Page 68 of The Guilty Girl

He chewed on his lip, hard, and his hand found the beads again. ‘Brontë was asleep when I got in. She won’t be able to tell you the exact time. I don’t want you bothering her. She has only a few weeks to go before our son is born, and I really have to get back to the hospital. I came home to pick up a few things for her.’

‘What does your wife work at?’

‘What has that to do with anything?’

‘Humour me.’

‘She’s a PA. For Bright Side Home Furnishings.’

‘She must be paid well.’

‘We manage.’

‘I’m curious as to how you can afford this lovely home. Do you do any other work besides being a DJ?’

‘What are you suggesting?’

‘Answer the question.’

‘No, I don’t work anywhere else at the moment.’ He looked at the floor. ‘I was let go from a building site about two months ago. Job finished. It’s tough at the moment, but I’ll get something else soon.’

‘Where was this job?’

‘In Dublin. The construction of the new Coyle Plaza Hotel.’

‘Okay. Where were you last weekend?’ Lottie wondered if he could have been Lucy’s mystery email contact.

‘Last weekend? What has that got to do—’ He caught her dagger look. ‘I was here. At home. We’d bought a cot in IKEA and it took me the guts of two days to make the blasted thing. Flat-pack is a pain in the hole, and me in the building trade.’

‘The guy doing security at Lucy’s, are you sure you don’t know him?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘His name is Noel Glennon. He’s a teacher at Lucy’s school and the athletics coach. Ring any bells?’

He shook his head. The beaded necklace was wound tight around his fingers.

‘Was he still there when you left?’

‘There was no one on the door, if that’s what you mean. He could have been in the garden, or the toilet. I don’t know.’

‘Did you see anyone hanging around who maybe shouldn’t have been there?’

‘It was just a crowd of teenagers letting their hair down, having a good time.’

Lottie caught his tone. Insinuating that she couldn’t have a good time, or maybe she needed to let her hair down. Well fuck you, Richie Harrison.

‘Call into the station today to make a formal statement. We need all the help we can get. Are you willing to do that?’

‘Sure, if you insist. But Lucy can back up everything I’ve told you. Ask her.’

‘Unfortunately, I can’t ask her anything,’ Lottie said.

Kirby added, ‘You see, Richie, Lucy McAllister was murdered sometime during the night. And I may as well tell you, a lot of blood was spilled.’

They left him sitting there with his mouth hanging open.

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