Seamus’s tone was matter-of-fact. “Like I said, Bonnie and Clyde. It was sick.”

“But you helped them.”

“I didn’t help them with that. They did that shit on their own. But yeah, I took care of stuff, mostly around here. You know, maintenance, chores, running errands.”

Joe proceeded carefully, not pushing too hard, too fast, and certainly not driving home that Seamus had murdered Lucy Shaw. “Okay. I don’t want to put words in your mouth or suggest anything that didn’t happen. But what do you mean they grabbed boys? Give us details. It might help us find Shaw so we can hold him accountable for what he did to you here.”

Seamus’s anger flared. “That’ll be the day. You won’t catch him. What do you not get, anyhow? He liked boys. She liked boys. They grabbed ’em, used ’em, and killed ’em. That’s where he came up with the plastic bag trick.”

“For how long?”

“Years. I don’t know. Before I got hired.”

“And nobody got wise?”

His answer was simple. “Money, baby. What d’you think? If they did, they got paid off. Or ended up like your dead car thief.”

“I don’t get why Shaw wanted his wife dead,” Willy said.

He was interrupted by a man in black appearing in the doorway. “Hi, guys,” he said pleasantly, his soothing tone contrasting with his helmet, pushed-up goggles, vest, gun, combat boots, and equipment.

Joe studied him for a split second before saying, “Monk? Christian Monk?”

“Mock, sir,” Christian corrected him, duly impressed. “I can’t believe you came that close. What’ve we met? Twice? If that?”

Returning to business, he addressed Seamus, whose almost relaxed body language had completely tightened up again. “Hello, sir. My name is Christian. What’s yours?”

Mock was approaching as Kyle barely said, “Seamus.”

The bomb tech began spreading out his vest on the floor, chatting easily. “I’m here to see if we can get you out of this pickle. I’m assuming that’s okay with you?”

Seamus nodded.

“First things first, then,” Christian said, his voice more serious. “I gotta ask you to stay absolutely still and focus only on me, okay? And just to explain things a bit, I have a microphone and a camera rigged to this thing around my head, along with the light. That means I’ll be talking to a buddy of mine who’s in a van outside. He and I like to talk things out, now and then, sort of problem-solve, if you get my meaning. So, there’ll be some of that as we go. You got that? Just answer. Do not nod your head.”

Seamus nervously said, “Yes.”

Christian then turned to the others near the room’s door. “Probably best you give us a little space, to cut down on distractions. Would you mind?”

It was a nice way of suggesting that if not all of them wanted to die in an explosion, now would be the time to leave.

Seamus stiffened, his eyes glued to Joe’s, who responded without hesitation, “I’ll keep Seamus company, if you don’t mind. I think he’d like that.”