The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club #3)(89)

She had to hand it to Ibrahim, he really came good.

Though she remembers him telling her that she cared about Heather Garbutt. And the fact that she cared was proof she wasn’t a sociopath.

And, all the while, she had Heather Garbutt’s torn-up suicide note in her pocket.

Therapy really is a fascinating process. She can’t wait for more.





80


Joyce





You can imagine the hullaballoo here when he said it.

‘Viktor strikes again,’ Elizabeth said. ‘The Bullet never misses.’

There are now more than three million people watching Fiona’s Instagram Live. They have all just heard the same thing, and they are not being shy in giving their opinion. They all want to see what happens next.

I’m typing as I watch. It’s all very relaxed now, the three of them just chatting about bank accounts. Viktor is pouring them each a scotch.

Ron has just been telling a story about a policeman in Yorkshire who hit him with a truncheon. I asked if a lot of people hit him in those days, and he agreed that they did.

Even for us, this was a hell of a team effort. Cracking the names on the financial documents, getting Jack Mason to open up, making friends with Fiona Clemence. ‘Friends’ might be pushing it, although, looking at the numbers on her Instagram account now, perhaps we will be. Henrik doing his bit, lovely Viktor getting the confession. And Pauline and Mike still to come. Pauline is having to reapply Mike Waghorn’s make-up, because he’s been crying. I’ve just told him that three million people are watching, and he says he’s ready.

Earlier, I asked Bogdan how Donna was, and he said how do you mean, and I said how do you think I mean, and he gave me the cutest little smile and a thumbs-up.

Talking of which, a text came through from Mervyn. I was excited to see his name on my phone, and all a flutter as I opened the message.

Alan OK.



Well, we can work on him. We’ve all just wished Mike luck. Time to get back to the action.





81





Donna and Chris are watching on Donna’s computer. Everyone in their office is watching. Everyone in Fairhaven police station is watching. Everyone in Fairhaven is watching. Everyone, full stop, is watching.

It is safe to say that Andrew Everton is today’s newest ‘Most hated man in Britain’. Though Donna notes that To Remain Silent is currently number one in Amazon’s ‘Movers and Shakers’ book chart.

What a masterstroke from whoever hacked Fiona Clemence’s Instagram. Speculation is rife as to who it might be. As if Chris and Donna couldn’t work out exactly who it was.

The latest development for the crowd huddled around Donna’s computer, all desperate not to be called away to some sort of crime or other, is that the old guy from South East Tonight, Mike Waghorn, has just walked into the Viking’s library.

‘There’s your mate, Donna!’ says DS Terry Hallet.

‘He was my mate first,’ says Chris. ‘I breathalysed him!’

On the screen, Mike takes a chair, opposite an incredulous-looking Andrew Everton. Mike looks straight into whatever hidden camera is filming the scene.

‘Hi, I’m Mike Waghorn, reporting for South East Tonight –’

‘Mike, what are you –’ says Andrew Everton, but Mike hushes him.

‘I wanted to say a few words to the millions of people currently watching this livestream. The millions who have just heard the confessions of Chief Constable Andrew Ev–’

Andrew Everton leaps out of his chair and almost out of shot. He is caught and brought down by a muscled arm. You wouldn’t know whose arm it was unless you recognized the tattoos. Donna recognizes them instantly. So that’s where he was last night. ‘Trust me,’ he had said. Perhaps she should start making a habit of trusting him? She wonders if the whole gang is up there? Of course they are.

Mike Waghorn, ever the professional, waits for Andrew Everton’s muffled cries to disappear into the distance, before continuing.

‘This is a five-minute wonder, I understand that. To see a man confess to terrible crimes. To see a chief constable confess to fraud, to corruption, to blackmail and to murder. It certainly seems to have caused the stir we hoped for. At some point there will be a trial, no doubt complicated by the very scenes you are witnessing, but a trial at the very least. Andrew Everton will go to prison, of that we can be fairly sure, even with the lenient, molly-coddling justice system we seem to have in this country at the moment. But let’s not get started on that. We will cut this feed fairly soon, and return Fiona’s Instagram to its rightful owner. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Fiona, for your help today. I can’t think of a finer tribute you could have paid to Bethany. You will all go back to work soon, you’ll have your dinner, you’ll watch a bit of TV, whatever you have planned for today. You will talk about what you have seen, I am sure of that. And you will talk about it tomorrow too, although a little less. And maybe you’ll have the odd word about it the day after, but then it will be gone. That’s how news works. There will be other excitements to replace it. One of the Kardashians will have a baby, perhaps. So I am aware I have your attention only for a short while. Some of you will be drifting away already, as our main business is done here: Andrew Everton is being handcuffed in the hallway to my left, and the Staffordshire constabulary are on their way. But if I could ask of you just a minute or so more? It will be quick, I promise. I want to tell you about a friend of mine, Bethany Waites, who was murdered almost ten years ago. If she hadn’t been murdered, you would know the name already, I’m sure. She was a grafter, Bethany, a worker, no one ever handed her a thing. She could argue all night long, beat you in an arm wrestle, and she could drink you under the table. Northern, you see. If I’m allowed to say that. Bethany Waites was a fine journalist, but above all else she was a fine friend, and I loved her. I don’t even mean I loved her, I mean I love her. So when your attention moves on, when your interest is piqued by the next shiny story, I’d just ask that you remember her name from time to time. Bethany Waites. Because she deserves to be remembered long after Andrew Everton has been forgotten. Well, that’s all the news we have for you this lunchtime. So from me, Mike Waghorn, thank you all for watching, take care of yourselves, and take care of each other.’