Page 86 of We Chase Shadows

‘You send it to them?’ Carlos asks. Rosie will want to know.

‘We had to,’ says Ruth. ‘Even though they’re Europeans, they’re still cops, huh?’

‘I guess,’ says Carlos. ‘Probably got uniforms.’

Ruth opens up an office door and shows Carlos inside. She has set him up with a desk and a computer.

‘If you need coffee, there’s a machine two doors down,’ says Ruth. ‘And if you need me, I’m first left, second right, up the stairs and directly behind you. I’ll come and check you’re okay in an hour.’

‘Can’t thank you enough for your help,’ says Carlos, taking his seat. If Interpol is already looking through the footage, this part of the trip might be a waste of time. But he wants to send Rosie something.

Ruth leaves him in peace and Carlos starts his search. If Jakob Eriksson has been in and out of this airport, he’ll find out soon enough. A bit of him would like to find the information before Interpol too.

If Jakob Eriksson has flown in from Europe, Carlos figures he’ll have had to fly via LA, Vegas, Phoenix or Denver. Those are the nearest hubs.

Start with LA flights? Europeans like LA, though Carlos can’t think of any good reason why.

Let’s find ourselves a tall, bald killer. How hard can that be?

Carlos has set aside six hours for the task and settles in. He knows how these things go. The first LA flight comes and goes, he scans the faces. A couple of bald guys, a couple of guys in caps, but none is Jakob Eriksson. Patience is the key here. The second flight now, again, a sea of faces, moving at double speed, a couple of bald guys, a couple of guys in –

Carlos stops the tape. There he is. Jakob Eriksson. Flying into Palm Springs on the day before the murder. Rosie’s going to love him, and the whole thing took under ten minutes.

Good news, Carlos is now one step nearer to waltzing in tight breeches at a Regency ball. Bad news, he has five hours and forty-five minutes to wait for his plane.

Carlos takes his iPad out of his backpack. He’s finished Bridgerton, but he figures this is a perfect time to start Downton Abbey.

Part Four

PORTSMOUTH HAS A THRIVING TECH QUARTER

44

It is so nice to be home.

Steve is enjoying a late lunch at The Brass Monkey with Tony, John and Dr Jyoti. He needs a bit of normality to take the edge off all the murders, and to think about the latest Vern Blackwood bombshell. The four friends are finishing off their pudding, rhubarb crumble with custard. You have to leave it a while for the microwaved rhubarb to cool down, and by that time the custard is cold, but it’s pretty good apart from that.

It seems that Vern and Eriksson have known each other for a very long time. Were good friends. Vern also knows, presumably, that Eriksson is really Connor Brooks. And yet they have had to find all of this out themselves. Vern has not volunteered a word of it.

It also seems that Connor Brooks would have owed Vern one hell of a favour. Which explains why Vern is still alive. But also explains why he had been so disturbed by the note.

In further developments, Tommy Griffin is dead. Carlos Moss had found this out and broken the news to Rosie. Steve is telling the lunchtime gang all about it. While he tells them, the TV show Countdown is showing on the big screen behind the bar, and they are competing to find the longest words as they talk.

‘With a high-calibre rifle,’ says Steve. ‘“Artful”, for six letters.’

‘Just like that,’ says Tony, shaking his head. ‘One minute you’re there, the next minute you’re not. Well, you are there, but you’re dead. “Fart”, for four.’

Of the Vegas Six only two now remain. A man they have to assume now is Connor Brooks, whereabouts unknown, and Vern Blackwood, currently enjoying an infrared sauna in the spa wing of Rosie’s castle.

‘Could happen to any of us,’ says John. ‘At any time. “Fault”, for five, but I knew “artful” before Steve said it, so I’m going to say “artful”.’

‘It couldn’t happen to any of us,’ says Jyoti. ‘You think someone is going to shoot you with a high-calibre rifle? “Filatures” for nine letters.’

‘Very good, Doctor,’ says Steve. ‘Really good Countdown.’

He’s unsure as to whether Tommy Griffin’s death complicates things or simplifies things.

If Connor Brooks has been in Palm Springs, then it definitely simplifies things.