Page 33 of Death on the Rocks (Lily Larkin Mysteries #1)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Flynn had known what would happen if he told Lily about the missing laptop. He’d known she’d make a fuss and ask questions he didn’t have the answers to. That she’d pin him with her judgemental stare and insist he investigate further.

Maybe that’s why he’d told her. Because he wanted someone to lecture him and rant about how he wasn’t doing his job properly.

After hearing everything Lily had to say, he felt even more certain that he should do more.

He should ask questions and look into the situation properly.

There’d been a time when he’d have stuck to his convictions and worried about the sergeant later.

Then again, he’d never had a superior so unwilling to listen. And he’d never been in a position where doing the right thing would put his job at risk.

Ten minutes after Lily left the station, he was staring into space, trying to figure out his next move. He could follow her example and dig a little deeper. Ask questions and see where the answers led.

The phone on his desk rang, and he was grateful for the distraction.

“Scilly police station.” He answered the phone with his usual greeting.

“You’ve been trying to call me,” the female voice said. “I don’t answer the phone when there’s no caller ID, and in your message you said you were a police constable, so there was really no way I was going to call you back.”

“Sorry,” Flynn said. “Can I take your name?”

“Rachel Roth,” she replied. “I guess you were calling to tell me that my brother’s dead, but I know that now because I read it on social media.”

Grimacing, Flynn leaned on the desk. “I’m very sorry you found out that way,” he began, softening his tone. “And I’m very sorry for your loss. I know this must be an excruciating time for you, and if I can help in any way, I will.”

“Thanks. I do have some questions.”

“Of course. If you’d like, I can talk you through what happened to your brother?”

“He slipped and fell off a cliff, right?”

“Yes, that appears to be the case. He was found on a patch of rocks by the sea. There were higher rocks around him that we assume he fell from.” He thought about Lily’s suspicions and wondered if she was right that it wasn’t merely an accident.

“It had been raining, so the rocks were slippery…” He took a deep breath, unsure of his next move.

Should he suggest it might not have been an accident?

If the next of kin requested further investigation, that would scupper Sergeant Proctor’s resistance.

“As I said, we assume he fell while he was out for a walk, but there would be the option of a post-mortem and further investigation if you requested it.”

“I don’t care about that,” she said.

“Of course.” He berated himself for being insensitive. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she said, her voice clipped. “I just don’t care. I wasn’t surprised to hear he’s dead. I’m only surprised he lasted this long. Though they say only the good die young, so at that rate he should have lived to a ripe old age.”

Flynn’s eyes widened, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times without finding any words.

“What I want to know,” she said, “is what happens to his stuff? Our parents are both dead, so that makes me his next of kin, doesn’t it?”

Shocked at the turn of the conversation, Flynn took a moment to respond. “Yes,” he said.

“He borrowed five hundred quid from me. Years ago, it was. But he never paid it back. He laughed at me whenever I asked for it, but I know he’s just bought a fancy flat and a new car.

Raking it in, he was. So I want to know how I get my money back.

And if I get all his stuff and all his money.

I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but I’m thinking that having him as a brother might finally pay off. ”

“I take it you and your brother weren’t close?” The question felt redundant, but he asked it anyway.

A burst of laughter hit his ears, then faded quickly. “If I’m his next of kin, that doesn’t matter, does it? I can still get his money even if we didn’t get on?” She sounded genuinely concerned for the first time in the conversation.

“I’m afraid I can’t advise you about inheritance details.”

“Can you just tell me if I’ll be the one who inherits?”

He frowned. “If you are the next of kin, and he doesn’t have a will stating otherwise, then it seems likely that you would inherit.”

“Bloody hell, what if he’s written a will saying I can’t have it? Surely I can still get the money he owes me?”

“I really couldn’t say.”

“Well, how do I find out? Who do I have to talk to?”

After advising her of her best course of action, Flynn ended the call feeling even more conflicted.

On the one hand, he felt more and more certain that further investigation was warranted.

On the other hand, the safer course of action for his career would be to keep his head down and not make waves.

He was still mulling over his options when Sergeant Proctor staggered in half an hour later.

His pale skin and the fact that it looked as though it was an effort for him to hold himself upright gave the impression he really shouldn’t be back at work.

But he also wasn’t in uniform, so Flynn assumed he wouldn’t be staying for long.

“How’s everything here?” he asked, heaving in wheezing breaths once he’d dropped into a chair.

“Fine,” Flynn replied. “How are you feeling?”

“Rough. I’ve got a chest infection, but the doctor just prescribed a course of antibiotics, so I expect that’ll clear things up quickly.”

“Good.”

“It looks as though the weather will clear tomorrow, but transport will be chaos with a backlog of visitors trying to get on and off the island. We’ll hold off on transporting the body until the following day to avoid adding to the chaos.”

“Makes sense,” Flynn said. “I spoke to the deceased’s sister earlier.”

“How did that go?” Sergeant Proctor fished in his pocket for a tissue and blew his bright red nose.

“Fine. She was mostly interested in what she might inherit.”

“One of those types, eh?” He made a face as though he were trying to raise an eyebrow but found it too much effort. “You really never know how family members will react.”

“She seemed to think her brother had a lot of money,” Flynn ventured, knowing he had to tread carefully while he tried once again to convince the sergeant that something shady was going on. “I thought it was odd that a freelance photographer would be so flush.”

Sergeant Proctor wiped a hand across his brow. “Don’t tell me she got your investigative instincts into gear again? Just because someone has money doesn’t make their death suspicious.”

“I realise that, but you have to admit that the missing laptop raises questions. I also had Lily Larkin in here again today.”

“The woman who found the body?”

“Yes. She’s noticed some things that don’t add up… and some suspicious behaviour.”

Shaking his head, Sergeant Proctor stood. “I thought we were clear about how things stood yesterday.”

“Yes.” He swallowed hard. “But––”

“Stop it.” Sergeant Proctor rounded on him.

“You need to understand that small town policing is very different to city policing. Things work differently. You need to drop this idea of starting some investigation which will lead to nothing. A man tragically died, and we dealt with the situation. That’s the end of it. ”

Flynn tried to argue, but was cut off before he could even get a word out.

“I’m not sure you fully appreciate just how thin the ice is that you’re teetering on.

The only reason I agreed to have you in my station was as a favour to an old colleague.

But at this point, I’m not sure there are many people who would be upset about me lodging an official complaint against you.

I reckon even your father would be happy if you were forced into a career change.

” He paused at the door. “Just keep your head down and don’t cause trouble. I don’t see how that’s so difficult.”

“It’s not,” Flynn said, his voice firm and stable despite coming through gritted teeth.

“Good.” Sergeant Proctor gave a subtle nod. “I’m off home, but with any luck, I’ll be back in the next day or two. Try not to cause any problems between now and then.”

Flynn remained rigid in his chair, grateful for the clarity that hit him. He might not like the way Sergeant Proctor did things, but he was his superior and had far more experience than Flynn.

Also, if he wanted to keep his job, it seemed he didn’t have much choice but to put the irregularities of the Vincent Roth case out of his head.