The Death Messenger (Matthew Ryan Book 2)(68)
O’Neil’s strategy for handling the interview made Ryan nervous.
Sensing his hesitation, she made no move towards the entrance. It was important to convince him before they went in. ‘Ambassador Dean had no significant other in his life, male or female. Newman said his wife passed away two years ago. Trevathan never married. Neither of them had children. It’s not been possible to interview anyone closer than a hysterical housekeeper to the judge. We need to push on now. Parker is how we do it.’
Ryan scanned the building, wondering if Tierney’s partner was watching them from above, dreading the intrusion, savouring the last few moments before they shared information he didn’t really want to hear. The words ignorance and bliss loomed large in Ryan’s mind. Parker’s world had already come crashing down. They were about to dump more misery on him.
‘Ryan?’
He turned to face her.
‘Do you agree?’
‘Sorry, I thought you were telling, not asking, guv. Sharing sensitive information with a man we’ve never met before is risky.’
‘It’s a risk we must take if we’re to break through the logjam. For the first time in this enquiry, we’ll be able to get close to someone who knew the victim exceptionally well. Of course we must be sensitive to his feelings. Parker just lost his soulmate, but it’s shit or bust, in my opinion. I believe he may be able to help us.’
‘How d’you want to play it?’
‘I’ll lead. You follow up. He is, by all accounts, an intelligent man, but an extremely emotional one. I’m hoping that now he’s had time to get over the initial shock, he’ll be able to talk and listen. We’ll know soon enough if we can share information with him. If we aren’t of the same mind when we get in there, give me the nod and I’ll back off.’
It was a good call, one Ryan was happy with.
The FLO had given him the access code to the apartment block. They took the lift to the penthouse and rang the bell. Behind gold-rimmed specs, Parker’s eyes were tired and red. He’d made the effort to shave and was dressed in casual but well-tailored clothes. Mentally he was in bad shape, visibly tortured by loss, unable to comprehend how his future might pan out without Michael in it. Ryan had been hoping he’d be able to hold it together in the face of losing his long-term partner. Seeing him in the flesh, he wasn’t so sure. And O’Neil’s tactics wouldn’t stand a chance if he wasn’t up to it.
They were shown into an apartment much like their own office: under-floor heating, panoramic views out to sea, no chance that the wind whipping off the English Channel could penetrate the triple glazing. Beautifully furnished in muted shades of grey, it had set the couple back a cool two million, according to records Vikki had shared with them. Apparently, Parker was a wealthy man in his own right.
‘I’m very sorry for your loss,’ O’Neil began. He offered her a seat and she took it, waiting for him to settle on the sofa opposite before continuing. ‘You will have been made aware that DS Ryan and I are from Northumbria Police. Because of this, I’m sure you’ve gathered already that the incident involving your partner is not an isolated one.’
‘I did wonder,’ Parker said.
‘Do you mind if I call you Robert?’
He shook his head, composing himself.
As O’Neil put the man at ease, Ryan’s attention drifted to an open door: it led to a mini gymnasium, complete with treadmill, exercise bike and weightlifting bench. A Camelbak hydration system was tucked neatly in one corner, some red Nike wrist weights like the ones he had at home lying on the floor beside it. After a few minutes, during a lull in the conversation, O’Neil caught Ryan’s eye. He gave the briefest of nods, a gesture that she should go for it. Parker was holding his own.
It was time to take that chance.
O’Neil ran with it. ‘Robert, I need your help. I’m going to divulge details to you that would normally remain confidential. Before I do that, I need an assurance that what I tell you will go no further than this room: not to friends, press – and this might sound very strange to you – but I’d rather you didn’t discuss it with local detectives either.’
‘You have my word, Superintendent.’
‘We’re investigating a number of incidents, in the UK and abroad, that we believe are linked. You are the only person we are able to talk to who knows one of the victims intimately. Let me be very clear: if this information gets out, it may hamper our investigation. I want to bring those responsible for Michael’s death to justice. I’m sure you do too, before anyone else gets hurt.’
‘I understand,’ he said.
‘I gather you’ve been told that Michael’s body was recovered from the water and that the circumstances surrounding his death are suspicious, is that correct? Forgive me for asking but it pays not to presume these things.’
Parker gave a resigned nod. He knew what was coming and was steeling himself for it, just as Ryan was bracing himself for the distress of visiting yet another crime scene, the coastguard lookout where Tierney had been killed. Not that he expected it to take them any further after the first-rate job local police had done on it. O’Neil had been given a tour of the site by the Crime Scene Manager on her first trip to East Sussex. She was confident that they had covered all the bases. That was good enough for him.