Page 93 of The Killer’s Mark

Esmerée shook her head. ‘You two are bug-crazy, you know that, don’t you?’

Bradshaw and Poe nodded at the same time. Job done. Teenager distracted.

‘Do you want to stay here with Tilly, Esmerée, or do you want to go back in?’

She stood up. Dried her eyes. ‘What you gonna ask them, Poe?’

‘I want to know what they aren’t telling us,’ he said.

‘Then I’m coming with you.’

Chapter 76

‘You said there’s a transnational response to the Red Chamber,’ Poe said to Susan and Gilliard.

‘I did,’ Susan replied.

‘That as well as the States, there are active investigations in Germany, Belgium, France, Canada and Denmark; have I missed any?’

Bradshaw frowned. ‘You forgot Australia and Estonia, Poe. Susan Hawksworth also said there were countries she couldn’t remember.’

‘That’s right, she did. She also said that because the Red Chamber is believed to be a British outfit, the NCA’s Organised Crime Command is leading.’

‘Yes, she did. She said, “the main players are domiciled in the UK”.’

Poe nodded. Smiled. ‘So, we have the FBI, the NCA, Europol, Interpol, a whole host of local and federal law enforcement agencies all Sherlocking the shit out of the Red Chamber, to the point that listening devices and cameras are planted in the office of a young and thrusting Carlisle-based private investigations company.’

‘That’s me and Poe,’ Bradshaw said.

‘Don’t forget me, Tilly,’ Esmerée said.

‘No, you’re not—’

‘And the honorary member of the team, Esmerée,’ Poe said.

Esmerée did jazz hands. ‘Yee-hah!’

‘Do you have a surname, Esmerée?’ Gilliard said.

‘What type of dumb question is that? Of course I have a freaking surname.’

‘And what is it?’

‘Eat a dick, asshole.’

Poe hid a smile. Watched as Gilliard glanced at her. Poe thought he was going to push it. Ask why she was in the room. Instead he said, ‘I’m not hearing a question, Poe.’

‘You didn’t?’

He shook his head. ‘No.’

‘Then allow me to ask one,’ Poe said. ‘Why?’

Gilliard looked confused. ‘Why what?’

‘Why is the NCA interested in the Red Chamber? Why are the FBI, Interpol, yada yada yada?’

‘The Red Chamber are organised criminals,’ Gilliard replied. ‘We’re Organised Crime Command.’