I watch Liam thread his way over to me, switching back and forth through the headstones. I wonder if he’s the sort of person who avoids treading on the piece of turf above a body out of respect, or one who wades right through with utter disregard. As he nears my position, underneath a ratty tree, I’m surprised to see he’s the former. He pauses a little more than an arm’s length away from me and regards me impassively.
“Who the fuck are you?” I ask eventually.
“Not that it really matters, but I’m known within certain circles as Mr Lamb.”
It’s incredible, like a different personality within the same body. All Liam’s restrained joviality is gone, he speaks in a quiet, balanced tone. His eyes are as sharp as a cat’s and it feels like he’s looking deep into me. He holds himself differently too, outwardly looking relaxed but with the tension of a compressed spring underneath. It’s unnerving to say the least. He continues to stare at me with those blank eyes.
“I assume, by your association a moment ago, you’re working for Culpepper.”
Liam nods almost imperceptibly.
“What do you want from me?”
“Absolutely nothing. There’s not a single thing you can offer me, I’ve everything I could ever need or want.”
“Lucky you.”
“It’s absolutely nothing to do with something as frail as luck, I’m afraid. I’m just extremely good at making things happen for people in the way they want them to, and I’m paid extremely well to do so.”
It starts to rain, softly at first but then with increasing severity. The tree offers scant protection and I’m getting very wet, but I can’t draw myself away from Liam, or whatever his name is. He’s not ready to go yet, either. There’s clearly something he wants to say, but I have to pull it out of him.
“Did you kill him? Did you kill Hershey?”
“Categorically not,” Liam says heavily. “I undertake many, ah, activities but not within that category.”
“But anything else goes?”
“The activity depends upon the opportunity.”
He draws a piece of paper out of his pocket and passes it to me. I hesitate a moment.
“I’ve already told you, I don’t kill people. Not any more.” A smile. I take the paper. He turns to leave but looks back at me over his shoulder. “Say hello to Konstantin for me.”
I envelop the soggy paper in my palm and shove it in my pocket before it gets totally ruined. Liam stares at me a moment longer, nods and then strides away.
Konstantin suddenly appears beside me. I hadn’t heard his approach. “Second time I no get chance kill someone,” he says in a melancholic tone. In his hand he carries a suitcase within which I know, because he’s shown me, is a silenced rifle.
“I said you were overreacting.”
Konstantin shakes his head. “No funny man, impossible take anyone like him too serious. Coming?”
I shake my head. He shrugs and then I’m on my own, with more questions than answers. Perhaps the veil will lift if I go to the address on the piece of paper Liam has just handed me.