Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Flynn tried to call Lily when he left Gideon’s place that evening. And then later, when he’d tied things up back at the station, and went home for the evening.
She didn’t answer, and he hoped that meant she’d cleaned herself up and gone to bed early.
But he also really needed to speak to her. The events of the day swirled in his head when he finally got into bed.
He woke to a message from her saying she’d fallen asleep early – just as he’d suspected. Rushing to get ready for work, he only called her when he was about to leave. With his phone to his ear, he took a seat on the couch, figuring he could finish his coffee while he spoke to her.
“What happened?” she asked, answering almost immediately.
“Not a lot.”
“You didn’t find anything?”
“We found a necklace that belongs to Hilary Phillips.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. We searched every inch of the place, but that’s the only thing we found.”
“Okay. He must have a hiding place elsewhere.”
“We did a thorough search,” he said, his words clipped. “And from what we understand, Gideon doesn’t have a lot of friends or family on the island, so I don’t think it’s likely he left it with someone else.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I, but I need to ask you something…”
“What?”
He pressed his fingers into his temples. “I need to know if the forensic team is likely to find your fingerprints on that necklace.”
There, he’d said it.
She didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry,” he said, without sounding the least bit heartfelt. “But you’ve been acting really strange, and you won’t tell me what’s going on, so I just need you to tell me this. Will your fingerprints be on that necklace?”
“No,” she said quietly.
“Because you’ve never touched it, or because you were careful not to leave fingerprints on it?”
“I’ve never touched it.”
“Good.” He released a sigh.
“What exactly do you think I’ve been doing?”
His jaw tightened. “I’ve absolutely no idea. That’s the problem.”
She fell silent for a moment, then chose not to address his remark. “Gideon’s fingerprints will be on the necklace,” she said.
“I’ll actually be amazed if they are.”
“Why?”
“Because he didn’t hesitate about letting us search the place, and he seemed genuinely surprised when we found the necklace. He swears he’s never seen it before and doesn’t know how it got there.”
“Of course he’d say that.”
“It’s not what he said,” Flynn snapped. “It’s the way he said it. He was very believable. And he was keen that we get the necklace to forensics to prove he’s never touched it.”
“That only means he was careful.”
“He also has an alibi for the night Hilary Phillips was burgled.”
“You said he wasn’t at the retreat.”
“I said I didn’t see him there. But the others say he was there all evening, sitting in the studio.
He was on a video call with a couple of friends in London and came out to shout at the people on the retreat for being too loud when he was on the call.
They say they had eyes on him through the window all evening.
His friends in London also corroborate his story. ”
“That can’t be right.”
“I think you’ve got the wrong person.”
“No,” Lily said. “There’s no one else. It has to be him.”
Flynn downed the dregs of his coffee. “I have to get to work.”
“How long will the forensic report take?”
“Who knows – probably a couple of days at least.”
He ended the call and set off for the station. As he wandered along Garrison Lane, he passed Len Marrack going the other way.
“What are you selling today?” he asked, smiling at the window cleaner and tipping his head at the large box he wheeled along.
“Pressure washer,” he said, smiling widely. “Always wheeling and dealing, I am!”
“It seems like it.” Flynn told him to have a good day and continued to the station.
“You look confused,” the sergeant said when he walked inside.
He didn’t speak as he continued to puzzle things out in his mind.
“Flynn!” the sergeant snapped.
“Sorry. I just had a thought.”
“And that was a bit too much exertion, was it?”
Flynn chuckled. “Have you got a screwdriver?”
“There’s a toolkit in the back. Why?”
“Because I suspect Gideon Rowe had nothing to do with the thefts. I think someone planted the necklace at his place so we’d focus on him. In the meantime, the actual thief can move the stolen goods off the island while we’re busy looking at Gideon.”
“And you need a screwdriver, because?”
“I need to take a pressure washer apart to prove my theory.”