Chapter 81

81

Katie had the phone in her hand with Jackson's contact details open on the screen. Or Greg's or whatever the hell he called himself. Granny Rose was sleeping, while Louis was doing a jigsaw, though she knew he was really watching television. She had hoovered and dusted the house, then tidied her gran's clothes away. With a chicken roasting in the oven, she was at a loose end.

Things needed to be clarified with him, but at the same time she wondered if she wanted to do that at all. Conflicted, she was about to put the phone back in her pocket when a sharp knock rattled the back door. If it was Greg, she was angry enough to kill him. But how could it be him? He didn't know where she was or where her gran lived.

Opening the door, her mouth dropped open. Had she subconsciously manifested him to appear? She said nothing, waiting for him to speak.

‘Eh. Ehm. Hi, Katie. I'm sorry to barge in. Your sister, the girl who works in Fallon's – Chloe, isn't it? She gave me the address. She said to go to the back door. Here I am.'

‘I don't believe for a minute she'd tell you. She knows all about you.'

‘I get that, but she was prepared to give me a chance, and though I don't deserve it, I'd like you to do the same.'

Katie thought if she had a euro for every time she figured she was going to kill Chloe, she'd be rich by now. She struggled to get a word to come out of her mouth.

‘As I'm here, can I come in?' He sounded unsure.

‘On condition you tell the truth this time.' And against her better judgement, she led him into her gran's kitchen.

He was seated with a mug of coffee, which she'd reluctantly made for him. She noticed he didn't touch it. He just ran a finger up and down the chipped ceramic. He looked gorgeous in a navy polo jumper and dark blue denims. His leather jacket seemed new. She hoped her gran stayed asleep a little longer, because she could do without interruptions this time.

‘Say what it is you've come to say.'

‘You're not making it easy.'

‘You don't deserve it.'

‘Point taken. I'm sorry. I was afraid to tell you my real name. I thought if you googled me, you'd find out that I run a dating agency, as well as being a photographer. I know it all sounds seedy, but I made good money and I'm on the verge of buying my own office space.'

‘Do you want a medal for all that then?' She paused, wanting to shove him back out the door. ‘My mother said you run an escort business, and when I think of escorts, the first thing that pops into my head is sex workers.'

‘It's nothing like that. It's like online dating.'

‘I think you're delusional, Greg. Is that even your real name?'

‘Yes, it is. I sometimes go by Jackson when I'm out. It's my middle name.'

‘Why are you even here?'

‘I like you, Katie. I've made a hash of things so far… I'd like us to start again.'

‘Not a hope. How did my mother know who you were?'

She noticed how he bit his lip. Was that what he did when he was making up another lie?

‘She met with me as part of a murder investigation.'

‘I gathered that much. She's investigating Laura Nolan's murder. What has that got to do with you?'

He looked at the table, unable to meet her stare. ‘Laura was registered with my agency.'

‘Okay. Go on.'

‘And there's a girl missing too. Shannon Kenny. She was also registered with me.'

It's getting worse, Katie thought. ‘I didn't hear that name mentioned last night.'

‘No, but you will the next time your mother lets fly about me.'

She had to smile. ‘I thought she said another name… Anita or something.'

‘Aneta, yes. She has a foreign surname. I didn't recognise her photo and I double-checked everything this morning. She wasn't registered with me.'

‘What if she used a fake name? Like you,' Katie said, creaking her neck to one side.

‘I do my best to vet everyone.'

‘Mm. Maybe one of your male clients is behind the murders.'

‘It's possible, isn't it? I've given everything to the guards. Didn't even wait for a warrant. I could get into trouble with GDPR, but I'm getting out of this business now. I can see how it can be abused. I'll be concentrating on my photography.'

‘Did any of the women ever complain about being harassed?'

‘No, not one. That's why I can't understand how the guards are targeting me.'

‘Are they, though?' she asked. ‘The investigation team has to gather all the relevant information about the victims to identify the killer. And if a murder victim happened to be an escort, then it's the first place they'd check.' She wondered why she was defending her mother's job.

‘Do you think there's a chance for us?' he asked.

‘Not a chance in hell,' she said. A sudden sadness nestled in the void in her chest and replaced her anger. ‘Not yet, anyhow.'

‘What do you mean?' He leaned closer, an eagerness in his eyes. Should she be afraid?

‘I'm caring for my gran and my son at the moment. I haven't the time or energy to be thinking of meeting with you.'

‘But maybe there is a chance. Soon? In the future? Sometime?'

She grinned despite herself. Greg Plunkett had a way about him, and she understood how he could manipulate girls. Maybe manipulate was too strong a word, but he was a charmer.

‘There might be a chance, Greg, if you're not a murderer.'

He smiled, and then appeared crestfallen. His eyes darkened as he looked up from beneath his long lashes. ‘And what if I am?'

She pushed back her chair so quickly that it hit the stove and knocked an empty saucepan onto the floor. The sound reverberated around the kitchen and Louis ran in.

‘What's the noise?' he asked.

‘It's okay, sweetheart,' Katie said. ‘Just a pot.'

‘You must be Louis, young man,' Greg said.

‘I am, but I'm a boy, not a man. You're silly.'

‘I suppose I am. I better be off. You have my number, Katie. I was joking a second ago. Honestly. Please, call me.'

He left without another word, and she had the feeling he would not let her go that easily. Could he be a killer? Was she going soft? Or was he who he said he was? Just a photographer?

Rose sauntered into the kitchen. ‘What's all the noise? You'd wake the dead.'

Katie lifted up Louis and smiled at her gran.

‘Don't see any bodies rising up out of the floor here,' she laughed, and ruffled Louis' hair.