‘I’m not doing it for him. I’m doing it for Alexa.’
‘But you don’t know her.’
‘So? It doesn’t mean I can’t be concerned about her. It looks like she’s missing, Kamal. No one knows where she is.’
Kamal sucks in a breath, my words worrying him more. ‘We all want Alexa to be alive and well, but that doesn’t mean you need to run around Lancashire with a man you know nothing about.’
As my head dips, Kamal leans forward and takes my hands in his.
‘Janine, you have a big heart. It’s only natural you would want to help, but finding Alexa is a job for the police, not you. Look at it this way – what if she doesn’t want to be found by her husband?’
I struggle with the potential truth in Kamal’s words. A truth that seems increasingly likely after recent revelations. ‘Maybe, but something about this doesn’t feel right. What if something bad has happened to Alexa? She doesn’t have her phone. She isn’t the one using her bank card. For all anyone knows, she’s completely vulnerable.’
‘Then that’s all the more reason to walk away and keep yourself safe,’ Kamal says, but he sighs when he sees my dubious expression. ‘I understand why you’re worried, I do, but my priority is your safety and your wellbeing. After everything that’s happened, that’s where your focus should be, too.’
My gaze lowers at the truth in Kamal’s words. A truth that bears eerie echoes of DS Rani’s advice.
‘I’m assuming that after what happened today, Otis called the police?’ Kamal asks.
‘He did, yes.’
‘Good, then your involvement in this can end.’
‘But Kamal—’
‘Janine, you’ve done more than enough to help. It’s time to let the police do their job. No good comes from meddling in other people’s business, not when the stakes are this high.’
‘But we need to find Alexa.’
‘And that’s exactly what the police are going to do.’
‘Really? They seem more bothered about Alexa secretly taking money from her bank account than finding her.’
Kamal pounces on my statement. ‘Alexa Clarke was hiding money? Well, that settles it – you should get out of this now. Otis and Alexa Clarke are strangers who clearly have some messed up secrets. That’s not a situation to get mixed up in. Alexa might be in trouble, hurt or even dead because of her husband. I’d rather find out if he’s guilty or not when the police solve this, not when they’re asking me to identify your body.’
As my shoulders sag, Kamal draws me towards him.
‘Janine, I love you more than life itself. I don’t want you sleepwalking into a dangerous situation.’
‘But I need to find Alexa,’ I whisper.
As a tear rolls down my cheek, Kamal studies me. ‘Nothing I’m saying is unreasonable, but you don’t want to hear it. Why does it matter to you to be part of this?’
‘I told you, I want to help.’
‘That’s not the truth, Janine, I know it’s not. Why are you looking for Alexa Clarke?’
A dangerous wobble takes over my lower lip as I twist my hand free of Kamal. He sees it, and he knows what it means. He reaches for me again, breaking down the walls of my feeble resistance.
‘I think I know why you’re doing this. I understand, too, but please listen when I ask you to put your safety first. I know you and Alexa have lost babies, but that doesn’t mean you know her. It doesn’t make an unknown less risky.’
‘I just want to find her,’ I croak. ‘I want her to be okay.’
‘I know, but I need you to ask yourself: is this about Alexa Clarke, or is this about you? Who are you trying to find in this? Because I’m not so sure it’s Alexa.’
A curtain of hair falls across my face as I bow my head further to block Kamal from seeing the effect of his words.
‘I’m only saying this because I care, Janine. You’ve been doing so well with getting back to a place of happiness. Don’t let this distract you from all the progress you’re making.’