Page 91 of Making a Killing

I can see from her face she suspects it’s rather more than that, but she isn’t going to demean herself by asking.

‘She’s pretty enough. Not that tall. Slim. Long red hair like her mother’s.’

I don’t let my face betray me. ‘Kate Madigan has long red hair too? Has she always had it like that?’

‘In the five years they’ve been here, I’ve never seen it any other way. She has beautiful hair, that I will say.’

‘What about earrings? Do you happen to know if either of them have pierced ears?’

She looks at me as if I’m slightly deranged. ‘I have no idea. I never went close enough to see.’

‘Thank you, Mrs McCafferty, you’ve been an enormous help.’

Her nose wrinkles; evidently that’s the last thing she wanted to hear.

The woman who opens the door at the other side is Ukrainian and has only been in the country three months. She has no idea who was living there before, but says the landlord just rents it out on short lets, so that’s not going to get us very far. Five minutes later we’re in Ryan’s car. It’s a Corsa so it’s a bit of a squeeze, and Quinn’s looking distinctly cheesed off rammed in the back with his knees wedged against my seat. I can feel him breathing down my neck, which Alex would no doubt say was the power of metaphor.

‘What was the thing about the boyfriend?’ asks Ryan as she fastens her seat belt. ‘You seemed to think it was significant.’

‘First we’ve heard of there being anyone like that in the picture. Assuming the old lady hasn’t got her wires crossed.’

‘I don’t reckon much gets past that old buzzard,’ says Quinn grimly. ‘She’s probably at that bloody window all hours God sends.’

Ryan sits back now and turns to face us. ‘So, I’ve had a message from the station. They’ve contacted the head of the school where Katherine Madigan used to work, and she’s suggested we speak to one of the other teachers. Apparentlyshe and Madigan were reasonably close, back in the day.’

‘Is this woman in Belfast?’

She starts the engine. ‘She is. She has an apartment in one of the new blocks on River Terrace. Very swanky.’

‘She’s still a teacher?’

‘Sheis, yes, but her husband works for one of those big accountancy firms. Hence the apartment.’ She signals and pulls out into the street. ‘Good news is, your hotel is on the way. The Travelodge, right?’

I hear Quinn mutter, ‘Whoop whoop,’ and Ryan suppresses a smile only I can see.

***

Importance: URGENT

Date:Sat 27/07/2024, 18.23

From:[email protected]

To:[email protected]

CC:[email protected]

Subject: Re: Case no LBS734/14G Dental implant

The implant has been traced to a dental clinic in Santa Monica. The patient is listed as Robin Tierney, DOB 26/11/1999. The practice is sending over her full dental history for further comparison, but I suspect this will just be a formality. I’m confident we have an identification.

Any further questions, just let me know.

SP

Suk Pannu MD FRCPath

Consultant Pathologist, Gloucester Hospitals NHS Trust

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