‘Farhan, coffee?’ Isaac asked, bringing him back from his daydreaming.
‘Yes, please.’
Both sat at their desks.
‘You’re satisfied the women that Sutherland had in his room are not involved?’ Isaac asked.
‘I’m certain they were only there for sex.’
‘Then someone must have gone in after and given him the drink.’
‘A fair assumption, Isaac.’
‘It doesn’t help, though. Security cameras. Any at the hotel?’
‘Not in the rooms and not on the floor.’
‘Then someone could have entered without being spotted.’
‘That’s correct.’
‘And it must have happened after the women left and before the maid found the body.’
‘We know that he died around three to four in the morning.’
‘Any record of him phoning for another woman?’
‘None has been found.’
‘What does that suggest?’
‘That he knew the person.’
‘Precisely,’ Farhan agreed. ‘And why didn’t Christy Nichols hear the knocking and the commotion?’
‘Good question, you’d better ask her.’
‘What are you going to do?’ Farhan asked.
‘I intend to meet up with Marjorie Frobisher’s children. I need to see how they feel about their mother’s disappearance. Whether they are involved.’
‘Why would they be involved?’
‘I’m not altogether sure. If the woman is alive, then there is no involvement, but if she’s dead…’
‘They could have killed her.’
‘If they had a motive.’
‘We are assuming her death would be a sanctioned assassination?’
‘It’s only an assumption. We know that people in senior places in this country want her dead. That doesn’t mean, however, that they committed the murder. Maybe someone else did, and it has proven advantageous to them. Charles Sutherland was a loose end; his death may have been an assassination or someone out for revenge.’
‘You know what you just said. I said it on the day of the interview with Jess O’Neill. You chose to ignore me.’
‘I heard what you said. I just didn’t want to hear it at the time. It is a strong enough motive,’ Isaac finally admitted.
Farhan changed the subject. ‘I’ll go and see Christy Nichols. You can go and see Marjorie Frobisher’s children.’
***
Christy Nichols was not hard to find. Her experience at the Savoy had left her downtrodden and downhearted. She had temporarily given up any hope of fame and fortune in the publishing world.
‘It’s a cut-throat business,’ she admitted when she met Farhan. They had agreed on a location in the east of the city, a small coffee shop he had visited in the past, and she knew. He had ordered cappuccino for them both, served by an Italian woman. He had made small talk, assumed she was a member of the family that owned the café, but she had told him she was just a backpacker aiming to make enough to pay her weekly costs. She said that no one in the family would work there for the hourly rate, but it was cash, so she saw no reason to complain. Besides, it was the tips that made it worthwhile. He made sure to give her a good tip.
‘What are you doing at the moment?’ he asked Christy.
‘Licking my wounds.’
‘That bad?’
‘That bad. You know she refused to pay my expenses?’
‘Victoria Webster?’
‘You’ve met her?’ she asked.
‘On official business.’
‘What did you think?’
‘It would be inappropriate for me to comment.’
‘I understand. Policeman’s code, something like that.’
‘Yes, something like that.’
‘She’s a bitch, isn’t she? Don’t answer that,’ she said. Farhan smiled.
‘She’s right of course. It’s a dog-eat-dog business. If you’re soft and kind-hearted like me, it’s impossible to make it.’
‘Christy, did you see anything?’
‘The night he was murdered?’
‘Yes.’
‘I saw the two women enter, but after his behaviour the previous time, I was keeping well away.’
‘The women that you saw, can you describe them?’ Farhan asked. He had met them both. It seemed a good idea to confirm that she was referring to the same women.
‘Both were attractive, heavier build than me, but not fat. One seemed to be Indian, not very dark though, and the other one English, in her late thirties, maybe early forties. They were both well-spoken. I had to pay someone in the hotel to let them in by the back entrance.’
‘Your description sounds right.’
‘You’ve met them?’
‘They didn’t want to, but it’s a murder investigation. I could have forced them to come to the police station.’
‘You didn’t?’
‘No, I met them separately in neutral locations.’
‘What did you think?’ She seemed curious.
‘I liked them both. As you say, apart from what they do.’
‘It’s not for us to judge, is it?’
‘Not at all,’ Farhan replied. ‘Life is tough. People sometimes need to make decisions to survive. Both were desperate to protect their identities.’
‘Their alter egos.’
‘You make them sound like superheroes or superheroines.’ Farhan was not sure where the conversation was heading.
‘Not really, but I can admire strong-minded, strong-willed people. I can admire Victoria Webster, not necessarily like her. I can even admire the two prostitutes, although I could never imagine myself doing something like that. What if they were seen by someone they knew? What would they do?’
‘I never asked. I will the next time.’
‘They won’t like it,’ she said. Farhan ordered two more drinks. It was evident she was in no hurry to leave, neither was he.
‘It’s an interesting thought. What
