The Death Messenger (Matthew Ryan Book 2)(93)

‘That must be very difficult for her family.’

‘They’re tearing their hair out.’

‘Not easy for you either.’

‘No. I’ve witnessed her go from a happy, smiley kid to an isolated teenager in a world of silence. She has no job, no relationships and no prospect of any. Kids like that are not shy any more than their mutism is deliberate.’ O’Neil was on edge, trying her best to give the opposite impression. ‘It’s an anxiety disorder like no other. I’d hate to add to it if Montgomery turns out to be a sufferer. I should talk to some of her colleagues before I go piling in upsetting her.’

‘It would be a missed opportunity not to see her when we’re this close.’

‘Would you mind if I sleep on it?’

‘Here?’ Ryan glanced at the shabby interior of the bar, shoulders dropping, facial expression glum. Much as he’d like a night in with O’Neil, he’d rather eat worms than spend it in such squalid surroundings.

O’Neil laughed. ‘You should see your face.’

‘What can I say? You’re choosy about your gin. I’m a hotel snob.’

‘Drink up. We’ll find somewhere nicer.’





51


They found a half-decent hotel on the outskirts of Bletchley. At check-in, they booked a table for dinner at eight o’clock and went to their rooms to freshen up. Ryan took a quick shower, calling Caroline and Frank before he went downstairs. O’Neil was already at the bar, another gin in front of her, this one more palatable ‘and in a clean glass’, she told him.

When they had finished eating, O’Neil pushed her plate away and topped up their wine. ‘I’ve come to a decision. I want you to raise an action with Grace. Before we tackle Sophia Montgomery, I’d like her neighbours spoken to, friends, associates, anyone who might have come into contact with her.’

‘Already taken care of. I called Frank earlier, asked him to fast-track it for me.’

O’Neil put down her wine. ‘You didn’t think to run it by me first?’

‘You’ve got enough on your plate. I figured you were right to be cautious. Tackling Montgomery without all the facts to hand was a bad idea. I could see how bothered you were by her condition. I thought it might put your mind at rest if you had some additional background before you made an approach. Armed with that you can make an informed decision whether or not to see her. Newman is lightning fast. He has contacts we don’t. You OK with that?’

O’Neil dabbed her mouth with a serviette. ‘Of course, thank you. John Maguire never looked after me the way you do.’ She smiled at him. ‘I warn you, I could get used to it.’

Ryan was too busy soaking up the compliment to respond.

‘Something else on your mind?’ she asked.

‘As it happens . . .’ He lifted the empty wine bottle, catching the eye of a passing waiter. He was stalling, undaunted by the fact that she knew it. What was really on his mind had no place in professional dialogue. Fortunately he had something else to feed her that would cover his growing infatuation. He ordered more wine and turned to face her. ‘Did I ever tell you I do my best thinking in the shower?’

‘I don’t think so.’ Her eyes sparkled when she grinned.

‘It’s true. Ordinarily, I keep my showering habits to myself but—’

‘You came up with something?’

‘I hope it’s relevant.’

‘Tell me.’

‘Between shampoos, I went back to basics. A prior association between victim and offender has to exist. It’s not in your face, I grant you, but it will be there – we just haven’t found it yet. I kept coming back to the fact that we have three middle-aged men and one youngish female—’

‘You mentioned that already.’ O’Neil was disappointed to be going over old ground. ‘We agreed as a team to concentrate on Laura, her being, in all probability, the most recent contact with Spielberg and/or her accomplice.’

‘Yes, and that still holds true. To some extent, Laura was high profile too. That wasn’t always the case, for any of them. Directly or indirectly they must’ve encountered their killer prior to their deaths. Whilst it’s not glaringly obvious, it occurred to me that they all had similar-ish backgrounds.’

‘You’ve lost me.’

Ryan leaned forward, elbows on the table, hands cradled under his chin. ‘Consider the evidence we’ve gathered so far. Satellite teams have given us nothing tangible. On the face of it, that sounds grim, but then it occurred to me that during their journey to the top all four victims held positions that, at a stretch, you could lump together in one category.’

‘“At a stretch” doesn’t fill me with confidence, Ryan.’

‘Hear me out. In each of the DVDs, Spielberg made it absolutely clear that her victims deserved what she was dishing out. We’ve known from the outset that the motive was revenge, but not what for. We’ve ruled out international terrorism and discounted child abuse, but that’s the way things turn out sometimes. I’m now suggesting an alternative. The only thing I’ve come up with that is common to all four is that they are, or should I say were, people you tell things to. Dean used to be a youth worker; Trevathan a solicitor; Tierney a teacher; Laura Stone a journalist. I think Spielberg and her accomplice are killing people who either refused to listen or failed to take action on a matter close to their hearts. I have no idea how, but the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Laura’s documentary is the key that will open doors for us.’