Page 52

“Yes, they do.” Josiah stood up. “Look, I want to say thank you for last night. You were kind to me when I needed it most, and you helped me get through something I found very hard to face.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“Yes, I do,” Josiah said firmly. “And I want to repay you by believing in you. I believe you’re not the evil Alex Lytton from the news site articles, media reports, and radio talk shows.

I believe you’re acting from good motives right now, even if you won’t explain to me what those are.

Now, I’d like you to go upstairs and put on one of the suits we brought back from Dacre’s house. ”

Alex looked up at him in surprise. “Of course. May I ask why?”

“Like I said – I believe in you, and I’m going to prove it to you. Yesterday, you said you wanted to trust me – today I’m going to show you that you can.”

Alex came down the stairs half an hour later, showered, shaved, and dressed in the kind of elegant navy-blue suit Josiah approved of, complete with pale blue shirt and silver tie.

“Will this do for whatever you have in mind?” he asked, twirling for Josiah’s scrutiny.

Josiah cleared his throat – there was something about a well-dressed man that always appealed to him.

“Oh, yeah. You’ll do,” he said with a grin.

He put his hands on Alex’s shoulders and looked him in the eye.

“I’m about to put my career on the line for you, so I need to know the answer to one important question, and I need you to be completely honest with me. ”

Alex gave him a startled look. “Okay,” he said cautiously.

“Answer me truthfully – did you have anything to do with Elliot Dacre’s murder?

” Alex opened his mouth to reply, but Josiah shook his head, stopping him.

“I know you have some information pertinent to the investigation that you’re deliberately withholding, but I’m not asking about that.

What I want to know is if you were involved in his murder in any way: if you knew it would happen; if you handled the murder weapon at any time; if you know who killed him; if you tried to cover it up; or if you killed him yourself.

All I want is an answer to those questions – yes or no.

I will believe you and do my best to help you, whatever that answer is. I promise.”

Alex looked him straight in the eye, his grey eyes radiating sincerity.

“No,” he said fiercely. “I had nothing to do with Elliot’s murder.

I don’t know who killed him, and I didn’t know it was going to happen.

I didn’t handle the murder weapon, and I didn’t cover anything up.

I wasn’t involved. I promise you that, Josiah. ”

“Thank you, Alex. I believe you. Now, it’s time to go to work.”

Alex started walking towards the door to the garage, but Josiah pulled him back. “We’re not going that way,” he said, heading towards the front door.

“We’re not?” Alex followed on behind. “Oh, shit,” he said as Josiah paused by the door, his hand poised.

“Ready?” Josiah grinned at him.

“No,” Alex retorted. “But let’s do it anyway.”

Josiah opened the door, and a dozen cameras immediately flashed in the grey morning light. Reporters scrambled over his front garden, several broadcast cameras swung in his direction, and a host of microphones were pushed under his nose.

“Investigator Raine – what’s happening? Can you tell us any more about Elliot Dacre’s murder? Do you have a suspect? Is Alexander Lytton a suspect? Why is Dacre’s IS living with you?”

The barrage of questions came in an overwhelming wave, but Josiah didn’t waver. He put his hand on Alex’s shoulder to give him the strength and courage to face it, too. With his free hand, he reached for a microphone. Then he glared at the reporters until they fell silent.

“Investigations into Elliot Dacre’s murder are continuing.

However, we are, at this stage, able to rule out Alexander Lytton as a suspect.

Mr Lytton is innocent of Elliot Dacre’s murder.

I repeat – Alexander Lytton is not a suspect.

He did not murder Elliot Dacre, and he was not involved, in any way. ”

Pandemonium broke out. Josiah glanced at Alex to see him looking at him with a wide, startled smile.

He held up his hand for quiet. “Mr Lytton has been assigned to my custody by Esther Lomax, the head of the Inquisitus Agency, for his own personal safety, and because we require his help in our investigation. He will be staying with me for the duration of the case. I will not be taking questions. That is all. Thank you.”

He turned firmly on his heel and guided Alex back into the house, slamming the door shut behind them.

“Fuck,” Alex said. Then he flung his arms around Josiah’s neck. “Thank you,” he murmured into his cheek. “Thank you for believing in me.”

“Whatever it is you’re not telling me – I trust that you have good reason, and that you will, and soon,” Josiah replied. “But for now, I can wait.”

Alex drew back, his eyes gleaming with tears. He wiped them away with the back of his hand. “Sorry. It’s just that nobody has believed in me for a very long time, maybe never. It means a lot to me.”

At that moment, Josiah’s holopad buzzed. He gave a grimace as Esther’s face popped up. He’d barely answered it when she gave it to him with both barrels.

“Your unauthorised announcement is on every screen, holofeed, radio station, and news site right now,” she told him in a grim voice. “You’d better have a really good explanation for this, Joe, or I’ll have your balls.”

He winced. “Understood, Esther.”

“Now, get your arse into my office, pronto – we need to talk.”