A Suitable Vengeance

“And the Daze?”


“Free transportation. No overhead. Nothing to cut into the profits.”

“What profits? Nancy claims they have no money.”

“We turned the take around from the first go last March and reinvested in another buy. A bigger one this time.” A smile pulled at his mouth. He didn’t bother to conceal it. “Thank God the stuff was wrapped in oilskins. Otherwise, it’d be sitting in Penberth Cove at the moment, making the fish as happy as hell to be there. As it is”—he dumped more crisps on his plate—“Mick’ll miss out on the profits.”

“Convenient for you that he’s dead.”

Mark was unimpressed. “Am I supposed to blanch with fear at the implication? Oops, the poor berk’s just given himself a motive for murder?” He took a bite from his sandwich, chewed it deliberately, and washed it down with a swallow of beer. “Let’s avoid the drama. I was in St. Ives Friday night.”

“No doubt with someone who’d be only too happy to step forward and confirm that fact?”

Mark maintained his bravado. “Sure. No problem.”

“Honour among drug dealers?”

“A man needs to know his friends.”

“Peter was one once.”

Mark studied his fingernails. The stereo squawked. St. James switched it off.

“Did you sell to my brother?”

“When he had the money.”

“When did you last see him?”

“I’ve told you before. There’s no change in the story. Friday afternoon at the cove. He phoned the lodge earlier and said he wanted to see me. I had to hunt the bloody ass down as it was. Jesus, I don’t even know why I bothered.”

“What did he want?”

“What he always wanted. Dope on credit.”

“Did he know how you were using the mill?” Lynley asked.

Mark gave a sardonic laugh in response. “D’you think I’d tell him that and have him slobbering down my neck for free samples every time I was working there? We may be old mates, but I like to think I know where to draw the line.”

“Where is he?” Lynley asked.

Mark was silent.

Lynley crashed his fist onto the table top. “Where is he? Where’s my brother?”

Mark pushed his arm away. “I don’t know, all right? I bloody don’t know. Dead with a needle in his arm, most likely.”

“Tommy.”

St. James’ admonition came too late. Lynley dragged the boy to his feet. He threw him against the wall, pressed his arm against his larynx, and held him there.

“You piece of filth,” he said. “God damn you, I’ll be back.” He dropped him abruptly and left the room.

Mark stood for a moment, rubbing his throat. He brushed at the collar of his shirt as if to remove any trace of Lynley’s quick assault. Stooping, he picked up his stereo, put it back on the table, and began to play with its knobs. St. James left him.

He found Lynley in the car, his hands gripping the wheel. Nancy and her baby were gone.

“We’re their victims.” Lynley stared at the drive that wound towards the great house. Shadows dappled it. A breeze danced sycamore leaves across the lane. “We’re all of us their victims. I as much as anyone, St. James. No. More than anyone, because I’m supposed to be a professional.”

St. James saw the conflicts that confronted his friend. The ties of blood, the call of duty. Responsibility to family, betrayal of self. He waited for Lynley, always at heart an honest man, to put his struggle into words.

“I should have told Boscowan that Peter was at Gull Cottage on Friday night. I should have told him that Mick was alive after John left him. I should have told him about the row. About Brooke. About everything. But God help me, I couldn’t, St. James. What’s happening to me?”

“You’re trying to deal with Peter, with Nancy, with John, with Mark. With everyone, Tommy.”

“The walls are crashing in.”

“We’ll sort it out.”

Lynley looked at him then. His dark eyes seemed filmed over by a mist. “Do you believe that?” he asked.

“I’ve got to believe something.”



“Actually, Islington-London is its formal name,” Lady Helen said. “Islington-London, Ltd. It’s a pharmaceutical company.”

St. James’ attention was on the section of the garden that he could still see in the growing darkness. He stood in the small alcove off the drawing room while behind him Lady Asherton, Lynley, and Cotter drank their evening coffee.

“Deborah and I went there this morning,” Lady Helen continued. In the background, St. James heard Deborah’s voice, followed by her laughter, light and engaging. “Yes, all right, darling,” Lady Helen said to her. And then to St. James, “Deborah’s most unforgiving about the fact that I wore my fox fur. Well, perhaps I was just a bit overdressed for the occasion, but the ensemble did make a statement, I think. And besides, as far as I’m concerned, if one’s going to do anything incognita, one ought to do it well. Don’t you agree?”