I’ve seen him threaten and beat up a man. I know he’s capable of violence but still I shake my head. ‘No,’ I say.
He nods, a smile brushing the edge of his mouth. ‘You’re too trusting,’ he says.
‘Have you ever killed anyone?’ I ask, the words flying out my mouth before I can stop them.
‘If I had, I wouldn’t tell you,’ he answers deadpan, casting a sideways look my way as he pours sugar into his coffee.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Konstandin tells me he has to take care of some business and drops me back at the apartment. ‘Be careful,’ he says as I get out the car. ‘And if anything happens, call me.’
If anything happens. What does he mean? If the police arrest me I suppose.
Once I’m back in my bedroom I get to work. I quickly locate the number of Toby’s office and call the central switchboard. I ask to be put through to Toby’s assistant, hoping that they’re still in the office working late, and thank God, they are.
‘Hi,’ I say, trying to hide the tremor in my voice. ‘It’s Aisling in accounts.’
‘Aisling?’ the assistant interrupts, obviously confused.
‘I’m new,’ I say hastily. ‘I’m just calling about the charges on the company credit card.’
‘What company credit card?’
‘Toby’s card,’ I bluster. ‘Can you confirm where he was Friday night so I can make sure I’m signing off the right things … items.’ I cringe inwardly at how terrible I am at lying. The assistant sighs loudly. I close my eyes. I should have thought harder before I made the call, come up with a better-sounding story.
‘He was with clients that night,’ I hear her say, a mouse clicking in the background. She must be going over his diary on the computer.
‘Great,’ I say. ‘And after?’
‘I don’t know. It just says dinner and drinks with ADC Media.’
‘Do you know where?’ I ask.
‘Why do you need to know?’ she queries.
‘Um, I just need to match the receipt to what’s on the sheet.’
‘Soho House in Shoreditch,’ she answers.
‘Fabulous,’ I say. ‘Thanks.’ I hang up, adrenalin buzzing. He was in London that night.
It doesn’t take Toby completely out of the running. He’s not a man to get his own hands dirty. I can fully believe he might be the sort of person to hire someone to ‘solve’ his problems. Or am I being a fantasist? Do people really do that sort of thing in real life? Hire hitmen? Still, I don’t have time to dwell so I move on.
The next call is far harder to make and the adrenalin firing through my body seems to ratchet up so I’m shaking when I place the phone to my ear.
‘Hello?’
‘Hi, Denise,’ I say, picturing the child minder on the other end of the phone, probably balancing a baby on one hip.
‘It’s me, Orla.’
‘Hi, Orla! Rob just picked up Marlow a couple of minutes ago.’
I check the time. That’s about right. He would have landed about six and gone straight to Denise’s from Heathrow. He hasn’t called me back though, which is odd, unless he’s panicked about the message I left him and the call from Kate’s phone.
‘Are you still in Lisbon?’ she asks. ‘I heard about your friend. I’m so sorry. What an awful thing to happen. What’s going on now?’
‘Um, well, I need to stay here and deal with a few things,’ I say, deciding not to mention the fact I might be under suspicion for murder and the police are holding my passport.
‘You know I’ll do anything I can to help. I’m happy to have Marlow again overnight. She was a love. So easy.’
‘Thank you,’ I say, a pain twisting up my throat at the sound of Marlow’s name. ‘Did you have Marlow on Friday too?’
‘Yes,’ Denise says, ‘Actually now you mention it, Rob forgot to pay me for Friday night.’
‘Oh,’ I manage to croak, my heart skipping beats. ‘I’ll see to it he pays you the extra he owes.’
‘Thank you,’ she says. I hear a child scream in the background.
‘Did Rob say where he went Friday night?’ I ask just before she hangs up, keeping my tone light. ‘Why he needed you to look after Marlow?’
‘He said he was out for a night with the boys. Taking advantage of you being gone.’ The screaming in the background gets louder. ‘I better go. I’m sorry again for what’s happened.’
She rings off and I stand there holding the phone, staring at it in disbelief. Where was Rob Friday night? Was he really out with the boys? It’s