Endor said, 'Mary? What's going on?'
She glowered at him angrily then pointed an accusing finger at Joe.
'Ask your little friend,' she sneered.
'Joe?' said Endor.
His tongue had just about deflated to a size where speech was once again possible. He croaked, 'It's over. OK? It's over.'
The man and woman exchanged glances. Then Abe said, 'That's right. It's over. Come on, sweetheart.' And putting his arm over Mary's shoulders, he urged her back into the changing room.
'Now what the hell was that all about?' demanded Endor, gently distancing Joe from the mohair.
Joe croaked something noncommittal. In fact he felt tempted. He had decisions to make and it would be good to talk. But in the PI game, whoever was paying the piper should be the only one entitled to hear the tune.
Endor said, 'Joe, if it helps, I know who you are. And if you're thinking, it's none of my business, then remember, Zak is my business. So talk to me.'
Same line as Hardiman, thought Joe. Except his first concern was for the Plezz, while Endor's interest in Zak herself went as deep as his pocket.
And with the end in sight, didn't he have the right to know his percentage of what had been going on?
Talk to anyone who buys me a cup of coffee,' he croaked.
They didn't go to the stadium restaurant, for which Joe was glad. He didn't want to run into Zak till he'd got his thoughts straight. Still less did he want to see Mary and Schoenfeld again. So they went to the stripped-pine-and- carrot-cake cafe next to the art gallery which wasn't officially open, but quickly succumbed to Endor's Cockney charm.
'Rehearsing for tomorrow,' he said as he put a cup of coffee in front of Joe. 'Told 'em you was a Caribbean coffee taster. If you liked it, the mayor would love it.'
Joe liked it. He'd have liked muddy water if that was all there was to lubricate his still painful throat.
'Now, Joe,' said Endor. 'About this investigation of yours...'
'You the one who recommended me to Zak?' asked Joe.
That's right,' grinned Endor. 'But don't be too grateful. I'd read about you in the local rag after that boy-in- the-box affair, so when Zak asked if I knew any Pis locally, I didn't want to lose my reputation for infallibility.'
'She give you any ideas what it was about?'
'Not her. And I didn't press. One thing I've learnt about Zak, she makes her own decisions. So while I want to know what's going on, don't tell me anything you think she'll be pissed at you telling me.'
Joe said, 'I've thought about that. Ongoing, my lips are sealed. But it's over, and after what you saw, you ought to know. In fact, considering you employ Mary, you've a right to know.'
Briefly he outlined what had been going on.
Endor was gob smacked
'Jesus,' he said. 'If I'd even suspected it was something serious as this, I would never ... I'd have called in the Old Bill straight away.'
He would never have recommended me is what he was going to say, thought Joe without resentment. Shoot, first thing I said to her was you ought to ring the fuzz!
'She was worried from the start someone in her family might be involved,' he said. 'Seems she was right.'
'God, yes. Mary. I blame myself there.'
'You do? How come?'
'This sounds to me like one of them two-to-tango things,' said Endor grimly. 'If I hadn't let Zak talk me into taking Mary on in the first place ... All it was really was a way of Zak paying Mary's salary without her working directly for Zak, know what I mean? Should've known better. Only reason to hire anyone is they can do the job.'
'And couldn't she?'
'In fact, she could. Pretty nifty at it as it turned out. That was my second mistake, I began to forget the background ... you know, the accident, all that.'
'I know.'
'At first I kept her busy on my other accounts, not Zak's. But when these Vane University geezers got in touch, I wanted to check the place out, get the feel of things, look at the small print. It was peanuts commercially, but in terms of development, it could be crucial. Zak was very keen. Didn't want to lose touch with her art interests. Wise girl. Always keep the day job open is what I tell my clients. So I went over first. I like people to sell things to me, then I sell them to my clients. Saves a lot of aggro. And I took Mary with me. It was Zak's idea. Said she deserved a trip and could suss things out from the woman's point of view. Big mistake.'
'Because she met Schoenfeld?'
That's right. I could see Abe was making a play for her. I put it down to the guy being so keen to get his hands on Zak, athletically speaking, that he thought it wouldn't do no harm to soften up the sister. How wrong can you be!'
'No way you could guess how it would pan,' said Joe with the sympathy of one who spent a great deal of time being amazed at how wrong he could be.
