Page 23 of We Chase Shadows

‘She’s very good,’ says Korbin, starting to pat down the earth already in the grave. ‘Rosie D’Antonio. She’s very good.’

This makes Amy happy. ‘Have you read the new one? And the Devil Blinked First.’

‘I am reading now,’ says Korbin. ‘It is very exciting. In German it is called Und Schliesslich Blinzelte der Teufel Zuerst im Finsternisaugenblick.’

Amy nods. ‘Beautiful language.’

If there was a third shovel she would, of course, help.

Korbin takes a long, hard look at Amy. ‘I think you won’t find Jakob Eriksson. The three of you.’

Amy takes a good look at this handsome German, now covered in Tuscan dirt. You get a good sense of people in her business, and Korbin seems solid. If unemotional. ‘Why hasn’t Mr Blackwood sent you off to find him?’

‘He can’t leave himself unprotected,’ says Korbin.

Perhaps that’s an explanation, yes.

‘Talking of which, I’d better patrol,’ says Lee to Korbin.

Lee gives his shovel to Amy and picks up his semi-automatic.

Amy is glad she can help with the work now.

‘Who did the patrol on the night of Esteban’s murder?’ Amy asks, taking her first spadeful of earth.

‘Esteban,’ replies Lee.

‘By himself?’ says Amy. She looks down. All she can see of Esteban is a single shirt cuff. She throws her earth away from the cuff. Doesn’t want to be the one who makes him disappear forever. ‘No one else was keeping an eye on things?’

‘Yep,’ says Lee. ‘That’s how we do it.’

With these two highly trained bodyguards you’d hope that someone might have heard, or even sensed, something on the night of Esteban’s murder. Not that she’s accusing anyone of anything, but complacency can set in when you have an easy gig like this.

If you have a highly trained killer too, then call off all bets. But that gunshot wound didn’t look professional?

Korbin throws his earth over the cuff, and there goes Esteban.

Lee salutes Amy with his gun and heads off to the perimeter of Vern’s estate. Amy is left with Korbin. The brains of the outfit. She wants to ask him about complacency. He will understand what she means.

‘Do you –’

Korbin hushes her and cranes his neck to check if Lee is out of sight. ‘I need to speak to you. But first I need to trust you.’

‘That’s up to you,’ says Amy. If he wants to tell her something, he will. Be calm. ‘I’ve just helped you bury a body. What else do you want me to do?’

‘Something is wrong here,’ says Korbin. ‘There’s something I need to tell you to make some sense of it.’

And this is why Amy is here. With the bodyguards. People like Vern Blackwood, people like Jakob Eriksson and Tommy Griffin, they keep their secrets close. They’ll tell you what you need to know and nothing more. But at home, just sometimes, they can let their guard slip. Korbin and Lee will know things that nobody else does. And one of those things might just be a clue to the murder of Esteban.

‘You might not believe me,’ says Korbin. ‘But I can bring proof.’

‘Of what?’ Amy asks. ‘You know who killed Esteban?’

‘I know who didn’t,’ says Korbin. ‘You come to my room after lockdown tonight. Nine, okay?’

‘Okay,’ says Amy.

‘No phone, no recording,’ says Korbin. ‘Just me and you.’