He sighs, visibly losing patience. “Artificial intelligence is a key part of any scientific endeavor these days, but Thanatos is a future-thinkingcompany focused on research and studying human frailty, with an emphasis on comfort when there is no cure.”
It sounds like a company motto he memorized. I think on his words for a moment, trying to translate them into something I can understand, but it doesn’t work. And it doesn’t matter. As CEO of the company, I doubt he gets involved in individual client cases. I don’t think I’m going to learn anything new about Thanatos today, and I’m not going to bring up my diagnosis in front of Carter. This is just about seeing how far I can bend the man before he snaps. I stare at him and he stares at me and we wait to see who can stay silent the longest.
I win.
Harrison leans forward, puts his elbows on the table, steeples his fingers. “I understand why you are asking about my job. But I loved my wife, and I’ve already told you everything I know. I have experienced grief before, and the only cure for heartbreak is hard work. You might think my commitment to my work is strange or suspicious at a time like this, but it’s just my way of coping with what may or may not have happened.”
The man can read my mind.
Like most people, Harrison Woolf seems like a contradiction of himself.
Confident but scared.
Wise but foolish.
One of my former colleagues at the Met Police once described me as a human lie detector. I liked that, and I wish it were the case, but I can’t always tell when someone is lying. I’ve caught and interviewed some of the biggest, cleverest, and most dangerous criminals during my time as a detective in London. I thought I’d seen and heard it all, because I have. But the thing that surprises me most so far about Harrison Woolf is that I believe every word he said just now is true.
Carter places a mug of tea in front of Harrison and another infront of me. Neither of us touches them. He doesn’t even look at his, just stares at me with an unnerving intensity.
“I was told that you found your wife’s phone,” I say, and Harrison nods. “Would you mind if I took a look? It might help shed some light on her whereabouts and state of mind these last few days.”
His jaw clenches but he nods. “Of course.”
“And would it be possible for me to take a quick look atyourphone too?”
He stares at me again but doesn’t answer. I’m about to politely explain that I can ask his phone company for records any time I want, and that they can send meeverything, even deleted texts, but then he reaches inside his pocket and puts an iPhone on the table. Unlike mine, it looks brand-new. Him handing it over like that without any further protest surprises me, and I am rarely surprised. I quickly scroll through his final messages with his wife.
Thurs, 30 Oct at 15:05
Leaving London now, will be home soon.
Thurs, 30 Oct at 17:10
Is everything ready for the exhibition?
Thurs, 30 Oct at 23:56
I’m so proud of you tonight. Love you x
She didn’t reply to any of his messages and I think that looks suspicious. He said they came back here together after the exhibition, so why not just tell her? Why would you text someone that you loved them if you were with them? Wouldn’t you just say it to their face? Unless he knew his wife was going to disappear and wantedit to look as though everything had been fine between them before she did.
“Thank you for that,” I say, giving the phone back to him. “Would it be okay if we just took a quick look around the house?”
“Happy to help in any way. I don’t have anything to hide,” Harrison replies.
And there it is: his first lie.
29CARTER
The husband is lying. It’s obvious. DCI Olivia Bird is meant to be a shit hot detective, so I don’t know how she can’t see it. Having insulted me on the doorstep, then belittled me by asking me tomake the tealike some kind of errand boy, my new boss does me the honor of asking me to accompany her while she searches the house. As though I didn’t do it properly the first time. As though I haven’t single-handedly been in charge of law and order in Hope Falls for four whole years before she turned up. I follow her as she walks around Spyglass. The house looks a little different from the last time we were here together—having sex downstairs—and I know she must be remembering that too as we walk through the rooms where we did it. But being back at Spyglass now feels strange for lots of reasons. Not just because of her. The elderly staircase creaks and groans with every step as we head upstairs.
“You do know I searched the place already?” I remind her quietly when we reach the top. DCI Bird—I can’t call herBirdy; regardless of what she says it doesn’t feel right now—asked Harrison to remain downstairs and I’m glad. I don’t like him and I don’t trust him. Even if I can’t explain why.
“Given the house used to belong to my grandmother, I justwanted to see what they did when they renovated it,” she replies, heading straight for the master bedroom.
“Really?”
“No. Jesus, Carter. The gene pool in this village needs bloody lifeguards.”
