‘And Quinn?’ he said. ‘Why did he send those messages to Gemma? Did you ask him to do that?’
Danny looked startled.
‘The messages? How do you …?’ He paused. ‘Well, yes, I knew he’d sent some messages. I was planning to finally get out of here next week, you see. False passport, documents, the lot, they’re all ready now. I wanted to reinforce the idea that I was dead, as I said, so that say someone recognized me on a plane or something, nobody would believe them if they reported it, because it would be well documented that my wife was being questioned for killing me. So Quinn said he’d send a few texts, shake things up a bit, make you guys think someone out there knew she’d done something bad to me. But he said he’d use a cheap pay-as-you-go phone, untraceable. Don’t tell me …’
‘He screwed up,’ Devon said. ‘Sent the last message from his own phone.’
‘SHITE. Feckin’ eejit,’ said Danny. For a moment, he looked furious. Then he shrugged.
‘Don’t suppose it matters now, does it? The game’s up. You’re going to arrest me, I assume?’
Devon nodded. ‘Afraid so, yes. I’m not entirely sure what you’ll be charged with yet – there’s so much to unravel here, but there’s trying to pervert the course of justice, wasting police time, possessing identity documents with improper intention, plus …’
Danny raised both hands in the air.
‘OK, OK! Can I just take a piss first, before we go? Too much tea.’
‘Sure. And grab a coat and some shoes too. It’s cold out.’
‘OK. And thanks. Both of you. For listening. It was good, for someone to listen, you know? Listen, and not judge. I know I’ve screwed up here, badly. God knows how I’m going to keep us all safe from the nutters who are after me now though. But I guess that’s not your problem.’
He stood up and walked from the kitchen, and moments later they heard the bathroom door lock. Devon and Mike sat at the table in silence for a few moments, then Mike spoke, his voice a vicious hiss.
‘Listen, and not judge? The guy’s delusional. I mean, I understand that he was scared for his life, and he needed to run. But there are ways of doing things. To do what he did, to that poor woman …’
‘I know. I know. But sssh, for now.’
They sat quietly again, both lost in thought. Around them, the small flat was still, the silence broken only by the low hum of the refrigerator and a slow drip-drip from the kitchen tap.
Shit, thought Devon suddenly. It’s too quiet.
‘Mike – quick!’
‘What?’ A startled-looking Mike leapt up and followed as Devon ran from the room.
‘Danny!’ He rattled at the bathroom door. Nothing,
‘OK, stand back. I’m going in.’
He stepped backwards as far as he could in the narrow hallway then launched himself at the door. It burst open, the flimsy wood cracking, and slammed into the wall behind it. Devon, breathing heavily, rushed into the room, Mike behind him. The room was tiny, the shower cubicle narrow and empty. Over the hand basin, the window was wide open, net curtain blowing gently in the chill night breeze. And Danny was gone.
Chapter 36
I tucked my feet up under me on the sofa, pulled the faux fur throw over my knees, then reached for the plate I’d just put down on the coffee table and took a large bite of my Brie and bacon toasted sandwich. The cheese oozed out of the bread, running down my chin, and I wiped it off with my finger and then licked. It tasted divine. At my feet, Albert sat watching me, poised to fling himself on any tiny shred of bacon that might fall from my plate. I peeled a sliver off one rasher and handed it to him, and he wolfed it down noisily then resumed his hungry stare. He’d been brought home to me first thing, having been taken to a local kennels by the police to be cared for while I’d been in custody, and he hadn’t left my side since, other than to gobble down a huge plate of food in the kitchen and then immediately seek me out to beg for more. I rolled my eyes – I was pretty sure the kennels hadn’t been starving him – but I gave him a second helping anyway. I quite fancied double portions of everything myself, so who was I to judge?