Gardener scribbled more notes.
“You left immediately – didn’t do anything else?” Reilly asked.
Robbie Carter diverted his gaze to the Irishman. “What do you think I did, make a coffee and have a game of backgammon?”
“No, and this is why we’re confused as to the timing of things,” replied Gardener. “We think – at that point – that you set the alarm.”
“The alarm?”
“Yes, the alarm. You left the house, went to the police station and while you were there your phone pinged and you said to the desk sergeant, ‘he’s still there.’”
“I set the alarm?” questioned Robbie Carter, as if he couldn’t quite believe he had done it himself. “Why did I set the alarm?”
“That’s what we’d like to know. Your wife was in the house, and as far as you are aware, the only person in the place. She’s dead. Your house had been burgled and you’re all over the place, yet you set the alarm before you leave. Why would you do that?”
Robbie Carter shook his head a few times, opened his mouth but nothing came out.
“Let’s be honest, Mr Carter, your wife wouldn’t have set it before she went to bed, would she, knowing you were still out?”
“Is there anything you want to tell us, Robbie?” Reilly asked.
“Such as?”
“I’ve no idea. You say your wife was already dead and your house had already been burgled before you got home. But nothing you say seems to confirm what we’ve seen. So we’re starting to wonder about something.”
“Starting to wonder what?” Robbie Carter’s expression was grave, as if he had suddenly worked out what Gardener and Reilly had been thinking all along.
“That maybe you know more than you’re letting on.”
Reilly had ignited Robbie Carter’s short fuse again. “What the hell are you saying – that I set all this up?”
Gardener and Reilly remained tight-lipped.
Robbie Carter stared directly at Gardener. “You’re out of your mind. I had nothing to do with this... nothing at all.”
Both detectives sat silently – arms folded.
“If I’d done it, why would I set the alarm? I mean, what, you think I killed her and then arranged for a burglar to come in and turn the place over, take the heat off me?”
“Did you?”
Robbie Carter was on his feet. “How dare you?”
“Maybe you had a change of heart, old son,” said Reilly, “thought you were out of your league, or that something would go wrong and you didn’t want to go down so you’d get rid of both of them.”
“You take that back, you Irish bastard,” shouted Robbie.
Gardener had to admit that his partner had a way of provoking a reaction. Robbie Carter had risen to the bait, but Reilly remained calm and collected.
Gardener stood up, pushed his chair back and collected his folder.
“I think we’ll take a break, Mr Carter.”
“We’re done, are we? It’s what he’ll be if you stay much longer,” said Robbie Carter, pointing to Reilly.
“Sorry if you think we’ve been a bit tough on you, in view of everything that’s happened, but we have a job to do. Not very nice at times, I grant you.”
Robbie Carter nodded. “It’s okay.” He stood up and placed his chair under the table. “So, I can go now?”