to her feet. ‘I wonder, Sophie, do you have Laura’s birth certificate? Is her father listed as Jonah Royston?’
‘Yes. But I registered her birth. In the hospital. And I gave her father’s name as Jonah Royston because that’s what I thought it was. I think he signed a form. I can’t remember.’ She glanced over at her daughter and recalled those first euphoric, panic-filled days of motherhood, wanting to do everything right for this minute person she and Jonah had created. Jonah had agreed that Laura should share his name but, looking back on it, had he simply not disapproved? So, now her daughter was named after nobody. ‘Does that mean that Laura’s birth certificate isn’t legal?’