‘I can’t promise that,’ Rachel said. ‘Depends what it is.’
He rubbed his nose, thought for a moment. ‘You was asking about the warehouse, well, the Perry boys, they was there Friday.’
Rachel’s spine stiffened. ‘You sure?’
‘I saw them coming away over the bridge,’ he said.
‘What time?’
‘About nine.’
‘You’re sure they’d been at the warehouse?’
‘Well, they’d come up the hill from there. I seen them from my window.’ He shook his drink as if testing how much was left.
‘Why didn’t you say anything before?’ Rachel said.
‘Didn’t want to mess with them. They’re off their heads.’
‘They’ve been charged already,’ Rachel tried to reassure him, ‘they won’t be out for a long time.’
‘It could still go wrong, innit. Not even go to trial for months. Anything could happen. I ain’t no witness.’
‘Connor-’
‘What you on about?’ Gloria was back, phone in hand.
‘Nothing,’ he said quickly.
Why was he telling her now, Rachel wondered? Because the twins were in custody and he felt safer? It had been on the news: two men who have been charged with the murder of Richard Kavanagh continue to be questioned on further serious charges.
Or was it because Connor suspected his dad’s involvement and he wanted to throw the police off track? She knew Connor wouldn’t say anything else with his mother back in earshot. So instead Rachel tried Gloria. ‘Did your husband know Victor and Lydia?’
‘Who? Did he heck?’
‘Done in here,’ the man leading the search team said and Rachel and the Tandys shuffled into the living room while the police examined the kitchen and the back yard.
They found nothing.
Rachel had done the babysitting and was able to leave but whether the new information she had got was gold dust or dirt, she’d no idea. If Connor Tandy really had seen the twins coming from the warehouse on Friday at nine, did that actually help matters given it seemed evident that the twins were not responsible for the double murder? Or did it just muddy the water even more?
Janet had looked at Rachel’s interview with Greg Tandy. The guy was no comment all the way. He was an odd-looking man, doll-like, his round eyes and high eyebrows gave him a surprised look. But his repeated answer was dull and flat, stripped of any intonation.
Janet wondered if she would do any better now evidence was stacking up against him.
Greg Tandy hadn’t shaved; his jaw was dusted with back dots like pepper where his stubble was growing in. His disposable suit added to the impression Janet had of him looking like a toy, or a puppet, Andy Pandy, Thunderbirds.