Page 62 of Deep Waters

Harry didn’t know what else to say. While he couldn’t blame Antoni for Tom’s death, if he hadn’t waited a week to come forward with what he knew, it would have been avoided. “Okay, you need to speak to the police now, before anyone else gets hurt.” He pulled out his phone. It had gone five o’clock. “Let’s head back to the gallery and you can call them from there.”

He noticed he had a text message and opened it. It was from Christian.

“Shit,” he said. “The police are already looking for Reece Wallace.” He showed Antoni the phone.

Antoni’s eyes widened. “Reece? No. It can’t be him.”

“Didn’t you just say he was one of Niko’s models?”

“Yes, but…”

“Come on. Let’s go. The sooner you tell the police what you know, the better.”

* * * *

Christian couldn’t sit still. Dominic and Arnie did their best to calm him, but all he could think about was Harry. After twenty minutes or so, Harry replied to his text message.

I can’t believe it. I’m on South Pier with Antoni but going back to town now. Antoni has info for the police.

Christian jumped to his feet and hurried to collect his coat. “If he’s with Antoni, they’re probably heading to the gallery. I’ll meet them there.”

“I’ll drive you,” Dominic offered.

“No. It’ll be quicker to walk.” There was no direct route by road. Dominic would have to navigate the tight back streets. It would be more direct for him to head down from North Point and through the harbour.

“Text us when you get there,” Arnie said, “so we know you are all right.”

Christian agreed and hurried out of the door. He was probably overreacting, but years of experience as a journalist had taught him to trust his instincts. He needed to be with Harry. There had been enough disasters already. He wouldn’t risk another one.

The force of the wind took him by surprise when he left the house. North Point was the highest peak in Nyemouth and the gale cut straight across it with little shelter. Christian tucked his chin in and hurried down the bank.

He wondered what Harry had meant in his text. Antoni has information.About what? Reece Wallace?Whatever it was, the sooner he shared it with the police, the sooner it would be over. The situation had gone far enough.

Christian knew nothing about Reece other than what little Harry had told him. He’d helped on the boat earlier in the week when Tom had taken ill. He wondered how much Harry trusted the young man. If he encountered Reece before the police made an arrest, would he try to reason with him? Christian hoped not. It would be better to keep well away until they knew exactly why he was wanted.

In all his years on the job, he had never been this personally invested in a story. Like Marie Baxter-Booth, he was used to turning up, following the facts and moving on when it was over. This was different. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to Harry now, not when his feelings were so strong. He couldn’t keep his mind from running through all the things that could go wrong. Once he had pictured the thought of Harry, fatally wounded, he couldn’t turn it off.

Reaching the steep steps down to the harbour, he gripped the railing as the wind buffered him from behind. Despite the dangers, he quickened his pace. The sooner he reached Harry, the easier he would feel.

* * * *

“I don’t believe Reece is the kind of man who would do something like this, something so violent,” Antoni said.

“Until today, neither did I,” Harry remarked. “But it seems people are capable of all kinds of things I couldn’t imagine.”

They had reached the exit of South Pier and the steep bank leading back to the town centre. The wind howled stronger than ever. There was no point in trying to make a phone call until they had reached a more sheltered area.

“Do you know for certain he’s one of the boys in Niko’s videos?” Harry asked. “Like, when did he even turn eighteen? Surely he’s not old enough.”

“He’ll be old enough,” Antoni answered. “I got the impression from Niko that everything he did was above board and legal. He took it very seriously. He won’t have taken the chance of doing anything that might get him banned from the sites. There was too much money at stake. But no, I don’t know for sure, only what Niko told me. I haven’t seen any of his videos.”

“You’ll have to tell the police everything.”

“I know,” Antoni snapped. “And I will. They probably know most of it by now, anyway. Why else would they be looking for him?”

Harry bit his lip. There was no point starting an argument with Antoni. It was a squabble for another time. He had no idea how he was going to explain any of this to Rachel and Tom’s family. They were still coming to terms with his death. He couldn’t imagine how they would cope learning about his side-line with Niko.

The sky above was black with ominous clouds. It wouldn’t get dark for another hour, but the rain looked like it would come away at any second.

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