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“Was that part of the appeal?”
“What? That he hurts people?”
“That he’s a criminal, whereas your father’s a policeman. After all, they’re about the same age.”
Emily snorted. “That sounds just like something my father would say. Do you all take the same course in pop psychology?”
“There is a kind of logic in it.”
“It’s not that at all. Barry’s appeal is that he’s exciting to be with, he gives great parties, has great drugs and people respect him.”
“Fear him, you mean.”
“Whatever. If fear’s the only way you can get respect, what’s wrong with that? Nobody disses Barry.”
“Why aren’t you still with him, then?”
She started rubbing at the table again. “I told you.”
A confused kid. Banks had to stop himself from leaning forward and putting his hand over hers. It would have simply been a paternal gesture on his part, though he was aware that neither Emily nor the others in the pub would view it that way. He also noted that in her entire list of Barry Clough’s attributes, Emily had not mentioned sex, that he was great in bed. Sex was probably a matter of power for Clough. Banks didn’t doubt for a moment that Clough used Emily sexually – she had already said as much – but to her, he guessed, it was more a matter of the price to be paid for the high life than a joy to be shared. And the fact that she priced herself so low was a matter for concern.
“Are you afraid of him, Emily?”
“Course not. It’s just…”
“What?”
She frowned. “He’s very possessive, like I said. Barry doesn’t like to lose his prized possessions.”
An hour later, A
It was with a great sense of relief, then, that she approached the last but one listed business. Banks had called for a late-afternoon meeting to pool their findings, and after that A
The needlework center was warm and dry, smelling of scented candles, predominantly rose and lemon. It was the kind of place that seemed made of nooks and cra
A young woman came out of an office at the back, the same woman Be
The woman held out her hand. “My name’s Natalie,” she said. “Welcome to my empire, for what it’s worth. I can’t tell you anything, but I’ve just put the kettle on, if you want to stay out of the rain for a few moments.”
“Please,” said A
“Won’t be a minute.” Natalie walked back into the office.
A
It must have shown.
“What is it?” Natalie asked. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost, love.”
“Oh, nothing. Memories, that’s all.”
Natalie looked around her showroom as if trying to search for the offending object. A
“Oh, yes. Word gets around here pretty quickly. After all, most of us have been here since the place opened, so we’re used to each other. Shall we sit down?” She gestured to the three-piece suite and A
“Did you know him at all?” she asked.
“No. But I know he hadn’t been here very long.”
“Since September.”
“Was it? If you say so. Anyway, Mr. Be
A
“Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but I’ve had a bit of shoplifting here once in a while. Nothing serious, you understand, but irritating, petty stuff. Thread, packets of needles, that sort of thing.”
“Kids?”
“I doubt it. We don’t get a lot of kids here. Needlecraft’s hardly the in thing with the younger generation these days.”
“I doubt that it ever was.”
“Still, it’s a living. Anyway, I suppose shoplifting’s the kind of thing you have to expect in a place like this, but as I said, it’s nothing serious.”
“There are some pretty organized gangs of shoplifters. Keep your eyes open. If it gets serious, let us know.”
Natalie nodded.
A
Natalie frowned. “Not if you went clockwise from the SecuTec office, there isn’t anyone else.”
A
“The computer people? They’re gone.”
“When did they move out?”
“Over the weekend. I don’t suppose Mr. Be
“How many people worked there?”
“Only two regulars, as far as I could tell. It’s one of the smaller units.”
“Do you know their names?”
“Sorry. I hardly saw them. They weren’t the most sociable types.”
“What about people coming and going?”
“Just delivery vans. The usual stuff.”
“Okay. Thank you very much for your time, Natalie. And for the tea.”