“You’re solving a murder, mate,” says John. “Don’t even think about it.”
“So will Tony take my place?” Steve asks.
“So you’ve got some information, Tony?” says Amy, keen to hurry things along. “About Vivid Viral? Something that could help us?”
“Tony on the quiz team?” laughs Jyoti. “Come on. We love him, but come on.”
“She’s right,” says Tony. “I’m not a thinker.”
“Do you work with your hands, Tony?” Rosie asks, taking a long drag on her cigarette.
“What’s the information, Tony?” Amy asks. “Something that helps the case?”
“So who will you get on the team this week?” says Steve. “Not Mildred from the Cottages?”
“Bloke called Martin, just met him,” says John. “He’s a loss adjuster from Lymington. Boring but knows his capital cities.”
“Knows everything,” says Jyoti.
“So, Tony—” starts Amy, one more time.
“I don’t like the sound of him,” says Steve.
“Needs must,” says Jyoti. “He is very good.”
“You’ve been up to Letchworth, Tony,” says Amy. “We’re on a tight sched—”
“He knows it’s not permanent, right?” says Steve. “This loss-adjuster? He knows I’m back next week?”
Rosie looks at him. “Oh, we’re wrapping all this up by then, are we, Stevie?”
“We’d better,” says Steve.
“Martin knows it’s temporary,” says Jyoti.
Amy decides she might just let this play out. She guesses they will get to Letchworth, and Tony’s information, when they’re good and ready.
“Martin,” says Steve, shaking his head. “Riding in on his white charger.”
“He gets it,” agrees John. “He knows it’s a lucky break, but he understands it can’t last.”
“Make sure he does,” says Steve.
“So,” says Amy. Are they finished?
“This is the most macho I’ve ever seen you, Steve,” says Rosie. “And I’ve seen you shoot a drug dealer.”
“You shot a drug dealer?” says Tony.
“Only in the leg,” says Steve.
“Still,” says Jyoti.
“Yes, still,” agrees John.
“So, Tony, you’ve been to Letchworth,” says Amy. “I wonder if you have information that could lead to me not being killed?”
“Of course, of course, sorry, Amy,” says Tony, finally focusing. “Felicity says she’s making a lot of money, but she can’t understand where it’s coming from.”
“Do you wear oily overalls in your job, Tony?” asks Rosie.
“Not now, Rosie,” says Amy. “How much is she making?”
“Felicity says—” starts Tony.
“Felicity says,” repeats John, and gets a punch on the upper arm for his troubles.
“She says,” Tony continues, “she’s making about forty grand a month. Has done for the last two years.”
“What would she normally make?” asks Steve. He has got a bit of color from their St. Lucia stay. Albeit the color red. Should have upped the SPF.
“Five or six,” says Tony. “In a good month. She was ready to jack it in.”
Amy and Steve are both writing this down. “And she doesn’t have to do anything?”
“Forward a few emails,” says Tony. “Lots of post arrives for lots of different companies, but someone picks that up. She met with a new influencer the other day, but that’s not usual.”
Amy has a good guess as to what’s going on here. “So it’s a front? Someone is using her?”
