Chapter 102
Océane Blue’s business was called the Midnight Beekeeper.
Bradshaw explained that this was the only business in the south of England that exclusively used stock images – photographs licensed for commercial use.
The Midnight Beekeeper had a presence at all the farmers’ markets in Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne and a whole load of others, but not once was the owner’s face caught on camera.
The top of her head had been caught on someone’s Facebook page when some hipster tosspot had posted a #livingmybestlife photograph taken at Eastbourne Borough Market.
The Midnight Beekeeper’s stall had been in the background and Océane Blue had been caught bending down dealing with a customer.
Towler had asked how Poe and Bradshaw could be so sure it was her.
Bradshaw had replied that the top of Océane Blue’s head had featured heavily in the movie she had shot with Chance Ryzcek.
She then added, ‘I just hope she jolly well brushed her teeth afterwards, that’s all I have to say on the subject,’ which made even Towler blush.
Océane rented a smallholding on the outskirts of Tarring Neville, a village in East Sussex. That was almost four hundred miles from Carlisle.
‘If we leave now, we can get there before dawn,’ Poe said. ‘Catch her in bed. I don’t know much about bees, but I think they manage their own affairs. The beekeeper doesn’t need to be up at daft o’clock the way dairy farmers do.’
‘Why do we have to go and get her?’ Towler said. ‘That’s a thirteen-hour round trip. Why can’t we just call her? Explain the situation. We can halve the time; I could use it to refine Wednesday Addams’s extraction.’
‘Extraction?’ Estelle asked.
He gestured towards Susan. ‘That corrupt arsehole is right. They won’t let her live. That means that unless Poe thinks of something clever, we’ll have to take her by force. I don’t care how good these bastards think they are, my guys are better. But I will need time to plan it.’
‘Poe, what do you think?’ Estelle said.
‘I think we need to go down and get her. She abandoned Esmerée when she fled the States. As far as we can tell, she’s made no subsequent attempt to find her daughter.
I’m not sensing much maternal instinct. I think if we call her, she’ll say she’s coming but then she’ll run.
By the time Tilly finds her again, Esmerée will be dead. ’
Estelle nodded. ‘OK, I’m in charge and I say Poe and Matt go and get her.’
‘What if she refuses?’ Bradshaw said.
‘Then we stuff her in a sack and put her in the boot,’ Towler said.
No one laughed, but that was OK, because Towler wasn’t joking.