Free The Ultimate Truth by Kevin Brooks

the roads are like—’
    ‘I don’t care,’ Mum had told him. ‘I’d rather get lost than use one of those.’
    Then Courtney’s sat nav piped up –
In 400 metres, turn right
– and the memory faded.
    But as I glanced up at the map on the sat nav screen, something else flickered briefly into my mind, something that seemed to mean something. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to get hold of
it, but it had already gone. I knew there was no point in trying to get it back. It was one of those elusive feelings that you just have to let go, because the more you chase after them, the
further they float away. So I just let it go, hoping it would come back when it was ready, and turned my mind to something else.
    ‘Can I ask you something?’ I said to Courtney.
    ‘Of course. What is it?’
    ‘What’s going to happen to Delaney & Co now?’
    ‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘It depends what arrangements your mum and dad made. When they took over the agency from your grandad, they insisted that he stay on as a
partner, even though he wasn’t directly involved in the business any more. So I suppose their share of the business will go to him.’
    ‘Does that mean Grandad owns it?’
    ‘Possibly.’
    ‘So, if he wanted to, he could keep it open.’
    ‘He retired a long time ago, Travis.’
    ‘He still knows what he’s doing.’
    ‘I know. But he found it hard enough running the business on his own before, and he was twenty years younger and stronger then.’
    ‘He wouldn’t have to run it on his own. You could help him.’
    ‘Me?’ she said, taken aback.
    ‘Why not? You’re smart, you know the business, you’re good at it.’
    ‘Well, that’s nice of you to say, but it’s not really up to me.’
    ‘You’d like to do it though, wouldn’t you?’
    ‘Yeah, of course I would. I’d love it.’
    ‘The only thing is . . .’
    ‘What?’ she said.
    ‘Well,’ I said seriously, ‘Grandad’s a bit old-fashioned in his ways.’
    ‘So?’
    I looked at her. ‘If you worked for him, you’d have to dress like that every day.’
    She laughed.
    I smiled.
    Just for now, everything felt all right again.

16
    The Kamals’ house was pretty much the same as all the others houses on the estate – grey, pebble-dashed, with net curtains in the windows and a small front
yard.
    ‘Let me do the talking, OK?’ Courtney said as we went up to the door.
    ‘You’re the boss,’ I told her.
    She gave me a serious look. ‘I’m going to have to explain what happened to your mum and dad. Are you going to be all right with that?’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘Sure?’
    I nodded.
    She rang the bell, and after about ten seconds the front door inched open and a woman’s face appeared in the gap.
    ‘Yes?’ she said warily.
    Courtney smiled at her. ‘Mrs Kamal?’
    ‘Who are you?’
    ‘My name’s Courtney Lane,’ she said. ‘And this is Travis Delaney. We’re from Delaney & Co. I believe you spoke with Mr Delaney recently regarding the
whereabouts of your son.’
    ‘He’s not here,’ she said, starting to close the door. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t help you.’
    ‘It’s all right, Mrs Kamal,’ Courtney said gently. ‘We’re not here about your son.’
    Mrs Kamal hesitated. ‘What do you want?’
    ‘Well, unfortunately, Mr and Mrs Delaney passed away a few weeks ago,’ Courtney said, lowering her voice. ‘It was very sudden. A road traffic accident.’
    ‘Oh, my,’ Mrs Kamal said, glancing at me. ‘How terrible. I’m so sorry.’
    Courtney nodded. ‘All we’re doing at the moment is going through some of their unfinished cases, trying to clear up a few loose ends. It’s just routine paperwork, Mrs Kamal.
Nothing to worry about. So if you could possibly spare us a few minutes of your time, we’d very much appreciate it.’
    Mrs Kamal hesitated again for a moment or two, thinking over what Courtney had just told her. Then she unlatched the security chain on the door and showed us inside.
    We followed her