Only the Brave by Mel Sherratt Page A

grow up.
    ‘Can you tell me when you last saw Jordan?’ Nick repeated.
    This time Kirstie answered. ‘Last night. We had a row.’
    ‘Do you often argue?’
    ‘We’re a couple – of course we do.’
    ‘What were you arguing about?’
    Allie tried not to smirk at Nick’s bluntness. She saw Kirstie bristle but at least she didn’t retaliate too much.
    ‘That’s none of your business.’ Kirstie glared at Nick.
    ‘Please cooperate, Kirstie,’ Allie couldn’t help but snap. ‘I’m sure you have things to be doing.’
    ‘I wasn’t talking to you!’ Kirstie snapped back. ‘And yes, we have a funeral to sort out. I’m . . .’
    Finally, they saw some grief, some atom of emotion hinting that Kirstie might have cared for Jordan, as she began to cry.
    ‘Jordan had been coming home late at night a lot recently,’ Kirstie spoke after she had composed herself again. ‘He was at the party –’
    ‘The party?’
    ‘It was for the bar manager’s wife,’ Ryan explained. ‘It was held at our club, Flynn’s. I was there, too.’
    ‘Yeah, and I wasn’t.’ Kirstie’s top lip curled into a snarl. ‘I wasn’t lowering myself to go. Can’t stand the woman. But I was so bored and pissed off being alone so I rang Jordan to check when he would be back.’
    ‘What time would that have been?’
    ‘Around ten, I guess.’
    ‘Was Jordan at the party when you spoke to him?’ asked Nick.
    ‘Yes, he said he was coming home soon, but when I rang him again at eleven, he told me he had some business to sort out and he might not be home at all.’
    ‘Does he often stay out at night?’
    ‘There’s a stay-over room at Flynn’s,’ said Ryan. ‘It isn’t used much though.’
    ‘I stormed over to Flynn’s and had it out with him anyway,’ added Kirstie.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I put the money up for it and he takes the piss by thinking it’s his. I own that place, not him.’ Kirstie glanced at Ryan. ‘Nor you, either.’
    Ryan threw her a warning look that didn’t go unnoticed by either Allie or Nick.
    ‘So, this row?’ Nick tried to move things along.
    ‘Rowing was an understatement,’ muttered Ryan.
    ‘I lashed out at him, okay?’ Kirstie retorted. ‘I was convinced he’d been having it away with some stuck-up tart behind the bar. I had a go at her, too, but she denied anything was going on. Well, she would, wouldn’t she?’
    ‘What time would that be?’ asked Nick.
    ‘About half past eleven, I guess.’
    ‘And what did you do afterwards?’
    ‘I came home. Jordan didn’t. I thought he was at Flynn’s until I heard this morning.’
    ‘You didn’t call him later to see where he was?’ asked Allie.
    ‘No, I was too mad with him.’ Kirstie shook her head. ‘Not that it’s any of your business.’
    Allie kept her sigh to herself. ‘Were you on your own here?’
    ‘No, I came back, too,’ said Ryan.
    Allie and Nick turned to him at the same time.
    Ryan raised his hands and then dropped them by his side. ‘She’d more or less ruined the atmosphere by then.’
    ‘Thanks for that,’ said Kirstie.
    Ryan rolled his eyes.
    ‘And you were both here for the rest of the night?’
    ‘Yes,’ Ryan nodded. ‘Kirstie was still up when I got in so we had a coffee and then she went to bed. I stayed up, had a couple of whiskeys and went to bed myself about an hour later.’
    ‘You didn’t check up on Jordan?’ queried Nick.
    ‘Why should we?’ retorted Kirstie.
    Ryan stiffened. ‘ I gave him a call, about half past one I think, but he didn’t pick up.’
    ‘You wouldn’t think anything of him not coming home?’
    ‘I’m not my brother’s keeper, Inspector.’ Ryan look bemused. ‘It’s a long time since I’ve looked out for him. He’s – he was t hirty-on e.’
    ‘What about his car?’
    ‘I hadn’t given that a thought.’ Ryan frowned.
    ‘Does he still drive a Land Rover Discovery?’ Allie had received details back from the PNC check, although she hadn’t been informed as to