They let Caroline go, and then the three of them stood in the study in silence. Finally Max spoke.
‘I’m thinking about Gina and the phone calls to the Blue Parrot.’
‘What about them?’
‘Gina knew where her brother was living, didn’t she? She must have. What if she did tell Gary? She was mental. I spoke to her, the poor old cow didn’t have both oars in the water. Raving about how you were still Constantine’s wife, not mine. Saying he was still alive. She could have said all that and more to Gary on the phone. So maybe Gary knew where Constantine was.’
It was Annie’s turn to pace the room, skirting around Tony, who stood silent, watching.
‘Sounds like Redmond did Gary,’ she said.
‘Penny to a pinch of shit,’ said Max, nodding. ‘Fucker’s a psycho.’
‘Over Constantine’s whereabouts?’ Annie stopped in front of Max and locked eyes with him. ‘Jesus, do you think Gary was playing with fire, trying to get money or something off Redmond, doing a trade? He knew that Constantine was behind the plane crash that should have killed Redmond and Orla back in the seventies. Did he give that piece of information to Redmond, maybe sell it to him, as a little taster, and then Gina comes on the phone raving about Constantine being alive and where Constantine’s living these days, and Gary thinks, I can make some bigger wedge here, better than I did before. Maybe Gary tried to milk Redmond? And maybe Redmond snapped and killed him over it.’
Max folded his arms and stared at the floor, thinking. ‘Redmond’s no fool. I don’t think he would top Gary until he had that information – if he was so desperate to get it.’
‘Caroline said he was beating the crap out of him beforehand.’
‘Yeah.’ Max’s head raised and he looked grimly at Annie. ‘So it’s possible he beat it out of him and then killed him. In which case, right now – Redmond knows where Constantine is.’
Annie considered this with a sense of dread. She considered also that Redmond could have cornered her, forced the location out of her just like he had with Gary. That he could have done with her exactly as he had done with Gary and with poor bloody Jackie. The thought brought her out in a cold sweat.
‘Why didn’t he do you?’ wondered Max, echoing her thoughts. ‘He could have.’
Tony spoke for the first time. ‘I think Redmond Delaney has a thing for Mrs Carter. Weird as that may sound.’
Annie looked at Tony in surprise. ‘Oh, really? He left me to die once. You forgotten that?’
Tony shrugged. ‘He’s a twisted, cold-blooded bastard. Who knows how his brain works? But for sure, he could have done you over and got it out of you. And he didn’t. Just saying.’
‘He likes playing cat and mouse with people,’ said Annie with a heartfelt shudder.
‘So what now?’ asked Max.
‘We get someone over to Redmond’s place. See if he’s there. He won’t be, I’m sure of it, but we should check. And then . . . ’
‘Then what?’
‘I have to get up there,’ said Annie. ‘If Redmond knows, then he’s going for Constantine.’
‘And I’m supposed to care about that?’
Annie looked at him in exasperation. ‘He’s Alberto’s father, and if Alberto suffers then so does Layla, have you thought about that?’
‘So you ride to the rescue? Redmond’s had a day’s start. He’s probably whacked Constantine already. And frankly, do I care? OK, once he and I, we worked together. We had a mutual respect. But that sort of went for me, when he fucked my wife.’
‘I thought you were dead. And so did he.’
‘Yeah, yeah. And not content with that, you’ve been flitting back and forth to Scotland whenever you’ve come back here, visiting that shit and not telling me. No, I hope Redmond has done the business on him. I’d like to pat that fucker on the back over this.’
‘I explained that,’ said Annie. ‘You know I did. Fuck’s sake! I’ve got to get up there and I need some back-up with me. Steve and Tone.’
‘And me,’ said Max.
Annie looked at him, startled. ‘No,’ she said firmly.
But Max was determined. ‘Look. If we’re right, Delaney’s already there and he could finish the job off properly. He could do you too, if you pitch up – even if you think you have got a free pass where he’s concerned. Don’t kid yourself. The man’s a psycho. You don’t know what he’s going to do.’
‘Max . . .’
‘Don’t “Max” me. You’re not going up there without me.’
Annie stuck her hands on her hips. ‘I’m not going up there with you.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Because you want Constantine dead. Because even if Redmond doesn’t finish the job, you will. I know you. You’ll kill him.’
‘I’d be doing the cunt a favour, holed away up there, losing his fucking faculties in a five-star prison. But Delaney’s probably already sorted that problem out for me.’
‘Christ, Max . . .’
‘Forget it. I’m coming too.’