“Pizza’s here.” Osian yelled for Dannel while grinning at Chris, who stood on the other side of the open door. He had four boxes of pizza and a couple six-packs of beer. “If you drop it, we’re not paying for it.”
“Hilarious. Take the beer?” Chris stepped into the flat, adjusting the boxes when Osian grabbed the two six-packs. “I’m going to need at least one of those.”
“Rough day?”
Placing the pizza on the coffee table, Chris grabbed one of the beers. He collapsed on the sofa and slowly drank the entire can. Osian immediately held out a second one to him.
After a few minutes, Dannel joined them. He was picking bits of paint off his thumb. Osian caught him by the shoulder, directing him into the kitchen to wash his hands.
Retrieving plates from a cabinet, Osian carried them into the living room. They nattered about the previous night’s football match over their first bites of pizza. Chris appeared to need time to gather his thoughts.
What better to help than beer, pizza, and footie?
Osian watched Chris begin to pick apart the crust of his pizza. He’d never seen their friend quite so unnerved. “You all right?”
Dannel glanced up from his plate over to Chris. “He looks like he always does. Did I miss something?”
“He looks stressed.”
“Does he?” Dannel hunted through the pizza boxes to find another slice of pepperoni. “How can you tell?”
“Who picks apart a pizza crust into tiny pieces?” Osian motioned to Chris’s plate. “Plus, he drank his first beer like he’d been in the desert for days.”
“Really?”
“Are you two finished analysing me?” Chris interrupted. He seemed more amused than bothered by their banter. “I’m not stressed.”
“Uneasy?”
“Uncomfortable?”
“Underrated? No, wait.” Osian snickered with Dannel while Chris simply sighed and rested the cold can against his forehead. “What are you if not stressed? Something obviously happened.”
Setting his plate to the side, Chris stretched his long legs out. He sighed again. Longer this time, his shoulders slumped, and he dragged his hand across his face.
“Chris?” Osian stopped laughing with Dannel. “What happened? Your sister?”
“She’s fine. I texted her earlier.” Chris tapped his fingers against the side of his can. “She’s annoyed.”
“With you?” Osian knew from experience younger siblings could get highly irritated with overprotective brothers. He imagined Chris had the potential to be ten times worse than he was.
“Not with me. I just told her to be careful.” Chris sat up straight. “Edgar tried to call her. Twenty times. She counted.”
“Twenty? Seems excessive.” Dannel took the words out of Osian’s mouth.
“Twenty. She never answers calls from anyone. Ever. I have to leave a voice message, and she might call me back. Mostly we text.” Chris continued to sip his beer. “She said he never left a message at all. She also reminded me of the mercenary streak running through his veins. Her words.”
“Mercenary streak?” Dannel questioned.
“We took slightly different paths after serving in the military. I went into private security immediately. He did anything in the name of money before becoming the personal bodyguard for Allsop.” Chris drank the last of his beer and crushed the can in his hand.
“He’d do anything for money?” Osian wondered if that included murder. “Pity we can’t see if anyone’s dropped a load of cash on him.”
“Think Haider would give you an insight into where they’re at on the case?” Dannel nudged Osian’s leg with his foot.
“I think Haider would give me a long lecture about not getting ourselves into trouble if I try to chat with him about another case.” Osian didn’t want to push the boundaries of their friendship with the detective inspector too far. “We can, however, try chatting with Willa again.”
Chris got to his feet and walked over to look out the window. “She won’t talk.”
“Why?”
“She’s either involved or clever enough to know she’d be sinking her career down the loo to implicate anyone at the court.” Chris twisted around and leaned against the windowsill. “But…”
“But what?” Osian prompted when Chris failed to continue.
“We’re still missing out on the key point, in my opinion.” Chris twisted around again to stare out the window. “Who had access to Wayne’s keys and his tie?”
“Willa seems to have a thing for the tall, strong type. Maybe Chris can ask her a few questions?” Dannel lifted the lids of several of the boxes before selecting another slice of pizza. “She’s a solicitor.”
“We’re aware.” Chris’s continued focus on the window drew Osian’s attention. “Sorry, Dannel. I didn’t mean that as narky as it sounded.”
“Solicitors aren’t prone to answering questions for anyone. Not for real detectives or those playing at it.” Dannel made an excellent point. He frowned when Chris simply stared out the window. “What are you staring at?”
“Rolls-Royce parked across the street from your building.” Chris knocked his knuckles against the glass. “It keeps popping up.”
“Hamster’s vehicle?” Osian wandered over to join him.
Staring across the street, Osian spotted the vehicle. It was too dark to say if it really was the same one. There’s no such thing as a coincidence.
We haven’t even stuck our noses too far into the investigation yet.
Abra often told him the more affluent and powerful a person, the bigger their secrets. Barnaby’s murder had undoubtedly come with a list of people who fit that criterion. But, unfortunately, one of them seemed to be following them around.
Or having us followed.
“How do we get Willa to chat with us?” Dannel pointed his pizza at Chris. “He might be aesthetically pleasing, but he’s not enough of a fox to convince her to share all of her secrets. I doubt anyone is.”
“I feel mildly insulted.” Chris grinned. “Why don’t we try asking her a few questions? The worst she can do is say no. Or tell us to sod off.”
“She might do it anyway.” Osian had no doubts Willa would stonewall them. “How are we going to convince her to talk with us?”
“Bribe her with Jimmy Choos?” Chris stepped away from the window and headed for the door. “Anyone game to see if the Rolls takes off if we go say a cheery hello to the driver?”
“Why not?” Osian followed him with Dannel close behind. “Who’s Jimmy Choo?”
“Shoes.”
“He’s a shoe?” Dannel sounded as confused as Osian.
“Plebs,” Chris teased.
The three made their way down the stairs and out into the crisp night air. Chris strolled casually across the street. Osian was surprised when the Rolls-Royce didn’t immediately drive off.
Chris went around to the window, leaning down when it opened. “Edgar. You lost?”
“Just making sure you get home safely.” Edgar revved the engine a few times. “London can be such a dangerous place.”
“You’re a real hero.” Chris held a hand up to stop Osian when he moved closer. “Tamsyn wants you to leave her alone.”
“Always standing between her and everyone else,” Edgar scoffed. He flicked a thumb drive at Chris, who caught it easily. “The judge and his wife weren’t anywhere near Dankworth’s flat or vehicle. So you should accept the fact that your friend murdered someone. And you should get out of my way before I run you over.”
They all stepped back. Edgar revved the engine a final time before pulling away from the kerb. He disappeared around the corner several seconds later.
“That went well.” Osian glanced over at Chris, who shrugged. “So, is he stalking you or us?”
“And what’s on the thumb drive?” Dannel added.
“I imagine he’s attempting to intimidate all three of us.” Chris held up the drive in his hand. “Only one way to find out what’s on here.”
Retracing their steps, the three men eventually crowded around a laptop. Osian went to slot in the thumb drive when Chris caught his wrist. He grabbed the drive and stared intently at it.
“What?” Osian asked while Chris continued to inspect it.
“Edgar would never voluntarily offer free information without getting something in return. I’m not risking your system’s security.” Chris slipped the drive into his pocket. “There are any number of viruses he could use. Access to your laptop? Into your life? It wouldn’t take much.”
“Creepy.”
“Welcome to the modern age of stalking and surveillance.” Chris winked at him. “Listen, I’ve got a more secure way to see what Edgar’s given us. Why don’t we meet up in the morning to track down Willa Abraham? I’ll pop by my office tonight to give this thumb drive to one of our techs.”
“Why don’t I meet Chris tomorrow?” Dannel tapped Osian on his shoulder. “Aren’t you supposed to meet your mum and Olivia to chat about the wedding in the morning?”
“Bugger.” Osian rested his head against the table with an exaggerated groan. “Why don’t we elope and tell them after?”
“Sure. You get to tell everyone.”
“Never mind.” Osian liked his body intact. He had no doubts their mums would both be out for blood if they eloped. “Torture by wedding planning it is.”