The Death Messenger (Matthew Ryan Book 2)(82)

‘It’s easy to be wise after the event,’ Forsythe defended her. ‘I happen to think it’s a perfect choice.’

‘We can live with it, if you can,’ Newman told her.

Ryan was nodding in agreement.

‘I don’t buy it,’ Grace said. ‘Forgive me for being cynical, but it’s clear Ford hated you from the get-go. Why would he allow you to use your flat if he wanted to oust you?’

‘He didn’t ask who it belonged to. Why would he?’

‘And you didn’t tell him?’

‘Not at the time.’

‘Let me guess,’ Grace said. ‘Your decision has come back to bite you.’

O’Neil nodded. ‘It was only ever intended as a stopgap until this investigation was resolved. I made no financial gain, but Ford got wind of it. The man’s a self-serving slug. He had someone check the finance code. Let’s say we had a long conversation. He didn’t force me out, so I assume it’s a keepy-back, a stick to beat me with in the future.’

‘Leave him to me.’ Forsythe was studying her closely. ‘Are you OK with it?’

‘Yes, I’m fine . . . I am!’ she insisted. ‘I’ve moved on, Hilary, and so must you. I don’t need babysitting, by any of you.’ She looked away, unable to face his gaze or that of Ryan. Despite pushing them away, she counted herself lucky to have these two men in her life.

Ryan quickly changed the subject, deflecting attention away from her to Forsythe. ‘Why were we not told about the first two murders at the outset?’

‘That was not my doing,’ he said. ‘I assumed that Ford would share all the information he had been provided with. In withholding it, he acted without my authority. I can assure you it won’t happen again.’ He glanced at his watch. It was gone five. ‘I have to go. Are there any other questions or comments?’

‘I’m going to need more finances,’ O’Neil said.

‘And you will have them.’ Forsythe took in each team member in turn. ‘If any of you are reconsidering your position within this unit, please speak now.’

There were no takers.

Grace and Newman were going nowhere. O’Neil stood up, began busying herself with items on her desk, an avoidance tactic she knew was unlikely to fool anyone, least of all Forsythe. She didn’t want to be the one to show him out. Ryan got up, thanked Forsythe for putting the record straight and showed him to the door.

In the hallway, the two men shook hands again.

‘You take good care of her.’ Forsythe said it as a father would, heaping yet more responsibility on a DS already under pressure to prove his worth. Ryan gave his word.





46


Ryan closed the door, his desire to protect O’Neil stronger than ever. At least now everything was out in the open, they could all move on. Caroline’s effervescent personality lifted morale the minute she stepped through the door. Bob sat down beside her in the living room, his wagging tail a physical demonstration that he was happy to be among friends and off duty. Explaining why her attendance was so important, Ryan gave her a space to work in and left her to get on with it.

O’Neil began the briefing at six o’clock sharp, keen to show leadership and not dwell on the past. ‘The British Embassy in Copenhagen have supplied CCTV footage from the Friday before Ambassador Dean was murdered. Anja Pedersen’s two suspicious characters are on it. She was spot on in her description, although the images aren’t great. They match none we have on the database. Politikommis?r Liisa ?lgaard acted quickly, questioning the security detail Pedersen claims walked off without challenging the suspects. I’m afraid she drew a blank. Unwilling to incriminate themselves, they aren’t coughing.’ She turned to Ryan. ‘Talking of cameras, is there any update on the model Spielberg is using?’

‘Not yet,’ he said.

‘Nothing on her accent either?’ Grace volunteered without a prompt. ‘The voice-recognition bods are taking their time. It’s as well we have Caroline here for when Spielberg rings.’

O’Neil glanced across the room. Caroline had her earphones in, listening to the audiotape of Ryan’s last conversation with Spielberg. She was paying them no attention. ‘Chase these enquiries when we’re done, Grace. Frank, what about the local contact we found in Tierney’s address book?’

‘Graham Hunter is a businessman, or should I say was—’

‘Dead?’ she asked.

‘As good as. He still owns a home in South Tyneside but no longer lives there, nor is he working in the field of corporate finance any longer. His employer let him go last year when he became too ill to continue – it was a generous handshake, by all accounts. Hunter and his missus won’t ever have to worry about money again. Which is just as well because Mrs H has her own medical problems that made it impossible for her to care for him at home. Hunter moved into St Oswald’s six months ago.’

‘There’s no place better,’ O’Neil said.

Ryan wondered how she knew. St Oswald’s was a hospice for palliative care.

Newman’s voice pulled him in another direction. ‘Mrs H showed me photographs. Hunter is hanging on by his fingernails.’

‘I take it you checked his admission record?’ The question had come from Grace.