‘He doesn’t like it. He’s a regular, you see. Sometimes they get jealous, but that’s his problem.’
‘Did you see the face of the man who entered Annie’s flat?’
‘Not really. He had on a heavy coat, the collar turned up. He was wearing a hat.’
‘It’s the same man,’ Isaac said to Larry.
‘Delilah, you’ve had a narrow escape,’ Larry said.
Chapter 26
Wendy took Gwendoline shopping to try to identify the aftershave the man had been wearing. At the first shop they visited, no success. At the second, the same result. At the third, the smell of the aftershave was unmistakable. Wendy purchased a bottle and then returned to the station, but not before the two women had stopped at a restaurant.
‘Not point in skimping on the budget. You’re a witness. It’s important we look after you,’ Wendy said.
‘You’ve been very generous,’ Gwendoline said.
Wendy felt sad for the woman, a woman like so many others, just surviving day to day.
Back at the office, Isaac handed Gwendoline a small case with some of her belongings from her flat.
‘When can I get the rest?’ she asked.
‘Wendy will organise it for you. Maybe tomorrow. Do you have somewhere to stay?’
‘I’ve a friend, she’ll look after me for a few days.’
‘I’ll take her there,’ Wendy said.
‘When you get back, we need to discuss what we have,’ Isaac said.
‘It’s a bit obvious, wearing aftershave,’ Larry said.
‘The man wasn’t expecting to meet Gwendoline. He’s flustered, realising his cover’s been broken. Whoever he is, he must be one of the men we’ve been interviewing. Anyone that comes to mind?’
‘Archie Adamant, he’s a smart dresser, his brother’s not.’
‘John Holden, when he was alive, may have qualified, but he’s dead and buried.’
‘I had him down as the possible murderer, but if Gwendoline’s correct, it can’t be him.’
Wendy returned to the office twenty minutes after dropping off Gwendoline. ‘It’s a better place than Daisy’s was,’ she said.
‘Housekeeping is not Gwendoline’s strong point. The flat she shared with the last murder victim was a mess, even worse than my place,’ Isaac said.
‘I suppose you don’t have stray men over at your place,’ Wendy said.
‘No strays of any kind.’
‘Coming back to the point,’ Larry said, ‘the only men we’ve met who are still free are Barry Knox, although I can’t remember him smelling of anything, Christine Aberman’s current husband, and the two Adamant men. It still doesn’t explain who shot Slater and his receptionist, and ruined my best suit.’
‘It’s been dry cleaned, returned to you,’ Isaac said.
‘I know, but it’s not the same. The blood of two dead people has been on it.’
‘You’re becoming squeamish.’
‘Maybe, but we were there when they were shot. If we’d been in the line of fire, it would have been us that day.’
‘Now’s not the time to indulge in retrospection. We’ve got a man out there that we need to find, and fast. Discount Howard Adamant for now, and besides, he’s a young man about town, he’ll have no trouble finding female companionship.’
‘No need of Gwendoline,’ Wendy said.
‘Focus on the more likely candidates.’
‘I’ve always found Mrs Aberman’s second husband to be a little strange.’
‘Is it possible?’ Isaac said.
‘Everyone seems to tie into everyone else. Aberman and Adamant were interconnected. Maybe her second husband is as well.’
‘What about Slater?’
‘What about him?’
‘It was a difficult shot. Could there be more than one murderer?’
‘We’ve got Ugly Pete and Gus for Aberman’s death. Nobody for Slater’s but neither Ugly Pete nor Gus has any history with guns,’ Larry said.
‘We’ve always said the murders of Helen Langdon and James Holden were professional. What do we have on Archie Adamant? Any history of military training, any experience with weapons?’ Isaac said.
The team dispersed. Isaac and Larry left to go and visit Archie Adamant, Wendy to check on Gwendoline, to see if she remembered anything more.
Adamant was not pleased to see the two police officers. He was in his office at the house. He was a sombre man, devoid of any humour. His half-brother took life as it came, made plenty of money and enjoyed himself. Archie looked as if enjoyment was alien to him.
‘Is this important?’ Archie said. He was sitting down, aiming to look relaxed, not achieving it.
Isaac sniffed the air – nothing. He liked to splash on aftershave, especially if he had a date, but it had been a few weeks since his last one. The woman had seemed pleasant, but on the night of the date she found out that he appreciated a good steak and a glass of wine, whereas she was vegetarian and drank a glass of water. The evening had ended badly, although she had phoned up afterwards to apologise, agreeing that maybe she had been a little sensitive. Isaac knew there would not be a next time.
‘Mr Adamant, are you in the habit of visiting prostitutes?’ Isaac said.
‘How dare you come in here and accuse me of such a thing.’
‘We’ll need to conduct a search of your house. A warrant is being prepared.’
Larry sat quietly and watched his DCI bait the man. A search warrant for the man’s house was not in preparation, and even if it were, it would be up to Homicide to show just reason for it to be issued.
‘Yesterday a man paid for the services of a prostitute. That man was also with her in the room opposite to Helen Langdon and James Holden when they were murdered. You, Mr Adamant, fit the description of that man. How are you with weapons? Have you had any training? Will we find any firearms at your house?’
‘I’m proficient with firearms. However, I’ve not visited a prostitute.’
‘You’re not married,’ Larry said.
‘What’s that got to do with it? Adamant
