Chapter 31

 

Jimmy leaned against the side of his car, parked around the corner from the police station. No need to go being too conspicuous. At least out here the bird had more space to flit about.

The rest of his entourage were also around him. Dubois and Detective Jansen stood directly ahead, staring at him with accusatory gazes.

‘Neither of you should be surprised that I did what I did,’ he said, making sure to ask no questions.

That they only spoke when questioned made their haunting less of a problem than it could be. He just needed to close his eyes. He didn’t get how just seeing them all the time would drive anyone mad. Not that it was the Gun’s purpose. Maybe it was something else about the Gun that drove the user mad, and the Euclideans had simply assumed the haunting was responsible.

That was a cheerful thought. His earpiece was in, in case any of the sporadic pedestrians happened to pay attention when he spoke.

‘I’m sure you didn’t share everything,’ he said to Dubois. Then he turned to Jansen. ‘And while we kinda work for the same people, I’d prefer having Detective Kinsala around a bit longer.’ And maybe he owed her for saving him from the hollowed. Saving her life should cover it. Or would’ve if Jansen had intended to kill her, which it seemed he hadn’t. But it was the thought that counted. Not that he’d ever cared about such debts before, unless they were owed to him. He still wasn’t sure why he’d interfered. At least he’d used the disposable piece after the Ghost Gun, so Kinsala shouldn’t know it was him.

It meant she wouldn’t be after him for killing her partner. If his involvement was deduced by anyone, his employers would be far more of a danger than a detective.

He shouldn’t have used the Ghost Gun on Jansen, anyway. The man had no information he needed, and another ghost hanging about was just irritating. It was a dumb move. He should be more careful.

What Jansen had left inside the office had been a surprise. Jimmy wanted to ask why he’d killed Lagrange, but found himself reluctant. He didn’t want to know the reason. That made no sense. It wasn’t as though he’d feel guilt over killing Jansen, just because Jansen wasn’t the total shit-heel he’d believed. The bosses would likely have ordered him taken out after his actions were discovered, anyway.

None of it meant anything. Everyone died. They all had it coming. Little that any of them did in their lives ultimately mattered.

‘Let it all burn,’ he told his audience. ‘If it offers a moment’s distraction.’

Minetti’s brother came into view, carrying the bag of his brother’s belongings he’d claimed from the police. He handed it to Jimmy. There was little unusual inside: phone, wallet, some loose change, other detritus not worth his time. He took the phone and handed the bag back, along with payment.

Minetti’s brother nodded, turned, and left.

Getting back in the car, and failing to shut the bird out, Jimmy opened his laptop and connected it to the phone. He had a few pieces of software, legal and otherwise, that let him interrogate cell phones. It didn’t take much effort to restore deleted texts, and he worked backwards from the time the bodies were found. He hoped that whoever had done it had assumed deleting texts was enough.

They had. There it was. Giovanni himself, arranging to meet with Minetti. That would have been big for Minetti, and he’d have been happy to comply. It wouldn’t necessarily have been Giovanni - probably wouldn’t have, in fact. Someone from Singularity was more likely, to avoid a trail in-house.

Giovanni was the mole. It might not be conclusive, but it added to his existing suspicions.

Jimmy had only referred to Euclidean Industries when giving his report. Giovanni had referred to them as The Euclideans, as had others who knew of them. It could simply have been a choice of phrasing, of course.

So he’d asked whether to hunt the mole, or continue investigating the mole’s enemies, and been directed to the latter.

Hardly conclusive proof. But proof was for cops. He knew this was true.

Even if he had proof, it’d be his word against Giovanni’s if he took that route. There was no doubt who’d have more influence in the organisation.

The safest option was to kill Giovanni, and apologise later if discovered. Especially now he had a post-mortem method of questioning suspects.