Someone You Know Read Free Page B

asked.
    â€˜We’d best tell him ourselves, sir,’ Lucy said, deliberately turning up the heat in the car.
    It had the desired effect. By the time they were passing the road off for Maydown station, on their way to Coleraine, Fleming was already swaying gently asleep in the front seat. Lucy flicked on a CD of the Low Anthem, turned it up enough to hear without wakening the DI beside her, and let her mind wander.

Chapter Four
    T heir voices echoed in the emptiness of the visiting room. Eoghan Harkin had been brought in, dressed in his own clothes, evidence of the relaxed regime in Foyleview wing. As he took his seat opposite Lucy and Fleming, he’d already guessed the nature of their visit.
    â€˜She’s dead, isn’t she?’
    â€˜I’m afraid so, Mr Harkin,’ Lucy said. ‘I’ve just left her.’
    He wiped at his nose with his hand, sniffing once as he did so, glancing at Tom Fleming. He raised his chin interrogatively. ‘Who’s he?’
    â€˜This is DI Fleming, Mr Harkin,’ Lucy said. ‘He’s my superior officer.’
    Fleming stared at him steadily. ‘I’m sorry for your loss, Mr Harkin.’
    Harkin accepted the sympathies with a curt nod. ‘Where’s her mother? Has she been told yet?’
    â€˜Not yet. She’s in Gransha at the moment. They felt she might not be receptive to the news until morning.’
    Harkin accepted this, likewise, with a terse nod. ‘So what happened to her? Did she cut herself again?’
    â€˜No. We believe she was murdered,’ Lucy said.
    Harkin initially seemed unaffected by the news then, at once, reached out to grip the back of the chair nearest him. He missed and the prison guard, Lucy and Fleming had to grapple with him to pull him back onto the chair from the floor.
    â€˜I’ll get him a drink,’ the guard said and, crossing to the wall, lifted the receiver of the phone attached there and passed the request along. A moment later, someone knocked at the door and, opening it, the guard accepted a clear plastic cup of water and brought it across.
    Harkin accepted it and sipped. ‘Sorry, George,’ he said to the man, his head bowed. His back curved as he inhaled deeply, then he straightened himself, puffing out his cheeks as he released the breath. Finally, he looked up to Lucy. ‘How?’
    Lucy moved and sat in the seat next to him. ‘The postmortem won’t be till the morning, sir, but it appears she died from a knife wound.’
    â€˜A stabbing?’
    â€˜Not quite,’ Lucy said.
    Harkin processed this piece of information, considering all the alternatives. Finally, he settled on the right one, for his face darkened.
    â€˜Who did it?’
    â€˜It’s a little early—’ Fleming began.
    â€˜You must have some fucking ideas,’ Harkin spat, rising from his seat in a manner which caused George to immediately stand to attention again. Aware of his reaction, Harkin raised a placatory hand then slowly lowered himself into his seat again. ‘You’ve been looking for her since Thursday. Where did you find her?’
    â€˜On the railway line. At St Columb’s Park.’
    Harkin stared at the tabletop, his breath heavy and nasal. ‘Was it me?’ he asked finally.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Was it because of me?’
    Lucy shook her head. ‘We’ve no reason to believe so, Mr Harkin. Your daughter hasn’t shared your name since she was a child.’
    â€˜She still was a child,’ he retorted, though without rancour. He sat a moment in silence, before speaking again. ‘That trash rag ran the story about her today. About her and me. If I thought it was done because of me, I’d ... You read all this shit in here, educating you.
Sophocles
and that. You know, the daughters die because of who the father was. You start ... you know, you can’t help ...’ He stared at them, his mouth working dryly,