CHAPTER FORTY
Gareth Pike was arrested in a hospital gown.
He was furious about the gown.
Not the arrest.
The gown.
"My arse is out."
The detective sergeant waiting beside the bed glanced at Leah.
Leah studied the ceiling.
Amy stood near the window with her arms folded.
Owen had refused to attend.
Drew had refused more firmly.
Gareth shifted against the cuff at his wrist.
"Can I put trousers on before you do the dramatic bit?"
The sergeant said, "We can wait."
"Thank you."
Amy said, "Dad."
Gareth stopped.
He looked at her.
She had come because she wanted one conversation before custody swallowed the next few months.
Maybe years.
She had not come to save him.
Leah admired that distinction.
The officers gave them space.
Gareth looked at Amy.
"You don't have to visit."
"I know."
"You don't have to write."
"I know."
"University money is—"
"Frozen."
He frowned.
"What?"
"Daniel's account paid part of it. NCA froze what remains."
Gareth looked genuinely confused.
"Daniel paid?"
"Apparently."
"Why?"
Amy folded her arms.
"Because the men in this family cannot experience an emotion without creating a financial crime."
Leah looked away before she smiled.
Gareth actually laughed.
Then winced and held his side.
Amy did not laugh with him.
"I'm going to Leeds in September."
His face softened.
"Still?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"I'm changing course."
"To what?"
"Law."
Gareth stared at her.
Leah nearly lost the battle with her face.
Amy added, "Criminal law."
Gareth closed his eyes.
"That's vindictive."
"Maybe."
He opened them again.
"You'll be good."
"I know."
Silence.
Gareth looked at the officers.
Then back to her.
"I meant what I said. I'm sorry."
Amy nodded.
"I know."
He waited.
She did not say she forgave him.
Instead she stepped forward and kissed his forehead.
"Do the sentence, Dad. Whatever it is. Don't spend five years telling everyone you did it for me."
His eyes filled.
He looked embarrassed by them.
"Okay."
Amy stepped away.
"And wear trousers."
"That was already the plan."
She walked out.
Leah followed.
In the corridor Amy breathed once, hard.
Leah did not ask if she was okay.
Amy noticed.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Not asking."
"I've been trained."
Amy looked down the corridor.
"Drew here?"
"Car park."
"Of course he is."
"He said if he came upstairs he might say something unhelpful."
"Growth."
They found him beside his bike.
Daniel was with him.
Leah stopped.
"You're supposed to be with your solicitor."
Daniel held up a folder.
"Was."
"And?"
"Charged."
Drew looked at him.
Daniel shrugged.
"Concealing criminal property. Money laundering. Fraud by false representation around Sayer Logistics filings. Couple of things they haven't decided how to phrase yet."
Amy stared at him.
"You paid my fees with drug money."
Daniel winced.
"Technically with money stolen from drug money."
"That is the most Sayer sentence I've ever heard."
Drew said, "He's pleading guilty."
Daniel looked at him.
"To the things I did. Not the imaginative extras."
Leah folded her arms.
"How mature."
"I've had a transformative fortnight."
Amy stepped in front of him.
"Why me?"
Daniel's humour disappeared.
"Because Mick's money should have paid for something that wasn't Mick's mistakes."
"You could have asked."
"Gareth would have said no."
"You could have asked me."
Daniel looked at her.
"Yeah."
That was the answer.
Amy nodded once.
"Don't do it again."
"Difficult with frozen accounts."
"Daniel."
"I won't."
She looked at Drew.
"Is everyone in your family exhausting?"
"Yes."
Michael's voice came from behind them.
"Not technically his family."
Leah turned.
Her father stood in a wheelchair being pushed by an NCA officer.
Drew stared at him.
"You came outside for that?"
Michael turned to Amy.
"I was being transferred. Timing was fortunate."
Leah checked the officer.
The officer shook his head.
"It wasn't. He insisted."
Michael sighed.
"Fine."
Drew stepped toward him.
Leah watched both men.
Richard's letter sat between them even though it was inside Drew's jacket.
Michael said, "I owe you an apology."
Drew's face did not change.
"Several."
"Yes."
"Start with my dad."
Michael nodded.
"I chose the operation over warning him. I thought I could preserve both. I was wrong and he died because Hale killed him, Terry enabled it, Venn protected it and I failed to stop it when I had a chance."
Drew looked at him.
"You don't get to put yourself last in the sentence to make it smaller."
Michael absorbed that.
"I failed him when I had a chance. Hale killed him. Terry enabled it. Venn protected it."
"Better."
Leah watched Michael's eyes.
No defence.
Drew said, "He trusted you."
"Yes."
"I don't."
"You shouldn't."
"Good."
The NCA officer shifted beside the wheelchair.
Drew continued.
"But he wanted me to hear something from him, and you kept the letter."
Michael nodded.
"I did."
"Why?"
"Cowardice at first. Evidence later. Guilt after that."
"At least you're diversifying."
Michael almost smiled.
Drew did not.
Then he stepped back.
"I'm done."
Michael looked at him.
"With me?"
"With letting dead men decide what I do next."
Drew looked at Daniel.
"Mostly dead men."
Daniel nodded.
"Rude."
Drew turned to Amy.
"You need a lift?"
"No. Leah's taking me."
Leah frowned.
"I am?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Away from men."
Leah considered the car park.
"Excellent plan."
They left the Sayer brothers with Michael and the NCA officer.
In the car, Amy fastened her seat belt.
"So are you actually with Drew?"
Leah started the engine.
"Apparently."
"That sounds romantic."
"It has been a busy week."
Amy looked at her.
"You're police. He's president of North End."
"Temporary president."
"That's what he told you?"
"Six months."
Amy laughed so hard Leah had to wait before pulling out.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Amy."
"You really are new."