the piece of paper on my desk and logged onto my emails. I couldn’t concentrate. I logged off and pushed things to one side. I needed to keep moving, so I looked up Priestley’s mobile number and called. I still hadn’t caught up with him following Tasker’s death. The call went straight to voicemail, but I decided not to leave a message. I’d call again later. My mobile rang almost immediately afterwards. It was Julia. I told her that I was waiting for Major’s man to turn up. ‘Do you want to come over and meet him?’
‘I can’t’ she said.
‘Why not?’
‘Tell you later.’
She terminated the call. I stared at my mobile for a minute before putting it back on the desk. I’d have to wait. The door buzzer went. Looking into the camera, I would have known the man staring back at me was a solicitor. He had the self-confidence of a professional. He was early thirties, in good shape and neat and tidy around the edges. He was a man who looked after himself. I let him up and he walked straight over to my desk and sat down opposite me. He put his briefcase on the floor and took a business card from his pocket. ‘Marcus Whittle’ he said, handing it over to me. ‘I represent Kane Major.’
I put the card on my desk. I didn’t pass him one of mine. ‘Joe Geraghty.’
He looked around the room. ‘It’s not what I expected’ he said, before getting down to business. ‘I assume you know why I’m here?’
‘You tell me. I tried to ring Kane earlier and all I got was a message saying he’d left town.’ I shrugged. ‘No more than that. Odd, wouldn’t you say, given what’s happened?’
Whittle smiled. ‘Kane did say you have a bit of a mouth on you. He’s had to attend to some business in London, so he’s asked me to come up here to keep an eye on things.’
‘Why would he need you to keep an eye on things?’
He passed me an envelope. Money. ‘To be frank, you’re a Private Investigator, but I’m a solicitor. I can open doors you can’t. Kane will need someone here capable of looking out for his interests. Greg was a close friend, so he wants to make sure justice is done. Nothing changes. That’s a down payment on what you’re owed. Instead of dealing with Kane, you’ll deal with me for the foreseeable future. That’s all.’
‘Says who?’ Whittle’s attitude was starting to annoy me, money or not.
He feigned surprise. ‘You don’t want the work? Your choice. Just give me the money back and I’ll be on my way.’
I said nothing. He had me. Sarah wouldn’t thank me for not taking the money.
Whittle sat back in his chair. ‘Right. I think we have an agreement, Mr Geraghty?’
I wanted to argue. I wanted him out of the office. But I had nothing. I said we had an agreement and asked him what he wanted me to do.
‘Whatever’s necessary’ he said. ‘Kane needs someone on his side up here, and you’re that man. When something needs doing, it’ll be you I come to.’
I didn’t like what I was hearing. ‘How long will you be staying?’ I asked.
‘As long as it takes.’
‘Major told me he was skint. How can he afford your services?’
‘No idea. I’m merely a foot-soldier. I do what I’m told.’ Whittle picked up the business card he’d put down. He wrote the name of the hotel he was staying at on the back of it. ‘You can get hold of me here when you have some news.’
I took the card back and put it in my pocket.
He stood up to leave. ‘Don’t suppose you can recommend a restaurant to eat in tonight? I assume you have a handful of passable ones in this place?’
I shook my head. I didn’t want him using my name anywhere I might want to go to again.
‘Not to worry. I’m sure I’ll cope.’
‘I’m sure you will.’
Whittle leaned over the desk. ‘Look, I don’t care if you don’t like me. Really I don’t. It’s not the slightest bit important to me, but don’t you ever forget which side you’re on. You’re being paid to do what Kane asks of
‘I can’t’ she said.
‘Why not?’
‘Tell you later.’
She terminated the call. I stared at my mobile for a minute before putting it back on the desk. I’d have to wait. The door buzzer went. Looking into the camera, I would have known the man staring back at me was a solicitor. He had the self-confidence of a professional. He was early thirties, in good shape and neat and tidy around the edges. He was a man who looked after himself. I let him up and he walked straight over to my desk and sat down opposite me. He put his briefcase on the floor and took a business card from his pocket. ‘Marcus Whittle’ he said, handing it over to me. ‘I represent Kane Major.’
I put the card on my desk. I didn’t pass him one of mine. ‘Joe Geraghty.’
He looked around the room. ‘It’s not what I expected’ he said, before getting down to business. ‘I assume you know why I’m here?’
‘You tell me. I tried to ring Kane earlier and all I got was a message saying he’d left town.’ I shrugged. ‘No more than that. Odd, wouldn’t you say, given what’s happened?’
Whittle smiled. ‘Kane did say you have a bit of a mouth on you. He’s had to attend to some business in London, so he’s asked me to come up here to keep an eye on things.’
‘Why would he need you to keep an eye on things?’
He passed me an envelope. Money. ‘To be frank, you’re a Private Investigator, but I’m a solicitor. I can open doors you can’t. Kane will need someone here capable of looking out for his interests. Greg was a close friend, so he wants to make sure justice is done. Nothing changes. That’s a down payment on what you’re owed. Instead of dealing with Kane, you’ll deal with me for the foreseeable future. That’s all.’
‘Says who?’ Whittle’s attitude was starting to annoy me, money or not.
He feigned surprise. ‘You don’t want the work? Your choice. Just give me the money back and I’ll be on my way.’
I said nothing. He had me. Sarah wouldn’t thank me for not taking the money.
Whittle sat back in his chair. ‘Right. I think we have an agreement, Mr Geraghty?’
I wanted to argue. I wanted him out of the office. But I had nothing. I said we had an agreement and asked him what he wanted me to do.
‘Whatever’s necessary’ he said. ‘Kane needs someone on his side up here, and you’re that man. When something needs doing, it’ll be you I come to.’
I didn’t like what I was hearing. ‘How long will you be staying?’ I asked.
‘As long as it takes.’
‘Major told me he was skint. How can he afford your services?’
‘No idea. I’m merely a foot-soldier. I do what I’m told.’ Whittle picked up the business card he’d put down. He wrote the name of the hotel he was staying at on the back of it. ‘You can get hold of me here when you have some news.’
I took the card back and put it in my pocket.
He stood up to leave. ‘Don’t suppose you can recommend a restaurant to eat in tonight? I assume you have a handful of passable ones in this place?’
I shook my head. I didn’t want him using my name anywhere I might want to go to again.
‘Not to worry. I’m sure I’ll cope.’
‘I’m sure you will.’
Whittle leaned over the desk. ‘Look, I don’t care if you don’t like me. Really I don’t. It’s not the slightest bit important to me, but don’t you ever forget which side you’re on. You’re being paid to do what Kane asks of
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