Page 110 of Convict's Game

The lawyer cleared his throat. “I’m not at liberty to discuss individual client’s activities.”

Meaning she’d told him not to. Yet she was fine and still in contact with others, just not me. I didn’t get it. Wallace was the last person she would turn to for support.

At the funeral, he’d worn his sunglasses and a bored expression. But now I thought of it, he had been at his mother’s side once or twice. Presumably poisoned by the same venom that was hurting her.

A problem I still had no solution for.

“About that meeting, would there be any possibility of extending the date?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, but no. Mr Wallace already requested it be brought forward and was refused as there is no justification. Assuming all voting parties will be in attendance, it will go ahead as planned next Friday.”

Thanking Cochran, I hung up and dialled Wallace. The call rang out, and his answerphone kicked in. I killed the call and stared at my phone.

“Food’s ready,” Cassie said.

I returned to the counter and accepted a plate of pancakes with lemon and sugar plus strawberries.

Next to me, Lovelyn touched my arm. “I’m sorry if I was mercenary in my questions. I should’ve been gentler. I didn’t think about how much you must be suffering.”

“It’s okay. I asked for your help.”

“Are you sure? I have big emotional reactions sometimes, and it hit me when I saw your face fall on the phone. Did I cause that?”

“No! Not at all.” I squeezed her shoulder.

She exhaled shakily. “Right. I need to chill and stop being ridiculous. I get all up in my feels, and it’s like a tap I can’t turn off. I try to ignore it for as long as I can. A set-and-forget timer, until it explodes. I just don’t want you to think I was being careless.”

“You weren’t. I was broken up when my grandfather died, but it’s settled into a background sadness now. It doesn’t keep me awake at night anymore, if you know what I mean.”

She gave me a wobbly smile that somehow told me she did.

We ate, and I sorted through my thoughts. Lovelyn’s tap she couldn’t turn off sounded like how I felt for Convict. Except he was a torrent falling all around me and sweeping me away. Being with him hadn’t pushed aside my feverish energy for protecting my family, but he used it up in better ways that gave me a clearer head.

I devoured the sweet breakfast food and the coffee Cassie poured, working out what I needed to do next.

“Lovelyn, I don’t suppose you have access to the Scottish police as well as the English?”

“I do. My father’s role spans both. Why?”

“The lawyers can’t give me any intelligence on the explosion. Would you be able to access the investigation? If that won’t get you into trouble.”

“I’d love to help. I can take a look without it causing any problems.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to take advantage.”

“Consider it a debt my father owes your boyfriend. Besides, Arran pays me well if he needs me to do some data digging. It’s nice to do it for a different purpose.”

She reached for a tablet from her bag and started typing. As she worked, she darted a glance between me and Cassie. “I like feeling useful in our club. I haven’t had Esther’s post-mortem results yet, by the way, but that’s coming. I’ll pull my weight.”

“Detective agency,” Cassie corrected. “And I didn’t just ask ye to join for what I can get. I’m not from Deadwater so I need more friends. I chose ye both because I like ye.”

The three of us shot each other grins.

“Does that mean we get shirts, too?” I asked.

“Already ordered and on their way.” Cassie took a deep swig of her coffee. “Which brings me onto my update on my scheme. Richard Yelland is our businessman friend who purchased Becky from Burger Barn. Heh. Love that alliteration. Anyway, because he’s so friendly, he spends a lot of time sharing the love around different brothels in the country. According to my stalking, he should be back in Deadwater in a few days. Riordan and I will pick him up and do a little interrogation to crack that bad egg.” She winked at me. “Ye may not want to be in the room for that one.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Deal. I’ll happily let you handle him. My money is on Esther’s buyer being her killer, who Yelland can name, or it was Jan Salter, but in either case, I have no idea why. As a minimum, Salter will know what happened to her, I’m certain of it. He planned to give her a job, so if it wasn’t him, he’ll be pissed off that someone ended the life of one of his people.”