Chapter 40

40

Elin closes the door of the shack behind her, slipping her phone back in her pocket. "The DCI thinks we should get forensic PMs carried out now we've got two bodies."

Steed nods. "Pretty clear that Delaney wasn't out there on a jolly." He tugs at the tarpaulin so it sits flat against the floor of the shack. "Possible pickup spot?"

Water from Seth's body and the tarpaulin is tracking across the dusty floor in a messy line. "Given what we know about his record, it's plausible. Tom said he's been out here fairly regularly." Opening the door of the shack, she lets Steed out in front of her before pulling it closed.

"On his father's island, though... risky move." He runs a hand through his hair, still damp from the water.

"Maybe rewards too big to refuse. Perhaps he got in over his head." Elin hesitates. "What are your thoughts on timing?"

"So soon after Bea Leger's death?"

"Yes, and someone in the same party. Together with the whole surprise thing, the questions over someone leaving the villa..." She shakes her head. "I think we need to speak to the girlfriend now."

Steed's eyes flick back to the shack. "What about the body?"

"Ideally someone should stay, but I'm comfortable with locking the shack up, leaving it be. I think it's best if you come with. Another pair of eyes will be helpful."

"You want me to let Delaney's family know on the way?"

"Please." But as she imagines his father's reaction, her mind rubs up against her doubt of a moment ago.

Would Seth really traffic drugs on his father's island?

The question inevitably leads to another: If Seth was willing to do that, exactly what kind of person is his father?

Ronan Delaney, a highly successful property entrepreneur, is one of the most respected figures in the international development and construction industry. Throughout his career, he's constructed award-winning buildings across the UK and in Europe. Delaney is a patron of the Rainbow Foundation, which seeks to engage people from disadvantaged and minority communities in politics and civil society.

As they walk across the beach, Elin keeps scrolling through the feature on Ronan Delaney. Below the first few paragraphs of text is a glossy, corporate shot: Ronan in a white shirt, open at the neck.

"Looks like Seth, doesn't he?" Steed says, peering over her shoulder.

"He does." While Ronan's hair is speckled with gray, the resemblance to Seth is clear: the same strong features and broad frame. Yet one thing is different. Although Ronan's expression is neutral, just a hint of a smile, his eyes give off something she hadn't expected after meeting Seth—vulnerability.

She needs to know more.

Reaching the steps leading up to the main lodge, Elin lingers. "One sec," she says. "I want to check something." She adds the name of the retreat to Ronan's in the search bar.

A slew of articles about his purchase of the island appears in the results. The contents reaffirm what Tom told her: the retreat was leased by a hotel group known for their upmarket developments in beachfront locations.

Elin clicks in and out of the next article—a generic press release—and is about to give up when one of the results catches her eye.

"What have you got?" Steed asks.

She tilts the screen so he can read it too.

NEW DELANEY DEVELOPMENT DOGGED WITH COMPLAINTS

Torhun Express

Controversy continues to swirl around the proposed development on Cary Island.

Ronan Delaney, new owner of the infamous Reaper's Rock, is planning to build a hotel on the site of the former school on the south side of the island. The application has received over two hundred comments in objection.

Speaking to reporters, local resident Mr. Jackson commented: "The proposed contemporary building doesn't fit with the raw beauty of this island."

Another protester, Christopher Walden, said: "I believe our previous plans for the island as a nature reserve, an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), are more in keeping with the legacy of this beautiful place. If this goes ahead, it will be a travesty."

The application is scheduled to be decided by Torhun Council later this month.

The comments below are scathing.

Travesty, but not a surprise given the new owner of the island. I've heard rumors about dodgy companies he's been involved in. A shark.

Worth checking out his other developments.

A shark. Elin rolls the phrase over in her mind. Interesting.

Steed points at the screen. "Same thing mentioned, about the nature reserve."

She nods. "But after reading this, I'm guessing the environmentalists didn't stand a chance. Doesn't seem like Ronan Delaney takes any prisoners."

"Perhaps not with his own son either," Steed says quietly. "Maybe the drug trafficking was some weird kind of rebellion. Pissing on his father's turf."