With how hectic he’d been at work, he’d almost forgotten about poor Henry. Charlotte called him earlier in the morning to inform him. She asked him to meet her at Henry’s place, but he’d been right in the middle of something. He regretted not going.
Joining the human race, walking along an actual high street, and not some dark alleyway, he mingled while he walked, meandering between groups. Richard took his phone out of his pocket and dialled Charlotte. “Honey, I’m so sorry about earlier. I would’ve come straight over, but I was in the middle of something very important.”
His sister let him have it, angry at him for not being there for her, again. He’d made a habit of disappointing her, it seemed, somehow missing everything important in her life. At least, according to her anyway. He made it to her second-born’s birth, and her christening. And he made it to a couple of family Christmases, obviously without Colin. “Well, if that’s how you feel about it, I’ll go.” He hung up.
Disappointed with himself, he thought about ringing her back, but decided to leave it for a while, to let her calm down. She was still getting over the shock of Henry killing himself. Poor bastard must have been heartbroken over Colin. Richard liked Henry. More than his own brother, actually. Which was why he went to Henry with his proposal, asking for money to invest in his project.
He sent Paula a text to meet him where she’d dropped him off. He made his way there and slumped in the passenger seat.
“Are we all good?” Paula put the Polo in gear.
“Exceptional.” He sat back, clipped his seat belt in place and turned the radio up a notch. Richard was in the best mood. Everything was in place. In less than a week the world would know his little Ford Fiesta’s secrets, and Fisher Valves would soon become a household name. In the years to come, every family and business in the country would own at least one of his groundbreaking inventions.
29
“One way or another, Reyna, you’re going to tell us where your brother is.” Hayes was growing tired of going around in circles. The interview room so dull, she wanted out of here. “Look, I’ve already told you Fernando’s not in any trouble, and if what you say is true, he’ll be safer here in custody than out there, hiding from Melodi Demirci and her cousins. How about it, hmm? Are you going to tell us where he is?”
When Reyna Linares folded her arms and sulked, Hayes turned away from her interviewee to Miller, who stood in the corner of the room, her arms folded as well. Her partner shrugged. Hayes turned. “At least tell us what’s going on inside his head.” She sat on a chair opposite Reyna.
“He doesn’t even know what’s going on inside his own head. Ever since his bike shop went bust, he’s been a nervous wreck, even after Melodi gave him more time to come up with the money. He and Kurt argued a lot about him going to her for the money, but he couldn’t go anywhere else.”
“Couldn’t he have gone to a bank for a loan? Why go to a loan shark?”
The interviewee snorted. “You think people like us can go to banks? I am a whore, and he’s married to a gay radio producer. What chance do you think we have of getting loans? No, Melodi was his only shot at achieving his dream of opening a bike shop. Stupid, having dreams in this country.”
Hayes could feel Miller’s temper rising. “Miller, why don’t you go get us some drinks.” She got up and winked at her partner. “And take your time.” The last bit she whispered. “Reyna, another coffee? Tea?”
After Reyna accepted her offer of a tea, Miller sloped off.
She sat again. “I get you. I understand what you’re saying. I have to confess, this country annoys the crap out of me, too. I get shit from people all the time. I get it from my colleagues, from witnesses, suspects, strangers on the street.”
Reyna’s face softened. “Really? Why?”
“Being a police officer. I get grief from people out on the street, even my own family and friends. I’ve lost friends because I chose this career. So, while it’s just us, why don’t you tell me why he thinks we’re after him for Kurt’s murder?”
“Because your lot always look to the husbands and wives first. It don’t look good that he had big argument with Kurt the night before. And he was alone the night it happened.”
“I see. I understand. But here’s the thing, Reyna: we have to speak to him to rule him out. For every day that he remains hidden, the guiltier he appears. Please, you have to help us bring him in for questioning. Look at me, Reyna! I’m not the bad guy here. I want to help your brother. Please let me help him.”
The Spanish prostitute took out her phone. “Don’t know why, but I trust you. I saw you on TV not long ago; you seem like a good person.”
Hayes reached out and squeezed Reyna’s hand as she passed the phone across the table. “You’re doing the right thing, believe me. The sooner we bring him in, the sooner we can rule him out. And we’ll pay Melodi Demirci a little visit on his behalf. Nothing bad’s going to happen to him, I promise.”
“His address is in the book on my phone. He’s staying in a derelict house not far from here with a bunch of, how you say…
