Page 16 of Absent Remorse

She started to look at their social media next, hoping to get a sense of what the two of them did outside of their work lives. Amber quickly found that she’d stumbled across more than that, though, because as she started to go through their friends and followers online, she realized that the two knew one another. They were social media friends at least, with both of them identified in photographs at a local gym. When Amber looked at those photographs, they were there almost next to one another in group pictures, and there again working together on some kickboxing pad holding.

“I think I’ve found something,” Amber said.

Simon looked over at her, obviously intrigued.

“Mandy Grieder and Rose Ferne knew one another. They seem to have worked out together at a place called First Hit Fitness.”

“So, there’s a chance that they were killed because of that connection between them,” Simon said. He stood up.

“Are we going to the gym?” Amber asked.

Simon shook his head, though. “I already arranged to talk to Alicia Greening’s husband. I want to get more of a sense of her and to ask if she had the same connection to the gym. If she did,thenwe’ll go talk to people there. We might also get more of a sense of what’s going on.”

A part of Amber wanted to go straight to the gym, but she knew that was just because she was eager to make progress. That, and she knew that it was going to be hard, seeing someone so soon after they’d lost their wife. Yet she also knew that they had to do things this way.

“All right,” she said. “Let’s go see the husband.”

***

Amber felt more nervous than she might have thought as she and Simon pulled up outside the small suburban house that had been home to Alicia Greening and her husband. His car was already in the driveway: an expensive-looking Mercedes.

“Michael Greening is a government official,” Simon said. “High enough up to be important, not high enough that he and his wife were surrounded by security.”

“So, you’re wondering if this might also be something to do with his job?” Amber asked.

“It’s possible,” Simon said. “Someone might have targeted his wife to make a statement, or to try to achieve something connected with his department.”

“Then what about the other two women?” Amber asked.

Simon considered that for a moment or two. “I don’t know. If they all knew one another, or if there are connections between them and the same government department, it’s possible. But I think it’s less likely than other angles. We won’t know until we talk to Michael Greening.”

They went to the door, which opened as they approached, revealing a man in his late twenties, tall and dark hair, looking haggard with grief. He was wearing a grey suit with a dark tie loose around his neck.

“Are you the FBI?” he asked. “Or more reporters?”

Amber had a brief moment to think of Joseph and wonder if he was working on this story. He had to be when he’d been the one sent the puzzle cube, right? But maybe he was waiting for her to solve it before he wrote anything. She didn’t want to let him down.

Amber saw Simon flash his FBI badge. “I’m Agent Phelps. This is my associate, Amber Young. May we come in, Mr. Greening?”

He stepped aside, showing them into a small family home, pushing a dog out of the way to let them past as they made their way to a living room decorated in teal and grey. Michael Greening took a seat on an armchair with the dog at his feet, leaving Amber and Simon to perch on a couch together.

Just looking at Mr. Greening, Amber could see the pain and the grief there. His eyes were red, as if he’d been crying, while he looked around almost as if lost, like he was trying to find an answer where his wife wasn’t dead.

“When you called,” he said to Simon, “I couldn’t believe it. Alicia … gone like that. Are yousureit’s her?”

“We’ll need you to make a formal identification,” Simon said, “but yes, I’m sorry, we’re sure.”

Amber saw a fresh wave of pain hit Michael Greening as that last ember of hope died in him.

“But why?” he said. “Who did this? Who?”

“We’re trying to establish that,” Simon said. “Which is why we wanted to talk to you about your wife. Any information you can give us could help to catch her killer.”

“I—yes, yes of course.”

Amber wondered if Michael Greening was going to be able to think enough to answer questions after what had happened. She wasn’t sure if she could have, under the circumstances. Amber stayed quiet for now, not wanting to risk intruding on his grief.

“Tell us about Alicia, Mr. Greening,” Simon said.

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