Page 63

Chapter 31

Flynnhad ordered steamed sea bass with ginger and lemongrass; Poe had gone for the beefpho, a spicy, flat noodle soup that had him reaching for the water after his first spoonful.

‘Any obvious candidates for the third victim?’ Poe said. With no television, and his DAB radio permanently tuned toTest Match Special, popular culture was something that happened to other people. He had no idea who the tabloids were currently vilifying.

‘You mean, are there any more obnoxious arseholes out there?’ Flynn said. ‘How much time do you have?’

‘That many?’

‘I hate to say it, but this prick has tapped into the country’s zeitgeist. Chief Superintendent Mathers is worried that if she starts getting canny with the press, she could start a tidal wave of copycat attacks.’

‘Really?’

‘We’re in the age of populism, Poe.’

‘Is she going ahead with her press conference?’

‘When we thought he’d smeared the neurotoxin on Cummings’s hot water tap, that’s exactly what she was going to do. Now we’re back to not having a clue how he’s doing it, she plans to wait.’

‘But if no one comes forward?’

‘She’ll have to, I guess. But the media have covered it fairly accurately so far. If someone gets a poem and a pressed flower, they’ll get in touch.’

Poe wasn’t convinced it would be that straightforward. As he had said many times before, humans were bloody weird. There was no second-guessing what they might do. And even if they were to identify the third potential victim, so what? Hunt was killed on live television and Cummings was being guarded by cops.

‘What do you think’s really happening with Estelle Doyle, Poe?’ Flynn said, expertly picking up a piece of fish with her chopsticks.

Poe put down his spoon. Glad she had raised it. ‘I’m convinced she’s being set up,’ he said. ‘There’s too much evidence against her, if you know what I mean?’

Flynn nodded thoughtfully. ‘OK,’ she said. ‘Let’s run with that for a while. Apply the principle ofcui bono.’

‘Who benefits?’ Poe said. ‘Well, Estelle does. Her defence team can counter the main thrust of the CPS’s motivation, but thereisstill some material gain. A fraction of what they think, but even so, put inheriting a farm in front of a working-class jury and it might convince them she had motive.’

‘No one else waiting in the wings?’

‘She’s an only child.’

‘Who gets it all if she goes away for murder?’

‘The forfeiture rule applies. According to her solicitor, a murderer cannot inherit from the person they have killed. She thinks it will all go to the Crown.’

‘Her dad was an only child too?’

‘Apparently. And his wife died a long time ago.’

‘Estelle isn’t being framed for her dad’s money then.’

‘Nope.’

‘Any ideas?’

‘Honestly, boss, I’ve been thinking of nothing else, and the only thing I’ve come up with is that it’s someone she helped put away. Maybe a case in which she was visible.’

‘You mean one where she was an expert witness?’

‘Yep.’

‘That’s what you think is happening here?’