‘So he’s still in a job where he travels,’ Tom said. ‘Well, that’s something. Just because Steve is not Stephen doesn’t mean Steve is not the man we’re looking for. Am I right, Linda?’

‘Sounds like you’re practicing tongue-twisters, but yes, that makes sense.’

‘Nope,’ Michael interrupted. ‘I can categorically state that Steve Moore is no longer a person of interest.’

The inspector sat back in his chair.

‘He’s dead, isn’t he?’

‘Heart attack, three years ago. Rowing on the Shannon. He’d been taking steroids, apparently.’

‘Right. Well, make sure that good news gets passed on to Pauline’s sister. She could do with some this week.’

Michael left and Tom dropped his head into his hands.

‘Back to square one,’ he sighed.

‘You’ve nothing at all from the bodies or the scene?’ Linda asked. ‘Nothing from that fat oaf who’s meant to be helping?’

‘If you mean Emmet McDonagh, he’s assisting as much as he can, Linda. Honestly, will you two ever kiss and make up? It’s such a tragedy the way you go on, when you have such a ton of history together.’

‘What do you mean by that?’ Linda’s voice was clipped. Tom swallowed, realising he’d made an error. Louise had told him the circumstances behind Emmet and Linda’s break-up, but it was meant to be top secret. The psychologist would know he was lying if he tried to wriggle out of this one.

‘I know, okay?’ he conceded. ‘I know what happened between you two. You wanted to leave your husband to be with Emmet and it caused a rift in your family. He decided against leaving his wife and didn’t tell you why and then you went around shouting the odds not knowing she’d cancer. It’s a devastating story, but it’s in the past. Surely it’s time to forgive and forget?’

Linda glared at him.

‘That’s what you know, is it?’ She stood up abruptly. Her gold bangles jingled on each arm as she threw her chiffon scarf over her shoulder. ‘You don’t know the half of it, darling.’

She strode out of the room, leaving Tom sitting there, puzzled.

There was clearly more to the story.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the headspace right now to be delving into Linda and Emmet’s convoluted past. He’d two missed calls from Ray. Hopefully that meant something had turned up in Cork.

He was just about to dial his deputy’s number when Michael burst back in, cheeks flushed and eyes wide.

‘We’ve contact, boss. A letter. He has her. The killer has Fiona Holland.’

CHAPTER 20

Ray and Laura hadn’t yet searched the cellar. A crime scene unit was en route from Cork City, Emmet McDonagh having secured its speedy deployment.

In the meantime, Laura phoned Glendale village and summoned Sergeant Ultan Doyle.