Strange Affair

When she thought about it, though, she realized that it went even farther back than the Phil Keane case. Banks had been just the same when he went off looking for Chief Constable Riddle’s wayward daughter. Emily, and he’d held back so much information from A

Now she’d said it, though, she felt embarrassed, and she sneaked a look at Banks as she took a bite of her omelette. He was eating his breakfast again quite placidly. The waitress came with more coffee and tea. A

“Listen to us,” said Banks, “bickering over breakfast like an old married couple.”

“We’re not bickering,” said A

“What can I say? I’m glad you got it off your chest.”

“Simple as that, is it?”

Banks looked at her directly, his eyes clear and bright. “It’s a start. If we’re going to go on working together, we have to get one or two things sorted.”

“On whose terms?”

“That’s not the point. I’m not going to change my ways. Nor are you.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t go on working together.”

“Up to you.”

“Not entirely. What do you want?”

“I want to carry on working with you. Believe it or not, I like you, and I think you’re damn good at your job.”

A

“I don’t deliberately hide things from you. If I had told you all my suspicions about Phil Keane as soon as I had them – and God knows I tried to hint – you’d have thrown me out on my ear, accused me of being jealous – which you did anyway – and never talked to me again. All I had to go on was a feeling, at first, some sense that all wasn’t what it seemed with him.”

“But I might not have had to run into a burning house and drag you out.”

“So it’s that, is it?”

“No, it’s not even that, when you come right down to it.” A

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.” But A

“Come on, A

“That’s a change of tune.” This was more difficult than A

There, she’d said it, said more than enough. Christ, he was staying silent an awfully long time. Say something. Say something.

At last Banks spoke. “You’re right,” he said. “And if it means anything, I’m sorry.”

“Why did you do it? Why did you abandon me? Was it her?”

“Who?”

“Michelle, or whatever her name is.”

Banks looked surprised. “No, it wasn’t Michelle. It’s just that Michelle didn’t have anything to do with what happened, seeing her didn’t make me think about it. She took me away from it, distracted me. It was thinking about it that was doing my head in. I couldn’t remember a thing between answering the door and waking up in the hospital. Still can’t. All I know is what you’ve told me, and the smell of whiskey still gives me panic attacks. Christ, for a while, for weeks, I didn’t even want to get out of bed in the morning, let alone have a serious heart-to-heart about what happened. What’s the point? It’s like these interminable daytime chat programs, people talking on and on about their bloody feelings and problems and it gets them nowhere. It’s just talk, talk, talk, blather, blather, blather.”

“Some people think that might be better than keeping it bottled up inside.”

Banks ran his hand over his hair. “Look, A

“Maybe you’re fueled by anger?”

“Maybe I am, but at least I’m fueled.”

A

“Okay, let’s imagine you were investigating the case,” she said. “Hypothetically, of course. What would your next move be?”

“What’s the official line of inquiry?”

“Basically they’re working their way through Roy’s mobile phone book and his business contacts listed on that smart drive you handed over. Oliver Drummond and William Gilmore, the names I mentioned last night, are DI Brooke’s priorities because their names are on his computer. Chop shop and fraud. Do they sound like enterprises your brother might have been interested in?”

“Probably,” said Banks. “Though I’d say fraud was the more likely of the two. I can’t see Roy in the stolen-car racket. Has Brooke got anywhere with either of them so far?”

“I don’t know,” said A

“He should be going after Lambert,” Banks said. “He knows as much as I do, that Roy had taken a photo of Lambert and an unidentified man and hidden it away shortly before he disappeared. That ought to set off a few alarm bells, don’t you think?”

“I’m sure Dave has his reasons. Does Lambert have a record?”

“No.”

“And is his name in the mobile call list or address book?”

“No.”

“There you are, then. Drummond and Gilmore both have form and they appear in the call list.”

“Even so…” said Banks. “What have you been up to?”

“I’ve been pursuing leads of my own in the Je

“They’re linked. Roy and Je

“I know that. But they can’t both have been killed by the man with the ponytail. The timing’s way off. Which is why Dave thinks it’s worth looking elsewhere for Roy’s killer. And like I said, both Drummond and Gilmore have criminal records. Brooke also has a man trying to find anyone who knows about Roy’s movements on the day he disappeared. Apparently the mobile isn’t much use there as he only used it once that day. To call his hairdresser.”

“I know that,” said Banks.

“Of course you do. You got to the mobile first. They’ve also enhanced the photo you received. Brooke’s not convinced yet that the man is Roy, but I’d say it seems likely. Anyway, they think it might lead them to the spot where it happened.”

Banks nodded.

“Any idea who Roy went off with yet?” A

“I’m not sure, but I think it might have been Gareth Lambert. Roy’s known him for years. I’d still like to know who that other man in the photo is.”

“Any leads?”

“Nothing yet, but I’m working on it.” He smiled. “Obviously, I don’t have the manpower to follow up every name in Roy’s life, the way you and DI Brooke do, so I plan to go straight to Lambert, when I can find the slippery bastard. It still surprises me that Brooke hasn’t been there already.”