Richard
My intercom buzzes.
“Yes, Francis?”
“Mr Haswell, I have the police commissioner on for you.”
“Put him through, please…” The phone clicks… “Richard?”
“Will, good to hear from you. What can I do for you? Do you have any news?”
“I do, Richard, yes. But it’s not good news I’m afraid.”
Damn…
“Go on.”
“I’ve emailed you a report from the authorities in Brazil. Briefly, there was an explosion in a hotel room in São Paulo; a booby-trapped lavatory would you believe. It took out several rooms and there were a lot of casualties. Two bodies were taken from the room. One was a member of the hotel staff. The other was a guest. The passport identifies him as one Harry Hughes: English. But take a look at the photograph and tell me what you think.”
My mouth sours…
Christ…
If it is…
“Can you hold, Will, while I pull up the email.”
“No problem. Take your time.”
Tap… Tap… Tap… Click…
Password…
Scroll…
Click…
Crap!
I breathe in. Let out air.
“Yes, that’s him. He’s clever with the hair and the glasses. It’s quite subtle and you wouldn’t see it on a casual glance, but that’s him…”
…
“Richard?”
…
do I
… Or Charlotte?
…
…
“Richard? Are you alright?”
he’s shown… The way he behaved when Charlotte was abducted… And when he knew there was a threat to Mitch. And James. There was a real human inside
What a waste…
me to call by and tell
tell James and Michael, and
If there’s anything I can do, you know where to find
“Thanks, Will.”
*****
in his office next door to mine. He takes the
“James?”
squeezing. “I feel terrible. This is all
don’t know that
almost certainly down to me.” He breathes in, then out again. “No. The question is, how
tell her. At least for a while. After the birth.
and hoping. Could this be worse? At least it’s closure and she knows what she’s dealing with. She’ll have all
all keep a closer
spying on her. But we could make up her old room again, so it’s there as an option if
Deliver the news face-to-face. I’ve already
red-rimmed, he tugs his jacket straight.
*****
Klempner
a hand to shield my eyes for a few seconds. By the time I’m blinking back to normality, the click-click of stiletto heels is
usual bag, stuffed with God-knows-what, and as usual, colour-co-ordinated to her outfit.
and the lipstick is too bright for her. Although that might not
you wear
a fashion statement.” Her
do shift a little, moving my weight from one side to the other. I’ve almost ceased to notice the cold striking up from the concrete, but it still rubs, being in contact with the unyielding surface
today. The wig is black; much too dark for her complexion. Not that her complexion is visible, with her face plastered under a brown sludge that would be flattering on some young woman of genuine Latino descent, but which simply looks unsubtle, almost grotesque on Juliana. A scarlet hibiscus set in her hair
the miserable thing mid-air before it hit the deck
Lunch?
from her lunch box, unwrapping some fragrant dainty, then appears to realise I’ve not moved. She nods
Still, I don’t move.
blinks, then, “If you eat that one now and behave yourself, I’ll
sense beats it over the head. I take a bite from the potato, chewing slowly to
“Enjoying that?” she says.
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