The Moor (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #11)(76)

Through this last part, Gregory grew more concerned.

“Ryan, you’re not dealing with a garden variety killer here, as I’m sure you know. She’s crossed a tipping point, this one, and the lines of acceptable behaviour no longer apply. She’ll kill whoever threatens her, now.”

He did not say it to create panic, but to make them aware of the very real danger.

“What if she’s found out about Marco being Sam’s—” Phillips jerked his head towards the living room. “If he was telling the truth about not having known before, Leonie wouldn’t have known about it, either. It might send her over the edge.”

Ryan nodded, coming to his feet.

“Let’s get down there now, Frank, and bring them both in before the early evening show starts.”

Before they left, Ryan took Gregory’s hand in a firm grip.

“Thanks for everything,” he said. “And don’t be a stranger.”

“I appreciate what you did in there, and the care you took with her,” Phillips said. “Where are you off to next?”

“Upstate New York.”

“Oh,” Phillips said. “Well, that’ll be lovely. Denise and I were thinking of touring the Highlands—”

“Frank!” Ryan called from the hallway, and—with a quick peck for MacKenzie—Phillips hurried off.





CHAPTER 43


The rain had eased to a light drizzle by the time they reached the Town Moor, but it was slow going on the roads and the journey took longer than expected. Consequently, they arrived just as the show was about to start, rather than before.

“We’ll just have to wait for the interval,” Ryan said. “Might as well go inside.”

They were about to walk through the main entrance to the arena, when a broad Cockney voice stopped them in their tracks.

“’Ere! You got a ticket?”

They looked around to see a burly, red-faced woman leaning over the counter in the ticket office.

Ryan retrieved his warrant card and held it up.

“What’s that s’posed to do? Looks forged to me.”

His lips twitched.

“We’re from Northumbria CID,” he explained, very slowly. “I’m Detective Inspector Ryan, and this is—”

“Yeah, and I’m the Queen of Sheba. Look, son, I’ve seen it all before, so let’s stop messin’ about. I’ve got a stack of ones just like that, back in the caravan. Three for a fiver, if you’re interested.”

Ryan opened his mouth to start taking her to task about dealing in forged goods and the folly of impersonating a police officer, then realised he’d been had.

Her face broke into a wide grin.

“Only joking, gorgeous,” she cackled. “I’d never forget your face. Might forget yours,” she added, for Phillips’ benefit.

“Same to you, n’all,” came the cheerful reply.

“Go straight in,” she said, waving them on. “The acrobats are about to start.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want to miss that,” Ryan murmured.

*

The arena was resplendent, filled with families who’d hurried to catch the show after school. Their excited faces beamed as unicycles danced on tight-ropes, jugglers kept a dozen clubs flying in the air, and a woman balanced on top of a beautiful white horse as it trotted around the arena, switching between handstands and side-flips, to gasps and applause from the audience.

“Now, then! Now, then! Prepare to witness the most death-defying feats of all!”

The lights lowered around the main arena and spotlights illuminated the top of the tent, where four acrobats waited to begin their routine.

From their position in the gangway on the edge of the arena, Ryan and Phillips strained to see who had taken over from Charlie as the circus ringmaster.

“I don’t believe it,” Phillips said. “That’s Duke.”

And it was; the former circus clown had morphed into a butterfly, holding court in an arena filled with hundreds of people who were all looking at him in admiration and wonder.

He was in his element.

“Prepare to be dazzled and amazed by our acrobatic display, led by the one, the only—Marco the Magnificent!”

The arena erupted into applause and the flame-thrower roared into action as a single acrobat flew across the tent, swinging like Tarzan from one suspended bar to the next in a perfectly synchronized action. He wore a bright red, full-length leotard, as his wife had done eight years before, and seemed to dance across the air. Even knowing what Marco had done did nothing to diminish the spectacle.

They watched the display and thought that, since it was the last show Marco was ever likely to do, they hoped it was a good one.

And they were not disappointed.

A moment later, Duke’s loudspeaker rang out again.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the most dangerous flight of all…remove the nets!”

With another fire burst, the safety netting fell to the ground.

“Now, in his most daring feat yet, Marco will attempt to make his way across an obstacle course of fire without a safety net!”

There were gasps from the crowd, which always made Marco smile. In reality, he was supported by a lightweight harness with a springy, flexible cord that followed his progress through the air. If anything were to happen, it would break his fall.