Chapter 112
Susan Hawksworth was still chained to the radiator. She looked dehydrated and thoroughly pissed off. Estelle was leaning against Poe’s desk, staring at her. Poe assumed Bradshaw was in her office, working on the plan.
‘Your wife wouldn’t let me go to the toilet,’ Susan said. ‘She made me use a bucket.’
‘She doesn’t have the handcuff keys,’ Poe said. ‘Short of sawing off your hand at the wrist, what did you want her to do?’
‘I assumed that was a bluff. That you’d left the keys in your reception area.’
‘I know my wife and I know Tilly. As angry as they are with you, they’re humane.
It’s why I’m so fond of them. So no, I didn’t leave the keys.
I didn’t want you tugging on their heartstrings saying you needed a wee when all you wanted to do was get away.
I kept the keys so they wouldn’t be tempted to do the right thing. ’
‘Did you find the girl’s mother?’
Poe ignored her. He nodded toward Bradshaw’s office. Estelle followed him out. Poe shut the door behind him.
‘How did it go?’ Estelle said quietly.
‘Not as I expected. I didn’t tell Tilly, as I don’t want her distracted, but Océane says she didn’t kill Vincent du Buk. Esmerée did.’
‘She’s lying.’
Poe shook his head. ‘I believed her, Estelle.’
‘I don’t think Esmerée is a killer, Poe.’
‘Neither do I, but I do think she killed du Buk. And that means there’s still part of this thing we don’t yet understand.’
‘Such as?’
‘I don’t know, but when I told Océane that the Red Chamber had her daughter, she said, “That little bitch ruined everything. I hope she rots in hell.”’
‘What do you think she meant by that?’
Poe frowned. ‘Océane claims that not long into her contract she discovered the Red Chamber had no intention of honouring it. Said that du Buk was a blackout drunk and she used that time to gather evidence. But “ruined everything” implies there was something to ruin. She had some sort of plan, but she wouldn’t engage with me on what it was. Shut down when I asked her.’
‘Is du Buk Esmerée’s father?’
‘She wouldn’t answer that either. But whatever plan she had to extricate herself from her situation, Esmerée ruined it when she killed du Buk.’
‘If she killed du Buk.’
‘If,’ Poe agreed. ‘The important thing is that we’ve found Océane. And because her evidence puts flesh on the bones of Tilly’s appalling plan, we now have something that doesn’t rely solely on me embarrassing the Red Chamber by going public or Matt taking Esmerée by force.’
‘You’ve stood down Matt and his guys?’
‘No. They’ll be there, wherever “there” ends up being, but purely as backup. If we do this Tilly’s way, we get Esmerée, and Océane can go back to her bees.’
‘Will Esmerée go with her if Océane asks her to?’
Poe shrugged. ‘Océane abandoned her in New York, but she’s still her mother. It might be hard for Esmerée to say no. But I doubt she’ll ask. I don’t think Océane wants Esmerée in her life in any way whatsoever. She wasn’t apathetic towards her; she hates her.’
Estelle nodded. It seemed like she’d come to a decision he wasn’t privy to.