about money or what Im working on at the time or deeper questions. The reading does the job, and I can mostly get back into a light sleep for a few hours. This night, despite its unusual features, was no different. I found myself awake at about 4 a.m., lying on my side with Claudias arm across my waist. I was cramped and uncomfortable with a slight case of what used to be called shaggers back. It had been a while since Id exercised those particular muscles, and a long time since Id exercised them so thoroughly. She muttered something that might have been gibberish or in one of the many foreign languages I dont understand as she rolled into a new position.
I didnt want to read or to get up to drink water or piss or do anything, I was happy just to lie there with the warmth of her next to me. The street light is almost immediately outside the house and it penetrated the rice-paper blinds to some extent. The room wasnt in total darkness and I was able to examine Claudias hair, spread out on the pillow beside me. It was thick and lustrous and quite white. As far as I could tell, it was the same colour from the tips to the roots. Curious.
She muttered again. The sheet fell away and I lifted it back to cover her smooth, brown shoulder. The softness of her skin was a delight and I found myself wanting to stroke her all over. I made do with kissing the shoulder. Her presence soothed and comforted me and I slid back into sleep without a thought of poor, dead Barry White or Max Savage or any of the rest of it.
You havent made me an offer on the house, I said as Claudia and I drank coffee and ate toast in the courtyard.
She shook her head and the white hair flew. She was wearing just her blue lace petticoat with the white silk jacket over it and I was having difficulty keeping my eyes away from her breasts and legs. Like I said, youll never leave unless they decide to put a freeway, or a bridge approach through it.
Ive thought about Bondi.
Youre not the Eastern Suburbs type. Too rugged.
So whatre you going to do, Claudia?
She took a good bite of toast and chewed enthusiastically. Keep looking for a house. Keep thinking about going back to work. How come you havent got a lawyer?
I told her about Cy and what had happened and she made sympathetic noises. She hadnt heard about it although it had made a big splash in the papers because shed been overseas for most of the year, recovering from the break-up with her husband.
So is Vardon the maiden or married name?
Detecting, are we?
Shit, sorry, no. I just
Its OK. Im a bit defensive, thats all. Vardons his name. Im going back to my name as soon as the settlements through.
Which was a way of saying dont ask too many questions. Glen Withers had said I exhausted her with questions and that Id found out too much about her too soon. Left nothing to be surprised about and that was part of the trouble. I didnt believe it, but here was a chance to play it another way. I got on with eating toast and drinking coffee and let the moment pass, although it was hard to do. I wanted to ask where she grew up, what her husband did, about the white hair… Maybe Glen had had a point.
She finished eating and carefully brushed the crumbs from her plate into a pile on top of where the bricks are built up around the grapefruit tree so the birds could get them. Youve gone quiet, she said.
Just keeping myself from being nosy. Ive got to work today. Is it too pushy to ask if I can see you again tonight? I really want to.
She got up from the plastic chair and squatted down in front of me. Her breasts were loose and heavy under the petticoat and I put my hands down and held them. Her face came up and we kissed hard.
I like you more than your house, she said. But Im glad I stopped to take a look at it. Of course I want to see you, but you have to understand that Im coming off a bad time, a couple of bad times. I dont trust my judgment.
Claudia, I…
Ssh. Dont come over all masterful. Men have to learn to let things happen. Now, you stay here and finish your coffee. Thank for a terrific night. Im going to have a shower and then Ill go. Ill take down your phone number and Ill ring you soon. OK.
It wasnt, but what could I do. Protest? Sulk? Reluctantly, I took my hands from her breasts. OK, I said.
10
Well, I certainly wasnt going to sit around waiting for her to call. No percentage in that. I was eager to get up and go on the Beckett case, to be doing something so that romantic involvement didnt soak up all my energy and attention. That had happened a few times in the past with disastrous resultsI either burnt the whole thing out too quickly or got let down badly. Not this time. I left the dishes in the sink, the empty bottle on the bench, the glasses where they sat and I didnt make the bed. I rang the number Max Savage had given me.
Max Savages phone. A pleasant, young female voice, a big improvement on the usual response to a police number. Suddenly, I didnt quite know what to do next.
Ah, my names Hardy, Cliff Hardy. Can I… ah, leave a message for Mr Savage?
Max is here, Mr Hardy. Im Constable Draper. I can act as relay between you if you wish.
Well, how does that work?
I could hear a short, barking laugh on the line. Savage, for sure.
You tell me what you want to say to Max and Ill tell him what you said. Then he speaks to you and you respond. Its very simple really. Just collect your thoughts.
Not very secure.
Dont be insulting. Do you want to talk to Max or not?
Im sorry, Constable. Yes, please tell him Id like to speed things up. Id like a meeting today to work on the material we discussed yesterday.
A pause, then Savage came on the line. Dont worry about Penny, Cliff, shes a heroine. I think we should get together today. Will Barry Whites murder be on the agenda?
For sure, Max. Im sorry if I offended her. Can you bring the notebooks?
A pause, and I could hear Constable Penny Draper talking fast, verbatim as far as I could determine.
Yeah, Savage said, leastwise, photocopies of the interesting bits. What about your office in an hour and a half?
Will you be bringing Penny?
I heard a peal of female laughter before she relayed what Id said to Max.
Savage came back on the line and his voice was softer, without the cop edge. Pennys a paraplegic, Cliff. She got shot in the spine by some redneck dickhead who was beating the shit out of his girlfriend. She does the work of three people around her now. See, us handicapped arent being tucked away in corners any more. No need to say anything. Your office, ninety minutes, OK?
OK, I said. Thanks, Penny.
Have a good meeting.
All of which left me feeling grateful that all my bits and pieces still worked despite the efforts a few people had made over the years to change that. I fetched the paper in from the front step and flicked through it. Barry White had made page three. A brief article, very light on for facts about his death, reviewed his inglorious career and implied that something from his past had surfaced and dragged him down. For all I knew, that couldve been true.
Max Savage dumped a thick wad of photocopy paper on my desk and took the top off one of the two takeaway coffees Id bought. Thats for you, he said. Any sugar?
I reached into the bottom drawer, produced three packets and a wooden stirrer and passed them over. I rifled through the paper. Give me the gist.
Lazy bugger. Max stirred briskly, sipped and sighed appreciatively. Ah, thats good. You mustve had a big night?
