Page 47 of Her Last Walk Home

‘You do know her well then?’

‘Just casually. Met her in London when I was at an investment conference there. She’s in banking.’

‘Okay. Go on.’ Kirby wasn’t at all sure that Collins was revealing the full extent of his relationship with Mrs Morgan, but he didn’t want to stop his flow.

‘John had been in Australia with his dad for two years, working in the mines. Back-breaking work. He made good money but gambled it away. As I said, I met Brenda at a conference. Listened to her story and she asked if I could give her son a job. She vouched for him and he turned out to be an excellent hire.’

‘Have you any idea who would want him dead?’

‘No. Unless a gambling debt came back to haunt him.’

‘An old one, or something more recent?’

‘He promised he was finished with all that. I had no reason to doubt him. Patrick never brought anything to my attention.’

‘Patrick didn’t mention the gambling to me at all,’ Kirby said.

‘Then I believe John was over it.’

‘If not a gambling debt, can you think of anything else?’

‘His mother asked the same thing on the phone and I’ll give you the same answer. I can’t think of any reason why someone would kill the lad.’

Kirby stared out the windscreen at the muddy site. ‘He seems to have been a loner.’

‘From what I know, he found it hard to make friends and kept himself to himself. A hard worker, he went above and beyondwhat he had to do. He got on with his colleagues. It’s a shame that the good die young.’

‘So they say.’ Kirby held out hope for a long life for himself. ‘John walked into the foreman’s job pretty handy. Was there any pushback from the rest of the workers here?’

‘Not that I’m aware of. Patrick didn’t mention anything and no one came to me to complain.’

Scratching his chin, Kirby wondered if there was a question he should be asking, but he couldn’t think what it might be.

‘You can email or text Mrs Morgan’s details to me.’ He handed over his card.

‘I’ll do it straight away.’

‘And John’s dad, how can we contact him?’

‘You should ask his mother that question. He might still be in Oz.’ Collins turned noisily on the leather seat to face him. ‘My firm is in financial difficulty and I’m in the process of closing down the site. Temporarily, until cash flow improves. Don’t try to link John’s death to my money troubles.’

Kirby put his hand on the door, ready to exit. ‘We’ll do what we have to do.’

‘I warn you, though, Brenda is a very powerful woman in the financial world. You’d do well not to cross her, and I know she will want her son’s killer brought to justice. Sooner rather than later.’

‘Thanks for the heads-up.’

Once he was out of the jeep, Kirby lit his cigar again. Running a hand through his wild, bushy hair, he walked slowly through the unfinished part of the estate until he reached his car. He felt more confused than ever.

Gordon sat in his Range Rover for ages after watching the detective walk off puffing on a cigar. He noticed a cement lorry arriving to pour foundations. Had Patrick not got the bloody memo? All supplies were to be cancelled.

He jumped out and clamped his hat onto his head. At the cabin door, he halted, turned and glanced over at the work that had been completed – and the work yet to be done once he got his finances sorted. But in an instant, all that paled as he thought of John Morgan. The boy had been a good worker. True. And he’d taken him under his wing. But his mother was a bloody nuisance. Brenda had lived in his ear regularly, wanting news about her son. Was he gambling? How was he doing at work? He wasn’t the lad’s father, for God’s sake. But he’d mentored him as best he could. He had never wanted a son. Too much bloody trouble. He adored his daughters.

He entered the office to take his frustration out on Patrick, who rarely talked back. Just what Gordon needed.

38

As she washed down the kitchen, she felt the presence behind her. She didn’t turn round. Kept her concentration on the wall. On her hand holding the damp cloth.

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