Collins took a sip of the amber liquid.
‘Jesus, I needed that.’
‘Before you begin,’ I said, and placed my phone on the table, located the voice recorder and then activated it. ‘Insurance,’ I explained.
Collins shrugged as if he didn’t care. Then he took another sip and looked over at Thomas. ‘You’re lucky you’re still alive, buddy.’
‘How so?’ Thomas asked, his expression sharp.
‘There’s some people who got out of the shit you guys were up to and made a nice life for themselves. Got wives, kids, grandkids. And they don’t want what’s in your head to come out and jeopardise all of that. They were satisfied you’d gone underground, but then this little detective’ – he looked at me – ‘goes digging up all kinds of stuff, and that has got these people worried.’ He crossed his arms. ‘I’m the vanguard, if you like. They wanted me to make you a little nervous to see how you reacted, to see what that might throw up before they did something…’ he looked at Thomas with dead eyes ‘…irreversible.’
‘And we’re in a Mexican standoff cos Thomas is worried they’ll go to the cops with the stuff he’s done,’ Chris said.
‘We know all of this,’ Thomas said, his tone betraying his impatience. ‘They’re worried. I’m worried. Tell me who we’re dealing with, for chrissakes. We’ll arrange a meeting to persuade them that it’s in everyone’s interest to keep quiet.’
‘Knowing who they are could be enough to seal your death warrant, buddy. These people might be in a different life now but … old habits and all that.’
‘We have a deal, old man,’ said Thomas. ‘It doesn’t take a genius to work out that one of them is my old friend Seth. But let me worry about what happens once I know who the others are. So where’s Seth and who else is involved?’
‘It’s just him,’ Collins said.
‘My arse,’ said Thomas.
‘No lie,’ he said, arms wide, palms up. ‘Except he changed his name.’ He raised his eyebrows and looked from me to Chris. ‘And these lads have already been to see him.’
I had an image of a house on the side of a loch.
‘Coulson,’ Chris and I said at the same time.
‘You fairly set the cat among the pigeons, visiting him,’ Collins said.
‘You met Seth already?’ Thomas asked. ‘How on earth?’
‘I think we got lucky,’ said Chris. ‘An old article in a business magazine where he credited Benny Marinello with helping in his success.’
At that name Collins visibly flinched and his face whitened.
‘What’s the real connection between Coulson and Marinello?’ I asked him.
‘That’s above my pay grade,’ he replied, but it was clear from the way the skin tightened around his mouth that he was worried. Really worried.
‘That’s the link,’ Thomas said, his eyes bright. ‘That’s what confused me all along. I know Seth – Coulson. Whatever his name is now. Why would he be bothered? I know he’s too bloody lazy to come after me. But if…’ he looked at Chris ‘…Marinello is involved…’
‘Marinello’s a mess. He’s not going to be orchestrating anything,’ I said, recalling the mental state of the old man in the nursing home.
‘He’s not in a good way,’ Collins agreed. He paused as if making a decision. ‘But Coulson reckons he lays it on thick. He’s immobile, but not senile. Not yet anyway.’
‘No way,’ I said. ‘That old fella’s beyond caring about all this shit. What are you leaving out, Collins?’
‘I swear to you, I’ve never met the guy, but he’s the one pulling Coulson’s chain. The way he describes it, the old man has him on a retainer in case something from the old days comes back to bite him on the arse.’
‘And what do you know that’s going to be such a worry to Marinello?’ I asked Thomas.
‘Buggered if I know,’ he replied. ‘I did all kinds of stuff down in London that I’m ashamed of, but that was all on Seth – Coulson. Marinello had nothing to do with it.’
‘You sure?’ Chris asked.
‘Certain,’ Thomas answered. ‘Elsa told me years later that Seth trafficked troubled kids and Marinello turned a blind eye as long as Seth gave him a share of the proceeds now and again. But everything I was involved in down south was all about Seth and his mates down there.’
‘Then, what are we missing?’ I asked.