Page 103 of Final Betrayal

Lottie glanced at her phone. Shit, she hadn’t even succeeded in turning it on. ‘Do you know how this works?’

‘Of course I do.’ He pressed a button on the side of the phone and it lit up.

‘Thanks,’ Lottie said. ‘It’s been a long day. Head home and be back in at six in the morning. You can get to work on Louise’s friends then.’

‘I’m grand. I’ll punch in another few hours on the CCTV.’

‘Up to you.’

As McKeown left, Kirby walked in.

Lottie beckoned him to sit. ‘What’s up with you? You look worse than I feel.’

He slumped into the chair and tried to flatten his hair with his stumpy fingers.

‘I smell alcohol,’ she said. ‘My senses are heightened since I gave it up. Whiskey, if I’m not mistaken.’

‘That’s why you’re the inspector and I’m not.’ He grinned.

‘You can wipe that smirk off your face. You can’t go waltzing off to drink in the middle of an investigation.’ She felt herself blush. She’d done it often enough. But those days were behind her. She hoped.

‘Sorry, boss. Won’t happen again.’

‘Right so. Tell me you have news.’

‘I had a drink with Councillor Whyte. I asked him about the phone you found hidden at his house.’

‘And?’ Lottie rubbed her hand over her furrowed brow, trying to smooth away the pain that was buzzing in her temple. Kirby was slipping in and out of focus. She needed to lie down. McKeown was right. She wasn’t well at all.

‘He told me the phone was his. He used it to communicate with Cyril Gill. He said Gill is convinced that smartphones aren’t safe, that everything gets recorded and could be used against him.’

‘Why? What has he to hide?’

‘We’ve been here before, boss. Councillors and developers. Dodgy deals. Backhanders. Whyte wasn’t too forthcoming when I pressed him.’

‘Planning corruption again.’ Lottie slapped her desk. ‘He could be filling you with bullshit.’

‘His daughter’s dead. He’s a man with nothing left to lose. Said he’d send in the SIM card when he finds it.’

Lottie leaned back in her chair and winced. Her back was in bits. ‘I reckon he has enough time to either flush it down the toilet or wipe it clean.’

‘He was fairly drunk. I think he told me the truth.’

‘As soon as you get it, inform me. Anything else?’

‘The CCTV seems to be a dead end.’

‘You and McKeown need to keep on it.’

‘Yes, boss.’ Kirby stood and made for the door, his body slow and bulky.

‘Will you do me a favour?’

‘Sure.’

‘Pull the Bill Thompson file again.’

‘The assault and robbery case that Conor Dowling served ten years for?’

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