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“And if the kidnappers took one of his family?” Monk asked. His whole body was awkward when he spoke, his muscles aching.
“He’d have come to you,” Hooper replied simply. “He thinks very highly of you. He’d expect you to understand…and help.
God knows how!” Monk looked as if Hooper had just placed a lead weight on his shoulders. Hooper felt as if he could see right into his head.
“Walcott has a wife and son,” Hooper went on. “Don’t know much about them. Don’t know much about Walcott himself, for that matter.”
Monk’s curiosity showed. He did not bother to put the question into words.
“There’s nothing really wrong with him,” Hooper answered. “Doesn’t fit in yet. Too soon. He’s a man who takes his time.”
“And Marbury? He hasn’t been long with us either,” Monk said.
“He’s good on the water,” Hooper replied. He was surprised at that. For a man not born to the water, Marbury was unusually at ease. “Quiet. Nothing wrong with that.”
“No family?”
“Yes. Wife and daughter. Lost a son a while back. Don’t know how. He doesn’t talk about it, and I didn’t ask.”
Monk thought for a moment.
Hooper waited.
Monk raised his head. “Who don’t we know about? Who’s in debt? Who’s courting someone, and vulnerable? Who’s got God knows what secret, and is terrified of being exposed?” A shadow crossed his eyes, of memories lost, or imagined. “Maybe terrified of having someone they love cut to pieces by the bastards who did this? We’ve got to get them, Hooper, or this is never ending!”
“I know that, sir. And we’ve got to keep the river safe as well. This could be meant to rock us so badly that we forget everything else. There could be something else planned, and we’re so full of doubt about ourselves, and each other, that we miss it.” He met Monk’s eyes squarely and saw a sudden flare of gratitude in them. It was there and then gone again, but he recognized it. He smiled very sadly. “We’re still on for the raid tonight on the warehouse? There have been two others there recently, but this time we know, and there’ll be no excuse if we fail.”
“I know. And yes, we are,” Monk said firmly. “Can’t let everything else slide because of this. What did we do wrong, Hooper? Why did they kill Kate?”
“I don’t know. I might go and see the cousin again. See what else she knows about Kate…or Exeter.” He felt a faint heat rising up in his face. “This feels personal. He’s done a lot of business. Made a lot of money.”
Monk’s answer was very quiet. “Yes, it does. Seems like a deep and terrible hatred to me. Frightening thought—to have an enemy like that.”
“Does Exeter have any suggestions?” Hooper asked.
“Not that he’s telling us.”
“Can’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to think that anyone hated me that much. Or even more, that in some way, however obliquely, her death was my fault.”
* * *
—
HOOPER COLLECTED CLACTON AND explained their task as he had decided he would, walking along dockside, close together so they would not have to raise their voices to be heard.
“All of them, sir?” Clacton was clearly extremely uncomfortable. He was about fifty, a very ordinary-looking man, until you noticed his mouth. Even in repose he almost smiled. There was an ease about him usually, but now that Hooper had just told him they were to investigate the five men who had been on last night’s rescue attempt, he was uncomfortable.
“Yes,” Hooper said firmly. “If you leave someone out, then they are unprotected…”
“Unprotected!” Clacton stopped and turned to face Hooper. “You’re saying one of them betrayed you—more important, betrayed that poor woman to her death. And I’m supposed to investigate all of them to see if…if they did it?”
“What would you do, Clacton, if they took the person most important to you, and said you betray your mates or I’ll kill her—or him—slowly? Pull them apart like a cooked chicken.”
“Stop it!” Clacton raised his voice angrily. “I’d tell Mr. Monk and—”
“Would you? Are you sure?” Hooper asked. “Believe me, you’re not…not if it happens to you. I don’t know what I’d do…if I had someone I loved.”
Clacton was about to speak; then he seemed to see the second meaning behind what Hooper was saying. That he had no one.
