Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2)(69)

‘All of it.’

They were sitting in their car outside Lauren’s house. It had grown dark while they were inside and the glow from the streetlights gave the raindrops on the windscreen an orange sheen.

‘I didn’t even know what to say to Margot back at her house,’ Carmen said. ‘I mean, she’s right. What on earth is she supposed to do now those photos are out there? It’s not like she can get them back. And then Rebecca. That was shocking. No wonder Lauren’s so on edge.’

Falk thought of the skeletal teenage girl and her nest of mindfulness bracelets. How much worry and stress was tied up in those threads? He shook his head.

‘So what now?’ He checked his watch. It felt later than it was.

Carmen checked her phone. ‘The office has given the okay to visit Daniel Bailey at home, assuming he’s actually there, I suppose. But they say to tread carefully.’

‘Great tip.’ Falk started the engine. ‘They say anything else?’

‘The usual.’ Carmen glanced sideways, with a tiny smile. Get the contracts. She sat back in her seat. ‘I wonder if his son’s come home yet.’

‘Maybe,’ Falk said, but he doubted it. He’d seen the look on Daniel Bailey’s face as he’d stormed away from Alice’s house. Falk didn’t have to know Joel Bailey to know that he’d likely be lying very low indeed.

The Baileys’ home was hidden behind an elaborate wrought-iron gate and hedges so thick it was impossible to see through them from the road.

‘It’s about Alice Russell,’ Falk said into the intercom speaker. The red light of the security camera blinked, then the gate swung open silently to reveal a long smooth driveway. Japanese weeping cherry trees bordered the way, looking like manicured toys.

Bailey opened the door himself. He stared at Falk and Carmen in surprise, then frowned, trying to place them. ‘We’ve met before?’ It was a question, not a statement.

‘At the lodge. Yesterday. With Ian Chase.’

‘Yes, that’s right.’ Bailey’s eyes were bloodshot. He looked older than he had a day earlier. ‘Have they found Alice? They said someone would call if they found her.’

‘They haven’t found her, no,’ Falk said. ‘But we’d like to speak to you anyway.’

‘Again? What about?’

‘Why you were banging on the door of Alice Russell’s house a few hours ago, for starters.’

Bailey went still. ‘You went to her house?’

‘She’s still missing,’ Carmen said. ‘I thought you wanted to see no stone unturned.’

‘Of course,’ Bailey snapped, then stopped. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, then opened the door wider and stepped back. ‘I’m sorry. Come in.’

They followed him down a spotless hallway into a large, plush sunroom. Polished wooden floors shone beneath leather couches while low flames in the fireplace warmed the room gently. It was showroom neat. Falk had to fight the urge to remove his shoes. Bailey gestured for them to take a seat.

A professional family photo hanging over the mantelpiece showed Bailey smiling broadly next to an attractive dark-haired woman. His hand rested on the shoulder of a teenage boy, all smooth skin and wholesome white teeth and sharply ironed creases in his shirt. Joel Bailey, Falk guessed. He hadn’t looked quite like that on Margot Russell’s phone screen.

Bailey followed his gaze to the portrait. ‘I went to the Russells’ place to see if my son was there. He wasn’t, or at least I don’t think he was, so I left.’

‘Did you try to speak to Margot?’ Carmen said.

‘She was in there, was she? I thought she might have been. No, she wouldn’t answer the door.’ He looked up. ‘Have you spoken to her? Does she know where Joel is?’

Falk started to shake his head when there was a movement in the doorway.

‘What’s that about Joel? Has he been found?’ a voice said.

The dark-haired woman from the family photograph stood watching them. Like her husband, worry appeared to have aged her. She was dressed carefully, with gold jewellery gleaming at her ears and neck, but her eyes were slick with unshed tears.

‘My wife, Michelle,’ Bailey said. ‘I was just saying I went to Margot Russell’s looking for Joel.’

‘Why? He’s hardly going to be with her.’ Michelle’s mouth was rigid with disbelief. ‘He doesn’t want anything to do with her.’

‘He wasn’t there anyway,’ Bailey said. ‘He’ll be hiding at one of his friend’s houses.’

‘Did you at least tell Margot to leave him alone? Because if she bombards him with any more of those pictures or videos, I’m going to the police myself.’

Falk cleared his throat. ‘I don’t think there’s any risk of Margot sending anything more. She’s very upset that they’ve ended up online.’

‘And Joel isn’t? He’s more upset than anyone. He’s so embarrassed he can’t even face us. He didn’t ask to be caught up in any of this.’

‘He asked for the photos, though,’ Carmen said. ‘Allegedly.’

‘No. He didn’t.’ Her words were brittle and hard. ‘My son would never have done that. Do you understand me?’