No Safe Place(Detective Lottie Parker #4)(38)

‘You have it all worked out nice and neat. Only two problems with your scenario.’

‘What might they be?’

‘One, you have no confirmation that she was murdered, and two, that could’ve been an innocent person’s car.’

‘I intend to find out. Sir.’

‘Do that. And report back to me.’

‘I have a team meeting this morning, if you wish to sit in?’

‘Didn’t you hear what I just said? Report to me.’

Lottie bit her tongue, stalling her reply. ‘Anything else? Sir.’

‘What other cases are you working on at the moment?’

‘Kirby and Lynch have been carrying out a surveillance operation on the traveller community. We believe there is an underground movement of bare-knuckle fights.’

‘Fights? Is that all you have to concern yourself with these days?’

‘It can be very nasty. Large amounts of money are wagered. And sometimes it turns into a fight-to-the-death kind of thing.’

‘Has anyone died?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Then let them get on with it. I’ve seen this kind of thing in Dublin. It’s all a show of strength.’

Lottie sighed and pulled her sleeves down over her hands, trying desperately to keep herself from fidgeting. God, she needed a Xanax. ‘Do you want me to tell Kirby and Lynch to back off, then?’

The suddenness of his movement caught her by surprise. She sank back into her chair as he stood and marched around the small office, coming to a stop in front of her and perching on the edge of the desk. ‘I want you to do your job,’ he said. ‘I don’t want you getting stuck in my hair.’

You have enough of it anyway, she thought. As if reading her mind, he brushed his fringe out of his eyes. Shit, she hoped she hadn’t spoken aloud.

‘Attend the post-mortem and determine whether you are dealing with a murder. Pull your detectives away from the traveller community and present me with a killer. Today, preferably.’

‘Right so.’ Did he think she was Superwoman or what? ‘One other thing,’ she said. ‘Superintendent Corrigan asked that I look into a cold case.’

‘What cold case?’

‘A young woman called Lynn O’Donnell, disappeared ten years ago this week.’

‘And what has that got to do with anything?’

‘I haven’t had time to read the file yet, but it appears she was last seen on the commuter train from Dublin. Valentine’s Day.’

‘Perhaps she eloped?’

‘I don’t know. She’s never been found. I’ll read the file and maybe have a chat with her family.’

‘I think you’ve enough to be doing without burying your nose in a ten-year-old case.’

‘I’ll check it out anyway.’

‘Find the Byrne girl’s murderer. If she was murdered, that is. And that’s an order.’

‘Yes, sir.’ You bollocks, she added in her head.

‘You can go,’ he said.

Getting up, she edged out past his outstretched legs and left the office without a word. Sometimes it was better to remain silent. Sometimes, but not always.





Thirty-One





‘Where on earth have you been?’ Lottie watched Boyd fall into his chair without removing his jacket. ‘I needed your support ten minutes ago.’

‘Sorry. Grace has my head wrecked. I’ve been away from home for so long, I’d actually forgotten how much she talks. Non-stop. Never-fecking-ending. I think she’s given me a migraine.’

‘You don’t get migraines,’ Lottie scoffed.

‘I have one now. I dropped her to the train station early and was at home, standing in the shower, when she rang to tell me her friend wasn’t on the train.’

‘I thought you said she doesn’t have any friends.’

‘She doesn’t. This is someone she met yesterday. I’d say the poor woman is avoiding her. God forgive me, I know she’s my sister, but even I’d want to avoid her.’

‘Don’t be so mean. I can’t wait to meet her.’

‘You’ll take back those words once you do.’

‘Some brother you are.’

Lottie pulled Kirby’s chair across and sat down beside Boyd. She thought how she would love to have a brother. She’d had one once, but he’d been murdered when he was just twelve years old. Then she thought about the mysterious half-sibling she had only become aware of during her last murder investigation. The lies. Her life had been built on lies. ‘McMahon is on site,’ she said.

‘That’s all we need.’

‘My sentiment exactly. He’s being a pain about this murder investigation. Won’t allow it to be classed as murder until the state pathologist confirms it. I’ve to report everything to him first. And he wants Kirby and Lynch taken off the fist-fighting investigation.’

Pulling at his chin, Boyd said, ‘They haven’t had much success. Maybe McMahon is right and it’s time they did something new.’

‘Whose side are you on?’ Lottie stood up, wheeled the chair back to its rightful place and headed for her own office to get her jacket. ‘I’m driving to Tullamore for the PM, and after that, we can have our team meeting. Then I’m getting on to the press office.’