in Glebe Point Road and headed for home. It’d been an early start and an eventful day and I was tired. I turned into my street and swore when I saw that the parking spot outside my house was occupied. I drifted on down the street and parked between a BMW and a sleek looking something-or-other — the street has gentrified since I arrived and I wasn’t keeping pace.
I set the crook-lock — which any decent car thief can crack in about ten seconds — and hauled myself and my wet and dry dinner up the footpath. When I got to my front gate the door of the car parked in my spot opened and a tall woman stepped out.
‘Mr Hardy? Inspector Beth Hammond. I’d like a word.’
15
I walked up, juggling food, wine and keys. ‘I’ll be happy to oblige, Ms Hammond,’ I said. ‘But I had an early start and a hard day and I haven’t eaten since this morning. I’m going to eat this food and drink some of this wine and nothing’s going to stop me. You can watch or join in if you want.’
She wore a black pants suit with a white blouse and her dark hair fell to her shoulders. The light in the street isn’t great and I couldn’t tell much about her features. Held herself well. “We’ll see how it goes,’ she said. ‘If I have to arrest you at least you’ll have eaten.’
She looped the strap of her purse over her shoulder, opened the gate and winced a little at the squeak. I went up the path, opened the door and stepped aside.
‘After you,’ she said.
Assertive. I turned on a light and got my first good look at her. She had regular, unremarkable features and wore no make-up that I could see. Her expression was determined and her movements were the same. She followed me down the passage to the kitchen where I turned on more lights and plonked down the food and wine. ‘Have a seat.’
‘Thanks.’ She squatted on one of the stools at the breakfast bench. Me, I need to lean back against a wall for support when I do that but she looked comfortable enough as she was, ramrod straight.
I opened the wine and picked up two glasses from the draining rack.
She shook her head. ‘Not for me.’
I poured a glass full and drank half of it, topped the glass up. I put the felafel and kebabs on a plate with the flat bread and opened the containers of hommos and tabouli. I extended a plastic fork to her. She half smiled and shook her head. Good smile and the hair swung nicely. She was a potentially attractive woman trying not to be.
‘Excuse me. I’m hungry.’ I pulled the stool nearer the wall and sat down and began to eat. She took a gold pen from the breast pocket of her jacket and a notepad from her shoulder purse.
‘You don’t seem surprised to see me.’
‘I was told about you.’
‘By whom?’
Great grammar. ‘I forget. Detective Sergeant Stankowski maybe.’
‘I hope you’re not going to make this difficult, Mr Hardy.’
I chewed and swallowed, drank some wine. ‘No more than it has to be, Inspector.’
She glanced at her notebook although I could tell she didn’t need to. ‘You interviewed a man only hours before he was murdered and your fingerprints have been found in a house where a woman died under suspicious circumstances. That puts you uncomfortably close to two deaths in the space of two days.’
‘I’m certainly not comfortable about it myself.’
‘Your attitude isn’t helping,’ she said. She seemed to think she’d scored a point though. ‘But at least you don’t deny being in Mrs Samantha Price’s house. What is your connection with these people?’
I ate some more of the food and drank some wine although my appetite was fading fast. ‘As I told your colleague, I’m pursuing an investigation and I’m not at liberty to talk about it.’
‘You won’t be at liberty at all if you don’t.’
Nice comeback. ‘Still no clues on the Jorgensen thing, huh?’
She glared at me. ‘I’m questioning you, not the other way around.’
‘I thought perhaps an exchange of information might be in order.’
‘Certainly not.’
I shrugged. ‘Mexican stand-off then. Why a Mexican stand-off, have you ever wondered?’
‘I advise you to take this seriously.’
‘I do. I only met Jason Jorgensen and Mrs Price once. They were young and not bad people as far as I could tell. If I find out what happened to them before you do I’ll let you know, but I’ve got a client to protect.’
‘I could arrest you for obstruction.’
‘You won’t do that. You know that my lawyer’d have me out in no time and you’d have gained nothing.’
‘Your last word?’
‘Not at all. I’ll talk to my client in the morning and see what room there is to manoeuvre in.’
She stood up and tucked her pad and pen away in her purse. I guessed her age as early thirties and her IQ as high. Also her ambition. ‘You’ll be at Hurstville Police Station at nine-thirty tomorrow morning, with or without your lawyer, to make a statement. Otherwise, a warrant will be issued for your arrest.’
I nodded and followed her down the passage towards the door. She walked tall but I had a sense that the interview had disappointed her and she was re-grouping. Before she reached the door she spun around and sucked in a breath. It wasn’t deliberate, but her breasts rose, her lips parted and there was colour in her smooth- complexioned face. She hated to do it but she said, ‘You made a remark about an exchange of information?’
I opened the door and motioned her forward. ‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘The moment passed.’
My finest hour: two cops pissed off at me and a client who didn’t know what he wanted to happen next. I put the leftover food in the fridge and poured a last glass of wine. I didn’t blame the police for coming after me but I knew I couldn’t help them in any substantial way and they threatened to be a hindrance to the job I had on hand. I settled by the phone, rang Viv Garner and told him the state of play.
‘I take it you didn’t kill them?’ he said.
‘Ha, ha.’
‘If they’ve tapped your phone, mate,’ he said, ‘you’ve told them all they’d be likely to get. True?’
‘I suppose.’
‘When did you last have it checked?’
‘Yonks ago.’
‘So it could be tapped?’
‘What’re you getting at, Viv?’
‘I take it you don’t want to front up in the morning?’
‘That’s right. I’ve got other things to do and I owe you too much money as it is.’
‘Didn’t you hear a funny clicking then?’
‘C’mon, Viv.’
‘I could ring them tomorrow and say you’ve instructed me that your phone has been tapped and that they therefore know all you know. That’ll surprise them and set the cat among the pigeons. Should buy you some time. With any luck Stankowski will suspect Hammond of stealing a march on him and vice versa.’
‘You didn’t learn that in law school.’
‘I’ve forgotten most of what I learned in law school. Have you caught up with the bloke enrolled at Lachlan yet?’
‘No, not yet.’
‘What about the rich woman paying his bills?’
‘I talked to her. Apparently he’s moved on to another one.’
‘And no-one in that connection is dead yet? Not bad. I’m moving around a bit tomorrow, Cliff, but you’ve got my mobile number. Call me if they throw you in the cells.’
