Chapter 106
Poe’s first thought was that Océane was lying. That it was her rather than Esmerée who had killed Vincent du Buk. That the flaw in her personality that had left her devoid of maternal instincts had reared its head and blamed her daughter for something she herself had done.
But he didn’t voice that thought. He didn’t know why. Océane was clearly an awful human being. Like an exquisite Ming Dynasty vase being used to store bile. But for some reason, his second thought was to believe her. So instead of calling her a liar, he said, ‘Tell me about Esmerée’s alien hand.’
Océane raised her perfect eyebrows. ‘I don’t even know what that means. She had both hands when I left the States. Has someone chopped one of them off? Given her a robotic one?’
‘It’s a syndrome,’ Poe said. ‘Someone with an alien hand has no control over it. It’s as if it has a mind of its own.’
‘And Esmerée has this?’
Towler nodded. ‘I’ve seen it,’ he said. ‘It’s very funny.’
‘Well she didn’t have it when I knew her.’
When I knew her. What a weird way to describe an estranged child, Poe thought.
He let it go. And he let it go because he thought that having an alien hand might just be how a fifteen-year-old would deal with the psychology of taking another human life.
It weren’t me, guv’nor, it were me independently minded ’and …
Poe didn’t know why he’d thought that in a cockney accent.
He said, ‘Can I ask why Esmerée killed Vincent du Buk?’
‘Because she’s a fucking psycho.’
He waited her out.
Océane folded her arms and waited him out.
‘OK,’ he said. ‘When did you find out that the Red Chamber were murdering their concubines?’
‘Who says I did?’
Which was a fair point. Their assumption had been that Océane Blue had killed her benefactor after she’d inadvertently learned about her fate.
But if it was Esmerée who had killed Vincent du Buk, it didn’t follow that Océane even knew what the Red Chamber had in store for her.
But … if she didn’t know, why had she run?
She clearly didn’t have normal feelings towards her daughter.
In fact, she seemed to actively dislike her.
Which suggested that if Esmerée had killed du Buk, she would simply have told the FBI and the NYPD the truth.
Pushed her daughter under the figurative bus.
Let the chips fall, or whatever your preferred clichéd metaphor was.
Gone back to the Red Chamber and demanded her share of the money.
If she didn’t know.
But she hadn’t hung around. She hadn’t passed GO and collected two hundred dollars. She’d fled the country. Changed her name and worked hard at staying anonymous. Which suggested she did know. Knew that the Red Chamber remained a permanent threat.
‘I say you did,’ Poe said. ‘It doesn’t matter if it was you or Esmerée who killed Vincent du Buk – the facts are that the NCA believe you fled the United States with evidence that could bring down the Red Chamber. And because they have sources inside the NCA, the Red Chamber believe that too.’
Océane sighed. ‘Then I guess it’s time for me to become someone else again,’ she said.
‘I’ve reinvented myself before and no doubt I’ll have to do it again.
But as far as your request goes, as tempting as it is, I think I’ll politely decline your offer of handing myself over to the Red Chamber.
I’m sorry, but that little bitch made her bed; now she can fucking lie in it. ’
She turned and shut the door.
Poe and Towler stood in the dark and looked at each other.
Towler shrugged. ‘I’ll fetch my sack.’