Ben couldn’t contain himself. It took all LaCour’s skill to persuade the detectives that arresting Mr Rider for threatening behaviour was not going to help their resource problem. They warned him to stay on Aeroe again and not to conduct his own investigation, which they were well aware he was doing. They tried to get details of Kate and Squeezy from him, but, once more, Jans refused to allow him to answer. By the time he staggered out into the daylight,hebelieved he was guilty. He’d have gone back in and confessed—just to have it over with.
He returned to Ingrid’s to find Kate and Squeezy had gone to the docks, and Gabby had gone back to work. He slumped in Ingrid’s living room and she brought in some coffee. He looked up as she came over, and at his hopeless, heartbreaking expression, she wrapped her arms around him. “Oh, Ben, don’t…We’ll find him. I’ve told my grandson not to come. You can stay here as long as you need.”
“I’m so sorry to bring all this down on you. I didn’t mean any of this to happen.”
She sat down and poured them both some coffee. “I’ve been thinking about things, Ben, trying to think of any way I can help. I’m eighty-two, so I don’t think I’ll be storming in on the rescue with you. Look, I’ve drawn a timeline of what’s happened so far, and it’s rather odd.” He opened the folded paper with her. “See, here you are bringing Radulf to me, and then here Aleksey—Christian—is taken. But Radulf comes to me because, here, I heard a noise in the night, and you said to me he barks at—”
“My God. Yes, the night before…he went ballistic at a deer. Nik, I mean Aleksey—Christian—reckoned he saw it. I was sleeping, I stayed in bed. He had to bring him up in the end. Oh, fu—I mean, someone came to the house that night—was watching us! Radulf heard them!”
“More to the point, Ben, I thinktheyheardhimand realised they had to get him away, or they’d never get the access they wanted.”
“So they faked a disturbance here, knowing I’d come over with Radulf?”
“Yes. Ben, goodness, I’ll have to set you some extra homework, you’re being very slow today—but I’ll forgive you just this once. The point I’m making is whoever has done this knows a great deal aboutyou. Knows you know me, that you lived here, that we’re friends, yes? That you’d come if I called you. Youmusttell the police this.”
Ben groaned. “No! Please!”
But she made him. They called Jans, then the police, and this time the detectives came. Ben almost laughed. Ingrid had taught them both, and suddenly it was a deferential, “Yes, Mrs Jacobson, no Mrs Jacobson,” and Ben was treated with a little more respect—until they got him in the car and out of her sight. They appeared to be taking this new lead seriously, however. Once more, he was put in the interview room. They took him through his whole time on the island and everyone he’d met; anyone he could think of he’d angered or annoyed. They took a break, and when they came back two hours later, they had a coloured folder, which Ben didn’t like the look of. “Mr Rider, can you tell us about the events on the afternoon of fourteenth July in London this year at the house of a Mr Nikolas Mikkelsen? I believe you were questioned by New Scotland Yard?”
Ben stuttered, “I—I—was in Paris! You can—”
“Ben, you don’t have to answer this. My client—”
“You went to Paris with Mr Mikkelsen, I believe. Is that right, Mr Rider?”
“Ben, don’t—”
“You lead a very…colourful life, Mr Rider.”
“This isn’t relevant—”
“All right, Mr LaCour, we’ll move on. Mr Rider, can you confirm what your relationship is with Nikolas Mikkelsen?”
“We’ve already pointed out that this line—”
“Was Christian Beck aware of your relationship with Nikolas Mikkelsen? I believe he’s also local to Aeroe? Both Danish. Did Christian come here to Aeroe to spend Christmas with you and find out about Mr Mikkelsen from one of the people you know on Aeroe? Is that what happened? Did you fight about Nikolas Mikkelsen?”
Ben began to laugh hysterically, tears running down his face. Did they fight about Nikolas Mikkelsen? Yes. They did. That’s exactly what they’d fought about.
Jans insisted on a break. They brought some coffee and the questioning went on. “Mr Rider, how do you support yourself?”
“Ben, don’t—”
“Mr Rider, you’ve a car worth over eight hundred thousand Krone in your name. You’ve been here on Aeroe for almost six months, and in that time you’ve paid Ingrid almost ten thousand Krone for your keep, but you’ve not worked. You don’t appear to have worked since leaving the army five years ago. Where does your money come from, Mr Rider?”
“Where are you going with this line of—?”
“Are you a male prostitute, Mr Rider? Are Christian Beck and Nikolas Mikkelsen clients of yours?”
Ben didn’t even realise he was on his feet until he heard Jans snap, “Ben! Sit down! This interview is over now! My client isn’t answering any more of your questions.”
“I’m sorry, Mr Rider, I’ll rephrase that. Does Christian Beck give you money in return for sex? Did you ever accept money from Mr Mikkelsen in return for sex? Are you currently, in fact, receiving an amount of some two hundred and sixty thousand Krone a week from him? Did Christian Beck find out about this money, Ben? Ben, are there other older men you take money—? All right, we’ll take a break. More coffee, anyone? Interview terminated by Detective Inspector Ulf at two thirty p.m.”
§ § §
“Interview resumed by Detective Inspector Ulf at three p.m. So, Mr Rider, Christian Beck isn’t the only man you’ve been in a relationship with who’s come to an unfortunate end, yes? Mr LaCour, thisisrelevant, and Iwillask this question. I refer to Nathan Stones. Mr Stones died in suspicious circumstances whilst in a relationship with you, did he not, Mr Rider?”
“This is completely irrelevant, and my client—”
