Page 110 of Better the Devil

Olivia’s head lowered just as her voice gave out. She ran the back of her hand across her eyes, frantically wiping away tears she desperately wanted to hide.

‘I thought I was safe. With you. With Shona,’ she whispered. ‘For the first time in ages. God, maybe ever, which is pathetic. I thought I had a real home.’

‘You do.’

This time, the laugh was a sharp, derisive thing.

‘Oh, come on!’

Olivia gestured at the room around them, highlighting where they were and what was happening. The laughter, judging by the way her expression soured, left an unpleasant taste in her mouth.

She wiped her eyes again and sat straighter.

‘So, come on, then.’ Her gaze flitted to the empty chair across from her. ‘Are we going to do this, or what?’

Bosco watchedand listened as DCI Reeve started the recording and made the necessary introductions.

The moment he’d finished, before he could switch on the smile, the Russian jumped in.

‘I did it.’

Reeve regarded him in silence.

‘I killed them,’ Bosco said.

Reeve studied his face across the table. There had been something colouring the Russian’s expression through the previous interview. Some half-concealed derision or amusement.

That was gone now. Not even a suggestion of it remained.

‘You killed who?’

‘Victor Belov. Kendrick Crichton,’ Bosco said, like he was reading the names from a list.

‘How?’ Reeve pressed.

‘You know exactly how.’

‘Humour me,’ the DCI told him.

‘I slit Victor Belov’s throat. Blew Kendrick Crichton’s head off with shotgun. Happy?’ He indicated the notebook sitting on the desk by the detective’s right hand. ‘Write down. Write down.’

To the Russian’s clear annoyance, Reeve made no move to open the pad or to pick up his pen.

‘And what would possess you to do a thing like that, Mr Maximuke?’

Bosco’s breath caught in his throat. He tapped a finger repeatedly on the tabletop, fingernail click-click-clicking against the wood.

‘Because… because… because bastards try to take what is mine. Yes? Move in on old territory.’

‘But you said you’d given all that up, right? Found the Lord. All you care about is family now. Those are your words, not mine.’

‘That was lie,’ Bosco insisted. ‘Cover story.’

Reeve pulled a face that suggested he was surprised to hear it.

‘You know, I have a good ear for bullshit, Mr Maximuke. I pride myself on that. And, sure, a lot of what you told me earlier, well, let’s just say I heard the ringing of alarm bells,’ Reeve told him. He clasped his hands together and shrugged. ‘But when you spoke about your daughter? When you said that you wanted to do right by her? Well, that was just about the only part I actually bought.’

He mimed casting a fishing rod, then reeling it back in.