Chapter 33

REID CLOSED THE DOOR to his office behind his sister. “Sit if you like.” He went around to his desk and sat down. Detached, he let his eyes take in this place in which he spent so much time. Never had the bare room seemed so desolate, so empty. Like his life.

Darby’s gaze was cool but not entirely unsympathetic. “I gather she told you.”

“She did.” He picked up his coffee mug and took a drink. He hadn’t been able to even contemplate eating anything, but the coffee at least poured some warmth on the ice that had enveloped his body. “I trust you can keep your mouth shut.”

“Yes, of course. Isn’t that what we do in our family? Keep our mouths shut?”

“Thank you.” He couldn’t spare the effort to puzzle out what she was implying. Right now, his own pain was overwhelming. But soon he’d get over it, and it wouldn’t matter anymore. It would all be in his past.

“You’ll get an annulment?”

“That’s none of your business.” He shut his eyes briefly. But what choice did he have?

It had been different with his father and mother. They’d had their own children together first. If his mother hadn’t come back, Terrence and his brother and sister would have grown up either without their mother or without their father. Here, there was a better choice. The child wouldn’t have to be split between two homes. Its mother and father could quickly marry before anyone knew Anne was pregnant. The child would not grow up being taunted about his mother being another man’s whore.

“There’ll be no trouble getting a divorce with what she’s done. If you get a good solicitor, she shouldn’t be able to bleed any money out of you at all.”

“It’s none of your business.” He repeated, feeling his eyes glaze over. He knew he needed to let Anne go. Quickly. He knew it, and he’d do it, but he didn’t want to hear it from his sister.

“Jesus, Terrence, you can’t let her use you like this.”

“Shut up, Darby. Shut the fuck up.” He saw her reel from his rare use of the obscenity, but there was no other word that fit his frustration with her, and with the entire situation in which he found himself.

“I just can’t fathom how you can have anything to do with her after this.”

“She’s my wife, Darby. Even with this mess, in any contest between you and her, she wins. So again—shut the fuck up. I would like to talk about the investigation, if you can focus.” He kept his voice hard, but he wanted to cry—something he’d never let himself do.

Darby’s face clouded over. “Of course. Why listen to me? Who am I to you, anyway?”

His head hurt. “What are you talking about?”

She waved his question away. “Never mind. I need to tell you what I learned from DI Lawrence last night.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to clear his mind. “Go on, then.”

“All right, but don’t yell at me. The first thing is about Anne. He knows she’s here–with you in the flat. He mentioned it last night at dinner.”

Now his head was pounding against his skull. He could hardly think. “How could he possibly know? The only place we’ve gone together since she’s come was to the house. And the only other time she went out was with the designer.” He narrowed his eyes at his sister. “You’re the only one who’s been at the flat since she came.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t tell him. I’m just telling you what he said.”

He shook his head, hoping for the return of the protective sheet of ice over his heart. “It doesn’t matter, but it’s bloody odd he’d know. What else did you find out?”

“He’s adamant Von Zandt’s not involved in Ramsey’s murder.”

“Did he say why?”

“He said instinct. I had a feeling it was something else.”

“Such as?”

“I’m not sure. It was just a feeling. He did say he thought if Von Zandt had done it, we wouldn’t have been able to pin it down as a murder. That Von Zandt’s people would have done a better job at concealing the actual cause of death.”

“That crossed my mind as well. But even a professional makes a miscalculation sometimes–and even professionals sometimes use amateur help. Besides, if the train was going a bit faster or the body position was just a little different, we wouldn’t have been able to see the puncture mark.”

Darby made a face, then asked, “Did you know Lawrence has a girlfriend that works at CID headquarters?”

Reid turned. “No.”

“I don’t think he advertises her existence.”

“How did you find out?”

She smirked. “The cow came into the pub where we were having dinner. Made a bit of a scene when she saw him with me. He had to leave and go after her.”

“What’s her name?”

“Shelley something.”

Reid mused. “There’s a Shelley who works for Chief Superintendent Steynton, but it couldn’t be the same one. Steynton’s admin’s not the not the type I’d have thought would attract DI Lawrence.”

“Minger?”

“I don’t like that word, but yes, she’s unattractive.”

“If she’s downright butt ugly, then I’d guess it’s the same Shelley. On the fat side of plump and disgustingly bad skin. Dresses badly and just plain mean.”

“That’s her.”

Darby made a face. “Either she’s fantastic in bed or there’s something else he’s getting from her. He was embarrassed of her, but terrified when she walked out. He ran after her. Left me sitting there like yesterday’s breakfast. That was a first for me.”

Considering the memos and other information that would go through Steynton’s desk, Reid thought he knew what DI Lawrence saw in the hapless Shelley. “I’ll look into that. Just now, I’d best get going. I’m off to Ramsey’s funeral.”

Her face indecipherable, Darby said, “Terrence, about Anne—you’ll be fine. You’re certainly not the only man who’s ever been in this situation.”

Reid flinched at the undercurrent of bitterness in his sister’s voice. Although he knew Darby hated Anne, this seemed to be directed not just at Anne, but also at him. Something was going on. He would have to talk to Darby, find out what it was.

But not now.