absolutely still, and for a good few seconds afterward he moved nothing but his eyes.
The silence was broken by a single sound. “Ah.”
Jonah watched the creases in his face, but kept his silence. “Can you confirm for us that the drugs belonged to you?” he said finally.
Benham’s expression became pained. “I don’t know if I…What’s the relevance of the drugs? It’s not part of the investigation, is it? I don’t…it’s Aurora that matters. That’s what you want to know about. Aurora. Isn’t it?”
Hanson glanced at Jonah, uncertain.
“The drugs are directly relevant to our investigation of her death,” Jonah said levelly. Which was exactly the reverse of what he had said to Brett within the last hour. He could feel Hanson watching him.
“I see.” Benham sat up a little and tucked his hands further round himself as if cold. “Then I think I’d better wait until I have a solicitor present. Don’t you think?”
He sounded peculiarly regretful. But unmoving.
“That’s for you to decide,” Jonah said, rising. “I am requesting your attendance tomorrow at Southampton Central Police Station at nine thirty A.M. You are not under arrest, but if you fail to attend then a warrant will be issued for your arrest.”
* * *
—
JONAH FELT TIREDNESS descend in a rush as he sat in the passenger seat. He knew that he was getting to the stage of being sloppy now. He tried to weigh up the advantages of seeing them all tonight versus being effective.
“I’m going to get O’Malley to update the Jacksons over the phone,” he said. “There’s no need for us to go there tonight. Connor and Topaz will know the score by now. O’Malley can tell the two of them to come into the station, and I can see them tomorrow.”
“OK,” Hanson said, and he could hear the relief in her voice. She was probably thinking of home and the sofa as fondly as he was. “There wasn’t any reply from Coralie’s cellphone when I tried her, and she’s a hundred miles away. So it’s just…Jojo Magos to see tonight.”
Jonah nodded, and before picking up his phone to call O’Malley said, “And I want you to take the lead on this one. Start to finish. OK?”
Hanson smiled, a little flash of teeth in the dimness. “OK. Thank you.”
10
Aurora
Friday, July 22, 1983, 8:00 P.M.
She moved silently through the water, imagining that she was a serpent. Perhaps an eel. She was in shadow, and hoped she was as invisible as she felt.
She could still hear his voice, and now could almost make out what he was saying.
“…to see you here.”
A sluggish bend let onto a stretch of open bank alongside a beech tree. The bank was bare except for two figures.
Aurora felt a squeeze in her stomach seeing him there with Topaz. He was no longer wearing a suit or sports kit. Instead he wore a pale-blue checked shirt that made him look all the more tanned. Jeans and hiking boots. Sunglasses perched in his hair. A midsize backpack over his shoulders. All of it outdoorsy and effortlessly handsome.
Topaz was smiling, her arms folded in front of her and a white beach bag slung on her shoulder. She had her weight on one hip, which let the other leg trail. There was something almost mocking about the pose.
Aurora grabbed on to an exposed root. She anchored herself on it against the tugging current, breathless and dizzy.
“We’re camping. We do it a lot. Want to see my tent?”
“That’s kind of you, Topaz. But I have my own tent.”
She wondered if she heard a light note of sarcasm in his voice, or if he was saying something more. Was it an invitation? She couldn’t see his face properly. She didn’t dare to move any closer or to let go of her grip. She felt she might be washed away.
“Where are you camping? Close by?”
He gave a small shrug. “A few miles farther on. I’ve got a few places in mind.”
“It’ll be dark soon,” Topaz said. “You might get lost.”
Aurora was sure he smiled at her when he said, “I know where I’m going. Don’t worry.”
He moved toward her, past her, and Topaz only half moved out of the way.
“You should come for a beer later,” she said. “Once you’re all set up. We’re only a little way from here.”
“I’ll bear it in mind.”
“Bye, Mr. Mackenzie!”
He raised a hand but didn’t turn round. He kept moving, and ducked under the beech tree. Aurora realized at that point which tree it was. It