She reached for my hand with her left and held it. ‘I know what you mean. I don’t have any problem with the police. Tell me what you told them and I’ll tell them the same.’
‘Don’t-’
‘I’m not stupid, Cliff. I won’t make it word for word.’
Her hand was cool and smooth and I was glad to be holding it. ‘I’m having trouble saying the right thing. I know you’re not stupid, Lorrie. I’m overprotective, I guess.’
‘No you’re not. You saved my life. I’d say you’re exactly protective enough.’
We sat in silence there for a few minutes then we both started talking. We agreed that it all happened too quickly for us to be scared or to record more than fleeting impressions of the gunman. Our impressions matched: medium height and build, dark clothes, decisive action coming in and going out.
She wasn’t sentimental about Fay Lewis and Montefiore. She hadn’t known them and hadn’t liked what she saw of them. ‘Would he know that Fay hadn’t told us anything?’
I shrugged. ‘Dunno. Could he have heard from outside? Was the window by the door open?’
‘I heard him.’
‘That’s right. So maybe he knows Fay didn’t say his name. You can probably hear your own name better than any other sound.’
‘Does that mean we’re safe? Why the guard then?’
‘Hank? Don’t you like him?’
‘He’s sweet. Answer the question.’
‘At a guess, he’s tapped my phone. So he knows about you and he’s known about me from early on. I don’t know how.’
‘Yes you do. O’Connor.’
‘Mmm.’
‘There’s that pissy sound again. Should I sack him?’
‘No. We have to keep tabs on all the players. You have to tell him to get me another session with Stewart.’
Our hands separated and she said, ‘Oh?’
‘I’m betting this bit of business will have had an effect on him. I’ve got the tape of our voices and the door breaking and the shots.’
She lay back on the pillows and a wave of fatigue and worry seemed to wash over her. ‘I’m tired, Cliff. Could you make sure that Britt’s got the children safe and okay? She can bring them in later and hire some more help. As for what you’re saying about Stewart, I wouldn’t be too sure.’
Hank was still looking alert and ready for action. I asked him to ring O’Connor on his mobile. He did and handed the phone to me.
‘Who’s this?’
‘Hardy,’ I said.
‘Christ, what now?’
‘I want to see Master again. Set it up as quick as you can.’
‘You should be in there with him. Maybe you will be. How is she?’
‘Good that you got around to asking. She’s pretty knocked about and concerned for her kids, but she’s not quitting.’
‘I’ve been thinking about that outrageous allegation you made. It’s nonsense, but I assume you’ve uncovered something that bears on Master’s situation?’
‘Something, not enough. I’m hoping for more.’
‘From Stewart?’
‘Perhaps. Perhaps from others.’
‘We should have a talk if you’ve got some solid information. I don’t much like what’s happening-people getting shot.’
‘Not when one of those people could be you.’
I heard his exasperated sigh. ‘You’re determined to be… recalcitrant. I’ll make the arrangements for you to see Master and leave a message. I’m going to be there when the police talk to Lorraine tomorrow. I hope you’re not.’
‘No way, I’ll be knuckle dragging down some mean street.’
‘You’re impossible.’ He hung up. He was getting good at that.
I handed the phone back to Hank. ‘Thanks.’
‘Okay. Trouble with the lawyer?’
‘No more than usual. D’you get relieved sometime?’
‘Sure.’ He looked at his watch. ‘In an hour.’
‘Got a car here?’
‘I do.’
‘How are you at debugging?’
He practically hugged me. ‘I’m the best and I’ve got the latest stuff.’
‘I suppose you’re a computer hotshot as well.’
‘Mac, PC, networks, I’m there.’
‘Hank,’ I said, ‘this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’
He laughed. ‘Bogie.’
I was relieved that he got the reference. ‘There’s a wine bar down the street. Meet me there when you’re free and we’ll do some business.’
Hank drove a Nissan Patrol 4WD and lived in Dover Heights. We called by his flat while he explained to his girlfriend, Pammy, an intense, bespectacled young woman, that he was moonlighting for me. She wasn’t pleased. I said it was only for a few hours but she still wasn’t pleased. Hank loaded some of those metal boxes into the Patrol and we were off.
‘Pammy’s not happy,’ I said.
‘Pammy doesn’t do happy. She’ll be okay.’
We went to my office and I could see that Hank loved everything about it-the decor, the smell, Stephanie Geller next door. I didn’t have the heart to tell him about the rent and the plumbing. He went straight to work with his gadgets and in no time flat located listening and monitoring devices in my telephone and fax.
‘You’ve been penetrated, man,’ he said.
‘Thanks. Just leave them be, okay?’
‘You sure? I can-’
‘Have a look at the computer.’
I showed him the message with the hotmail address. The Power Mac isn’t new and he almost curled his lip, but he settled down in front of it and started in with those rapid action things computer experts do that make my head spin. He inserted a compact disc and stared at me.
‘What?’
‘Give me your password.’
I told him and his fingers flicked over the keys. He looked annoyed at the time menus took to come up and be eliminated but he persisted. I made mugs of instant coffee and by the time I got back he was tapping his fingers on the desk. He looked at the mug.
‘What’s this?’
‘Instant coffee.’
‘Jesus. Okay, thanks. It’s tricky, excising an address, but it can be done and it can be traced. That’s the good news.’
‘Give me the bad news.’
‘My kind of guy. This came from an Internet cafe in the city. Sender was good, knew what to do. Have you ever used those things?’
‘Once or twice.’
‘You know how it works. You give your name, Hank, and pay in cash.’
