Page 91 of The Meaning Of You

“You’re positive?” Ian checked.

Gazza gave a helpless look. “As much as I can be, I suppose.”

Ian frowned. “Do you have a photo? What do you know about him? What he does for a job, where he lives, that sort of thing.”

Gazza started scrolling through his photos. “He hated having his pic taken and he’s not on social media—” He looked up when Ian grunted. “Shit, that doesn’t sound good, does it?”

Ian circled his finger. “Keep looking.”

Gazza went back to his phone. “We were at a party a couple of weeks ago and my friend posts on Instagram all the time. Ben blew up at him once and made him take one down, but nothing much fazes Kevin.”

“What about a job? What did he do?” Samuel asked.

Gazza continued to scroll. “He’s a physio... I think. He works shifts so we didn’t see a whole lot of each other. It was kind of a slow-burn thing. I met him at a diabetic support group, and he always came to my place because he was living with his mum, saving money for a house. He said he didn’t want to introduce anyone unless it was serious.” His explanation had grown slower and slower, until at the end he simply groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “Oh god, I’ve been a total fucking idiot, haven’t I?”

Shirley stroked Gazza’s back. “No, you haven’t. You did nothing except be the fabulous man that you are. He’s the dickhead. You can’t help if he was fucking you around.”

Ian and Samuel blinked in surprise and I almost smiled. Welcome to Madigan’s Aunt.

Shirley sandwiched Gazza’s hand between both of hers. “There’ll be time for getting filthy mad later. Right now, we need you.”

I was still thinking about the voice on the video. “Play it again... please.” When everyone turned to stare at me, I explained, “Remember I said the voice of the man behind me sounded familiar. I have that same feeling about the recording. But I’ve never met Gazza’s ex. I never even met Gazza until today.”

“Play it,” Samuel ordered.

Gazza hit play, and by the end of the recording, I was positive I knew the guy even if I couldn’t come up with a name.

“Ugh,” I groaned in frustration. “It’s on the tip of my tongue.”

“I feel the same.” Jerry pulled her chair forward to join us.

“What is wrong with you people?” Shirley glared around the group. “That’s?—”

“I’ve found one!” Gazza held his phone aloft. “It’s only a side view, but Ben is the one sitting next to me.” He handed the phone to me first and my gaze darted to Samuel.

He nodded. “Go ahead.”

The photo was of five men sitting around a table covered in beer cans alongside a swimming pool full of half-naked people. It was taken at night, but the pool lights did a good job of highlighting the faces. And there was no mistaking who it was. I sucked in a breath because,holy shit.

Shirley threw up her hands. “It’s Tobin, isn’t it?”

We all turned to look at her.

“What?” She shook her head disappointedly. “None of you have ears?”

I passed the phone to Jerry who took one look and gasped, “Jesus, she’s right.”

Shirley grunted. “Of course I am.”

Gazza looked between us. “Who the fuck is Tobin?”

It was me who answered, my brain spinning in circles. “He’s a nurse at Golden Oaks. He looked after Davis.”

“Hewasa nurse at Golden Oaks,” Jerry amended. “Tobin Cleary. Been with us about six months.” She looked around the group. “He resigned two weeks after Davis died.”

The shocked silence that greeted her words said everything, and Gazza turned ghostly white, his expression a study in misery and betrayal. “That fucker lied to me all this time and I never saw it. Never once thought he wasn’t who he said he was. How is that possible? How could I be so stupid?”

Ian’s attention fixed on Jerry. “We’ll need to get hold of your boss so we can look at what you’ve got on your files, especially any address.” He turned to Samuel. “Get that name in the system and see what it spits out.”

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