George Fellows was paid by leaving a shit-ton of cash in Amazon delivery pick-up points around the country. Fabian would hear soon where to leave the first instalment. Private investigation didn’t come cheap. George would need travel and living expenses, as well as potential bribes and unexpected costs. Fifty thousand should be a convincing initial remuneration. But he knew that George was loyal. Employees were always easier to control when you had personal dirt on them. George Fellows had lost custody of his daughter to his ex-wife, and he wanted her back. Their family could pull strings in social care. George Fellows would do anything for them. But George was also a violent man, and the hope of seeing his daughter again was something that Fabian realised could keep him dependable a little while longer. Desperate people had loose boundaries and that was just what he needed right now.

The call left him buoyant. Adrenalin shot through his body; his father would approve. ‘Don’t think, Fabian, do!’

Now he fully understood. All the lost years, missing his father, knowing he was building his legacy for his only son, left a pain which tore at his heart. They’d never had chance to get to know one another and here he stood, with all the money in the world at his fingertips, but no one to guide him. He wiped his eyes and buttered some toast. Was he ready? He was about to find out.

His phone buzzed again and he recognised the number as the private office of the editor of the newspaper.

‘Quentin! Good morning. Tell me why you would pay a freelancer climate freak nerd to trash my father in your newspaper, did the education we paid for teach you nothing?’

Chapter 29

Kelly read the headline of one of the numerous news articles on her phone. It was the age in which they lived. Public opinion mattered. Social media could destroy cases; it could also lead to stunning leaps forward in investigations. She’d grabbed another coffee from Jock, who was already pulling pints of Stella, despite it only being midday or thereabouts, and had taken it outside to open the attachment on her phone, sent by Rob.