‘Mutually beneficial,’ West said, forcing a smile. It wasn’t something he understood. His space was better with Edel in it. With a sigh, he pushed away his plate.
Fiona, hearing the sigh, assumed it was one of satisfaction and smiled. ‘There’s apple pie,’ she said, ‘and cream.’
‘No, I really should get going, but thank you, this was very nice.’
‘I’m sorry I hadn’t better news for you about the photographs. I hope you catch whoever did this. Edel must be devastated.’
‘It’s not easy for her,’ he agreed.
‘Or for you, I suppose,’ she said, and reached across to lay her hand briefly on his. ‘If you ever need to chat, you know where I am.’ She laughed and stood. ‘Now I’d better get your shirt, you can’t go like that.’ Taking it from the dryer, she shook it out and handed it to him. ‘See, it’s good as new,’ she said.
As before, she left him to change, disappearing into one of the other rooms. It took him a few seconds to get the scrub top off, easing it over his head and having a moment’s panic when it became stuck. It would have been embarrassing to have to call for her help. It would also be embarrassing, if she came back and found him standing there, hands up in the air and the top stuck tight. With a grunt, he managed to get it off without doing damage, pulled his shirt on and did up the buttons. He slipped his tie over his head and tightened it before checking himself in a wall mirror. Normal service resumed.
Despite the heat from the radiator, his jacket was still damp. It would have to dry in the car. Checking his watch, he grimaced; it was time to get going. He looked towards the door to the hallway, wondering whether he should give her a call, when she appeared, buttoning her coat. ‘Ready,’ she said with a tilt of her head. ‘It’s stopped raining, but I’ll bring an umbrella, just in case.’
But they were in luck and the rain stayed at bay as they walked briskly back to the Forensic Science building.
‘Thank you again for lunch,’ he said, as they reached the car park. ‘Next time, it will be my treat.’
‘Next time,’ she said with a smile and tilt of her head, before leaving him with a casual wave.
Sitting into his car, West checked his phone. There was a missed call from Edel, but when he rang her it went straight to voicemail. He wondered how her meeting with Power had gone. It would be so much better if she left the detective work to him. He drove back along the M50, mulling over who could be responsible for the photographs.
Baxter greeted him as soon as he entered the station. ‘I think I have something,’ he said.
‘Great, come into my office,’ West said, taking off his jacket as he walked.
‘Edel is waiting in there; she arrived about an hour ago. I didn’t think you’d mind.’ He dropped his voice. ‘She looked a bit upset.’
West looked toward his office door, a slight frown on his face. ‘Thanks, Seamus,’ he said, ‘I’ll give you a shout in a few minutes.’
Opening the door, he prepared himself for tears, surprised to find a very sombre Edel sitting there, legs crossed.
‘I tried to phone you,’ he said, hanging his jacket on the back of an empty chair before sitting down. ‘You’re looking very navy,’ he said, glancing at her. ‘Very business-like.’ Personally, he didn’t like the outfit. It made her look paler than usual. He looked at her more closely. She was paler than usual. ‘Are you okay? How did the meeting with Power go?’
‘I think they’re both in on it,’ she said, her voice brittle. ‘Aidan Power and Owen Grady. It’s some kind of conspiracy against me.’
West felt his heart drop. He sat in his chair and looked across the desk at her.
A conspiracy theory.
Just what he needed.
25
‘Tell me what happened?’ West said quietly.
‘You don’t believe me?’ Edel accused him, running her hands through her hair.
‘Just tell me what happened,’ he repeated.
She took a deep breath and started her story. He didn’t interrupt, although a number of times she went off on a tangent that left him confused.
‘Okay,’ he said, when her voice trailed away. ‘Let me get this straight. You went to see Owen Grady, and you showed him the photographs–’
‘Only to make him understand,’ she interrupted. ‘I was so sure he’d have already seen them that I was taken unawares, and it was the easiest way…’ She stopped and sighed loudly. ‘It seemed like a good idea.’
‘And he mentioned me by name. You’re sure you’ve never used my name in conversation?’
She shook her head, loose hair swinging. ‘There was never any reason to. We’ve never met socially. Your name would never have come up. I don’t think even Hugh knows your name, why would he?’
‘Indeed,’ West said and looked down at his desk to hide his expression. When he continued his voice was cooler. ‘And afterwards, you went to meet Aidan Power.’
‘Yes, and don’t forget it was Aidan who recommended Owen as an agent.’
West nodded. ‘Yes, so you said. You mentioned to me before that you found Power pleasant and helpful as an editor.’
‘He is a good editor. On a personal level, I’d found him a little too flirtatious, too touchy-feely, but today he was obnoxious and rude and he made it quite clear that he doesn’t like me at all.’ She frowned at the memory. ‘He doesn’t rate me highly as a writer either.’
‘And you think he lied about his relationship with Owen Grady?’
She met his eyes. ‘He definitely lied, then he couldn’t leave the café fast enough.’
‘Would he have recommended Grady as an agent if he hardly knew him?’ West said. He’d no idea how things worked in the publishing industry. ‘I suppose he might have known him by reputation.’
Edel sighed loudly. ‘I suppose.’
‘Elliot Mannion said the publishing business is a small one. Maybe everyone knows everyone else.’
‘Elliot Mannion,’ she said, her eyes opening wide. ‘The MD of Books Ireland Inc.?’
‘I went to see him to pick up those photographs. There was always a chance that whoever wrote on them might have got careless and left some trace. Unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky.’ He could feel her eyes boring a hole in him.
‘You had no right. I haven’t made an official complaint.’
‘I told you I’d look into it unofficially,’ he said with a shrug. He saw her mulish look grow and as quickly fade.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said wearily, ‘I was going to ask you to make it official, Mike. They’re in it together; you’ll be able to find out why they’re doing it.’
He saw her wan look, the air of defeat that settled over her like a cloud. ‘If they’re responsible, we’ll get them. As it happens, I asked Baxter to do some digging into all three men; Todd, Grady and Power. He just mentioned that he found something, so let’s get him in here and hear what he’s got to say.’
He opened his office door. Baxter was perched on the side of a desk chatting to Andrews. Both men looked up as the door opened. ‘Come on in,’ he called, returning to his desk.
Andrews nodded a friendly greeting at Edel and took the vacant chair while Baxter pushed paperwork from one corner of the desk and perched on the spot.
‘Make yourselves at home,’ West said, rescuing the papers that had been in an orderly pile. He shuffled them back together and placed them in a drawer. ‘Right,’ he said, looking up at the younger man’s freckled face, ‘tell us what you found.’
‘There’s a lot available on Hugh Todd,’ Baxter said, ‘and having read most of it, my conclusion is that what you see is what you get. A straight-up, well-respected, conservative family man. In business, he’s regarded as tough, but fair.
‘Aidan Power has worked for FinalEdit Publishing for three years, before that he worked with Oisin Dubh Publishing for almost ten. He left following a falling out with the owner, with whom he’d had a seven-year relationship. From all accounts,’ he looked a
round the room, ‘and there are multiple, it wasn’t an amicable split. Power arrived home to find his partner in bed with a woman.’
‘Finding out your partner of seven years is a lesbian, might make him a little bitter,’ Andrews said.
Baxter grinned. ‘No, you have it wrong. Power’s partner was Oisin O’Leary. Power is homosexual. The insult was that O’Leary strayed with a woman, not another man.’
‘Ah,’ West and Andrews said in unison.
‘So, it isn’t me he doesn’t like,’ Edel said, drawing three pairs of eyes toward her. ‘He blames women in general for his partner’s cheating. Although,’ she frowned, ‘he made it seem personal.’
‘Maybe you look like her,’ Andrews suggested, ‘or maybe you’ve the same colouring. It might have brought it back to him.’
‘It might be worthwhile checking to see if he ever enacted any form of revenge on the woman O’Leary was with.’
Andrews nodded. ‘I’ll look into it.’
Baxter shuffled on the desk. ‘I’m not finished,’ he said with a grin. ‘In fact, I’ve left the best to last.’
‘Well?’ West said.
‘Guess who Owen Grady is related to?’ Baxter said. Getting a warning glance from Andrews to stop playing games, he hurried on. ‘He’s Amanda Pratt’s brother.’ He glanced over to Edel. He didn’t have to spell it out; they all knew who she was. The widow of Cyril Pratt aka Simon Johnson, the man Edel still thought of as her late husband. Andrews gave a low whistle. He’d interviewed Amanda Pratt; she was a piece of work.
Edel looked shocked, her face even paler than it had been. She turned wide eyes to West but said nothing.
West was checking the time. Five o’clock. If they were in luck, they might catch both men in their offices. Giving Andrews a nod, he said, ‘Ring Power and Grady, ask them to come in. If they refuse, tell them we’ll send uniformed gardaí to their offices in the morning with a warrant.’
Andrews didn’t need to be told twice. He left and seconds later they heard his deep voice in conversation.
Baxter, with a quick look at Edel, shuffled to his feet, murmured something inaudible and left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
West knew there was no point in asking her to go home; she wouldn’t go and they’d end up having a row. He was about to suggest that she stay in his office until after they’d interviewed the men when she turned sad eyes on him.
‘Amanda Pratt’s brother,’ she said, and shook her head. ‘It seems I’m never going to be able to put that whole terrible ordeal behind me.’ Standing, she walked a few steps, turned and walked back. ‘The whole situation was explained to her, wasn’t it? She knows it wasn’t my fault.’
He nodded. ‘A family liaison officer went and explained the details. Peter said that there was little love lost between her and her husband, and a very healthy life insurance policy has left her and her two children well cared for.’
‘You don’t think she bears a grudge?’ Edel said, sitting back in her chair.
‘I don’t see why she should,’ he said, trying to reassure her. But the one thing he’d learned from working with the public was that there was no accounting for what they did. Perceived grievances could be held for a long time by some people. Maybe Grady held a grudge on his sister’s behalf.
Andrews knocked, and stuck his head around the door. ‘It took a bit of persuading,’ he said, ‘and a heavy emphasis on uniformed gardaí in squad cars arriving with sirens blazing to escort them in tomorrow morning. But finally, our two law-abiding, upstanding gentlemen saw sense and agreed to come of their own accord.’
‘Good. Show them into separate interview rooms.’
Once Andrews had gone, he turned to Edel. ‘Before they get here, I’d like you to make an official statement. It will just make our lives a little easier and ensure that there’ll be no room for them to wriggle out of any charges.’
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘of course.’
‘Good.’ He slipped a few sheets of paper across the desk. ‘Just write exactly what happened, starting with the phone call you had from Hugh Todd and finishing when you came into us today. Take your time.’ He stood up. ‘I’ll get you some coffee; we’re going to be here for a while.’
He left her to write her statement and sat in the office with Andrews and Baxter. ‘Any word from Jarvis regarding that friend of Ollie Fearon’s?’ he asked.
Andrews shook his head. ‘They’ve had no luck chasing him down as yet. They’re still looking.’
It was the way the job went. ‘Slowly, slowly catchy monkey.’
‘Never understood that expression myself,’ Andrews said. ‘Why would anyone want to catch a monkey anyway?’
‘To chop off the top of their heads and eat their brains,’ Baxter suggested. He grinned when they both looked at him. ‘It was in that Indiana Jones movie.’
The phone rang. Andrews, answering it, gave the other two a thumbs-up. ‘Show him into the Big One.’ He hung up. ‘Aidan Power has just arrived. Sergeant Blunt says he doesn’t appear too happy.’
‘Let’s give him a few minutes to settle into his new accommodation,’ West said, picking up his mug. ‘Some day,’ he said conversationally, ‘we’re going to invest in some decent coffee.’
They waited five minutes. Baxter sat in the observation room while the other two went to speak to an obviously annoyed Aidan Power. They took the two seats opposite him; West introduced himself and Andrews and warned Power that the interview was being recorded.
‘Just a formality, you understand,’ West said, looking at the face of the man who sat opposite, lips and eyes narrowed, a frown on his forehead. ‘Thank you for coming in to help with our enquiries.’
Power’s lips curved into an unattractive sneer. ‘It didn’t look as if I had much choice. Come in now or be dragged here in a blaze of publicity tomorrow. Now,’ he snapped, ‘tell me why I’m here.’
‘You know about the photographs purporting to be Edel Johnson that were delivered to Mr Todd and Mr Mannion.’
‘Is that what this is all about?’ Power said, sitting back with wide eyes. ‘Has that stupid cow said it was my doing?’ He slammed his hands on the table. ‘I told her it was nothing to do with me.’ Crossing his arms, he sneered. ‘She said they weren’t photographs of her. Well, it looked bloody like her to me.’
West took a deep breath. ‘No, Mr Power, they’re not of her. The photographs have been forensically examined and have been proven to be composites. Now,’ he said, looking him in the eye, ‘if you are, as you claim, innocent of any wrongdoing in this regard, can you explain your obvious antagonism towards Ms Johnson.’
Power looked down his nose at him. ‘Antagonism? I just don’t like the woman. So, sue me.’
West and Andrews stayed silent. It was obvious there was something more to it than that. They could wait.
‘Oh, for goodness sake,’ Power said, uncrossing his arms and resting his hands on the table. ‘If you must know, although why it’s any of your business I don’t know, but if you must, I’ll tell you.’ He ran a hand over his face. ‘Once upon a time,’ he started, ‘there was an enthusiastic young man who fell in love with an older man and was happy for many years. One day, this innocent young man came home and found him in bed with a woman. A woman,’ he repeated with disgust. ‘He was devastated.
‘Many years later, this somewhat cynical and world-weary man fell in love again. When he started to hear his new love talk about a woman they both knew, he began to suspect the same thing might happen again. And he was angry.’ He stopped and looked from West to Andrews. ‘The end.’
‘The first older man, that was Oisin O’Leary, I assume,’ West said, letting the man know they’d already done some digging.
Power gave a sad smile. All anger was gone. Gripping one of his hands in the other, he said, ‘It took me a couple of years to come to terms with what happened. When I met Owen, I thought, maybe, I was getting a second chance.’
West and Andrews resis
ted the temptation to look at one another. Power and Grady were a couple?
‘That’s Owen Grady, isn’t it?’ West said, going for it.
Power nodded. ‘Stupidly, I’m the one who suggested him to her. Owen’s trying to build his client base. She looked to be going places, and I thought I’d be doing him a favour.’
‘What happened?’ West nudged when he didn’t speak for a while.
‘He met her, and it was all Edel this, and Edel that, until I could hardly bear it. When I accused him of having feelings for her, he laughed and told me I was getting paranoid.’
‘So, you sent the photographs to destroy her professionally?’
Power, who’d drifted off into his own little world, looked up sharply. ‘What? No, I tell you, I didn’t send the damn photographs. I wouldn’t destroy anyone professionally, and certainly not personally. I’ve been there; I wouldn’t inflict that kind of pain on anyone.’
The two detectives exchanged glances. They believed him.
‘One last question,’ West asked. ‘Why did you lie to Ms Johnson when she asked you if you knew Owen Grady?’
‘I wasn’t getting into a discussion about Owen with her,’ he said simply.
West saw the truth in his eyes. He hadn’t wanted to get into a discussion with her about the man he loved because he was afraid she’d admit to having an affair with him.
He pushed back from the table and stood. ‘This interview is terminated,’ he said for the benefit of the recording, stating the time and date. He looked down at the seated man. ‘We’ve no further questions for you, Mr Power. Thank you for coming to assist with our enquiries.’
Power stood. All the fight had left him during the recounting of his story. Without a glance at either of the detectives, he left the room.
26
West and Andrews joined Baxter in the observation room.
The Dublin Murder Mysteries: Books four to six Page 16