‘So you have someone doing your dirty business for you? Another piece of filth like you, no doubt. You can’t get away with this, Bliss. Harassing an innocent man is wrong. It’s illegal. And sometime soon I’m going to make you pay for it.’
Bliss leaned forward, aware that their discussion was drawing unwanted attention from other diners. ‘Was that a threat I heard, Neil? Sounded like one to me – or close enough, at least. I don’t think you ought to be doing that, old son.’
‘I wasn’t making a threat. I was saying you can’t treat me this way without there being consequences.’
‘Consequences?’ Bliss felt the flesh on his face pull taut against the bone. He dropped his voice. ‘You don’t know the meaning of the word. It sounds abhorrent coming out of your gob. If there was such a thing in life as consequences, Neil, you’d be banged up with all the other child killers.’
For the first time, Watson stirred. He sneered at Bliss, his nose and mouth twisting in fury. ‘You can accuse me all you like, but that don’t make it true. Julie told you lot what happened to Harry. She told the court what happened to Harry. That’s why she’s inside and I’m out here.’
For a moment, Bliss was almost persuaded that the man believed it himself. But he remembered the crime scene photographs, the video footage of the interviews; both had featured in a TV documentary. He shook his head. ‘You and I both know that’s not how it went down, Neil. Just like you know I’m never going to let it go. You are the kind of man who beats and eventually murders his stepson. I am the kind of man who puts scum like you in prison. You think you got away with murder because your other half covered for you. I’m here to tell you that ain’t happening. I’ll get the truth out of you, Neil. One way or another.’
‘You might want to think twice about pushing me, Bliss. If you think I’m capable of doing that to a kid, imagine what I’d be willing to do to you.’
Bliss figured the redhead would be well clear of the area. He got to his feet and stood looking down at Watson for a few moments. ‘I understand what you mean, Neil, but there’s one thing you should bear in mind.’
‘Yeah? What’s that?’
‘I’m not a seven-year-old child. I can fight back. And that makes all the difference in the world to a coward like you.’
He replayed the entire conversation over and over again in his head as he drove home. He knew he was finally getting to Watson, even though the man had so far resisted reacting. The muscle-bound thug was coming to the boil nicely, though. Bliss felt sure it wouldn’t take much more to have him bubbling over the edge.
The first thing he did when he got indoors was to apologise to Emily for leaving her in an uncomfortable situation. ‘I don’t know where my head was. Leaving the two of you together like that must have been awkward for both of you.’
‘It was certainly unexpected,’ Emily said. ‘I think she drank up so quickly the mocha scalded her mouth.’
‘I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow. She came over to do me a favour, and that’s how I repaid her. And I’m sorry if you felt uncomfortable. I had only a narrow window to do what I needed to do, and as usual I wasn’t thinking clearly.’
‘I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me why you dashed out of here – even though you do owe me an explanation in addition to the apology.’
Bliss hung his head a little. ‘We agreed not to discuss it any more.’
Emily’s eyes grew concerned. ‘So it was him again – Watson? Not work?’
‘Still work in my book,’ he said. ‘Just a different approach.’
‘But not sanctioned work, Jimmy. Not an actual case.’
‘Not yet. But like I said… we agreed not to talk about it again.’
She nodded and went into the kitchen. He followed her and fetched himself a beer from the fridge while she put the oven on to heat up his dinner. Without asking, he topped up her wine glass that was sitting on the side.
‘Do you have questions about Angie?’ he asked, popping the cap off his bottle and taking a long hit. ‘Because whatever she and I once had, it was fleeting and it’s long over. I like her as a person and a colleague, but that’s all she is to me these days. And the feeling is mutual.’
Emily took a sip from her glass, one elbow resting on the other hand that she had draped across her stomach as if protecting it from something. ‘I’m not that insecure, Jimmy. But yes, I could tell there had been something between you, and I wondered if you would own up to it.’
Bliss raised a weak smile. ‘My relationship with Angie is one thing you don’t have to worry about, Em. And all the other shit will work itself out.’
‘And what if it doesn’t?’
‘It will.’
‘So you say. Is it okay if I worry about you in the meantime?’
He nodded. ‘But there’s no need. I’m going to take care of it.’
After taking another sip of her wine, Emily leaned back against the counter. ‘One of these days, Jimmy, you’re going to realise how little comfort those words offer.’
Nine
Bliss rose early the following morning. After he’d showered and dressed, he texted Chandler asking her to pick him up as he wasn’t feeling at his best. He explained that he wanted to take a look at the crime scene in daylight and was ready to leave. She arrived twenty minutes later, and seemed pleased to see the flask he carried out to the car.
‘You know what pisses me off?’ he said as he slid in beside her.
‘Literally everything?’
‘Besides
