Peach told him. She told him everything – about her late-night phone call from Curtis Clay, about her narrow escape from Justin’s apartment with Annalie’s help, about her late-night search of Ogden Bush’s office, about her discovery of Justin’s safe house, about the article she’d found about Frank Macy. It was a relief to say it out loud. To admit how much it meant to her to find the truth.

‘Jesus,’ he said she when she was finally done. ‘You’ve been busy.’

She expected a lecture. Give it up. Let the police do their job. He didn’t bother, because he knew she wouldn’t listen.

‘This guy in Justin’s apartment, the one who claimed to be a cop,’ he said. ‘Who is he? Is there any way we can find him?’

Peach shook her head. ‘I didn’t recognize him.’

‘He sounds like a private detective,’ Deacon said.

‘Working for who?’

‘I don’t know, but I’ll pull some state photo records for you to look through. Maybe we can ID him that way.’ Deacon hesitated, and he didn’t look happy. ‘You know, there’s something you have to think about. I know you won’t like it.’

‘What?’

‘This could still be all about drugs. Drug cases pull people out of the woodwork. Everybody smells money. This Curtis Clay, he could be hooked up with dealers looking for cash or dope.’

‘What about the photo I found? What about Frank Macy?’

‘You said it yourself,’ Deacon reminded her. ‘Macy’s got a long track record with drugs. If Justin was involved with someone like that, then it’s possible that Macy or one of his allies took him out. I just want you to be prepared if the truth about Justin is something you’re not happy with.’

Peach was silent. She knew Deacon was right, but she didn’t believe it. Then she said: ‘I need to get close to Macy.’

‘No way,’ Deacon said. ‘Doing research is one thing, but I don’t want you going near this guy.’

‘I’m not going to walk up to him and start asking questions! I listen. Nobody knows I’m around. If I can get close enough, maybe he’ll say something. This is humint, this is what I do.’

‘I know, and you’re very good at what you do, but do you think this guy isn’t? Don’t believe his baby face. Criminals like Macy develop eyes in the back of their head.’

‘I get it, but I need to know why Justin was interested in him. If it’s not about drugs, then there’s something else. What could it be? Macy’s been out of circulation for eight years.’

Deacon hesitated. ‘Okay, look, don’t read too much into this.’

‘Into what? Do you know something about him?’