Bish was still on a high next morning on the ferry heading back to Dover. The Guardian reported the arrest of Benoix and the bomb on the Calais bus. Also that Jamal Sarraf had been working with the police and was being hailed as a hero. Two students were interviewed about the terrifying moment. “Monsieur Sarraf, he says, ‘Rentrez! Rentrez!’ Go back!”
Bish wondered if all the students had also seen Monsieur Ortley have a fainting spell. But he was too happy to care. Until he saw Eddie Conlon’s face on the TV screen in the lounge. Had that journalist done exactly as she’d threatened? Or was it something worse? Don’t let him be dead. Bish strained to listen, as if he might understand by sheer force of will. His phone rang and for once he was glad to see it was Elliot.
“Eddie Conlon?” Bish said.
“Then you’ve seen it. Sarah what’s-her-face ran with the story and it’s gone fucking viral.”
The cruelty of it. Just when the boy was out of danger he was exposed as the grandson of a terrorist. Bish watched footage of the media camped outside a cottage. The graffiti on the stone wall read Eddie Bin Lardin leaves hear. All the sacrifices made to keep Eddie from this sort of hate. All for nothing.
The segment crossed to Layla Bayat walking out of the Holloway grounds, closely followed by a press pack.
“Why is the press after Layla Bayat?” he asked Elliot.
“Asking whether it’s true she was asked to leave Silvey and Grayson because of her links to a terrorist cell.”
Bish swore under his breath, moving closer to the screen.
“What’s Noor saying about her children, Layla?”
He watched as Layla stopped walking, and for a moment he thought she was going to have a meltdown on live TV. But only for a moment.
“We’ll deal with the treatment of Violette and Eddie soon enough,” she said to the first microphone poked in her face. “For now, I’m here because Noor LeBrac’s confession thirteen years ago was obtained illegally, by coercion. Her imprisonment is unlawful. Louis Sarraf acted on his own and my client is innocent.”
Bish felt his heart somersault.
His phone beeped a message.
Can you make sure nothing happens to her? Please.
Jimmy. Helplessly watching the girl he loved from across the Channel.