Deccie Must Die (MCM Investigations #2)

by Caimh McDonnell

Somehow, in a way that Brigit couldn’t explain, she had allowed Phil Nellis to get onto the subject of the moon landings. He had a lot of takes. So many that Brigit had occupied herself by counting down every minute as the GPS’s estimate of the time to their destination slowly shrank. You were never really in a conversation with Phil Nellis, it felt more like you were there while it was happening. Like a natural disaster or someone deciding to perform music on public transport. “And don’t get me started on Mars,” concluded Phil. If there was anything Brigit was sure of in this life, it was that she didn’t want to get Phil Nellis started on Mars. If there were two things she was sure of in this life, it was that on the way back, Phil was definitely somehow going to get started on Mars.

“Phil?” He started rubbing at his face with the heel of one hand, as if he was warming it up for something spectacular. “You didn’t hear any of this from me.” “Really?” said Brigit. “You work for me, you drove me here, but you’d like to be treated as a confidential informant?” “Yes.” It didn’t matter how many times you experienced it up close and personal, somehow Phil Nellis’s utter failure to grasp the concept of irony still came as a surprise.

It’s possible, and I’m only saying possible, that Tricia – who again, is very nice, please mention I said that if she asks – may have killed a couple of people. For money, I mean – not for no reason.”

She loved Phil the same way she loved exercise. What she enjoyed most about it was when it stopped.