False Prophet by James Hazel

Author:James Hazel
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction

Chapter 38

After Fay got off the phone she took the seat next to Priest, leaving the seat opposite vacant; a sign that hostilities were over, for now at least.

‘He’s checking,’ she said. ‘But you’re right. Blood group doesn’t turn up on a PM report unless its requested. It’ll take time to sort, though.’

‘More waiting then.’

‘Guess so.’

He could smell the alcohol on her breath, and something else too. A perfume he didn’t recognise. Not like the one Jessica wore, something earthy, organic.

She reached across him to pick up the bottle of beer.

‘You think it’s possible?’ she said. ‘Someone thinks there’s a better ending to the Bible by killing the last demons on Earth.’

Priest considered his reply. ‘What I’ve learnt is that human beings have an endless capacity to justify their actions on the flimsiest of grounds. But in the end, it doesn’t matter why. It matters how and when.’

‘What about God? You believe in Him?’

They were silent for a moment, watching people file into the bar, preparing for nights out, nights in, conferences, shows, affairs. A microcosm of networks, intermingling and dispersing randomly. A kaleidoscope of human behaviour. It reminded Priest of something his father used to talk about: two colonies of ants, both living on the opposite sides of the same leaf. They were blissfully unaware of each other’s existence because ants can only think in two dimensions. Three is beyond their tiny brains. We only know what we know, nothing more. Like the ants, we have limits to what we can see; there could be something else waiting for us, on the other side of the leaf.

‘Not the God of the Old Testament,’ he replied. ‘Not the omniscient being they call Yahweh.’

‘But you believe in something?’

‘I believe this world is infinitely more complicated than they would have us believe.’

‘Who’s they?’

Priest’s phone rang. A number in Geneva. He exchanged glances with Fay and hit ‘answer’, then ‘loudspeaker’.

‘Priest.’

The voice that came back was loud and energised. ‘Mr Priest, this is Detective Kim Rising. There has been a development.’

‘Go on.’

‘Our pathologist noticed a small mark on Luca’s right hand. We thought it was a rash at first but under a UV light it turned out to be a red stamp, a little faded from the water. We’ve managed to take a picture and enhance it. It turns out to be an entry stamp for a gay club in Geneva near Luca’s house. We thought he must have been there recently so we made enquiries. Looks like he was a regular.’

‘Good. When was he last there?’

‘The night he disappeared. And the club was good enough to give us the CCTV showing Luca coming in and coming out.’

‘Don’t tell me he left with someone.’

‘Yes. He’s known to us. His name is Tobias Haas. He’s got previous, including one attempted murder.’

He sat up, alert. They were on to something, he could feel the adrenaline kick in, mixing with the alcohol. ‘Can we track him?’

‘We’re raiding his house shortly. I’m sending a car for you.’

As she spoke, they looked up.

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