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A call from Detective Inspector Grunwald delayed her further. He spoke with geniality as he enquired about her health and then asked her if he could stop by her house. “I need you to read and sign your statement,” he intoned, his voice calm and without guile. “I’ll bring a uniformed officer with me. You’ll like her.”
Lexi chewed the inside of her cheek. The man had told her something important without specifying it. He’d promised to bring a female officer and not Rojas. Guilt prickled in the back of Lexi’s brain that he tried so hard to accommodate her fears and soothe them. And yet she must push back his efforts without acknowledgement. “I’m sorry, but I have work today. Could we make it this evening?”
He sniffed and paused for thought. The silence stretched between them. Private investigators worked when required, but police officers followed distinctive shift patterns. She waited while he reminded himself that he still fronted a murder inquiry, and someone had taken a pot shot at a potential witness. Lexi sensed the moment he mentally shelved his plans for the evening, and she experienced a surge of guilt. “Okay,” he agreed. “What time?”
“Six.” Lexi kept the time early. She hoped by then she had repaid her debt to Shade, forged nearer to the end of the Barnard mystery, and dealt with her father. If the latter went wrong, she doubted she’d return home, anyway. Lachlan Mortimer humoured his long-lost daughter, but Lexi knew the slender relational thread had stretched to a breaking point. She reminded him of his children’s mother, and Lexi’s rebellious spirit displeased him. He valued his son above anyone else, and she pitied Garima with all her heart. Only his faith stood between her brother and whatever nefarious purpose Lachlan harboured for him.
Lexi’s mind had drifted by the time Grunwald killed the call. She still clutched her phone to her ear and stared through the office window into the sunny garden. Shade’s appearance in the doorway caused her to jerk, drop her phone and give a squeak of alarm. He winced and concern tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Sorry, sorry!” Lexi gushed. She retrieved her device from the rug and pushed it into her tiny handbag. “Putting off Grunwald until tonight.” She patted her bag and her fingers coasted over the mound from the pepper spray cannister. It clanked against her phone inside. “Tarant texted the name and address of someone who can prescribe antibiotics for your arm. He asked me to go in alone, so you can rest here longer if you want to?”
Lexi reached the doorway, but Shade didn’t budge. He blocked it with his body and shook his head. At Lexi’s instant protest, he formed a gun with the fingers of his left hand and pointed it at her. “You think Battersea will try again?” Why hadn’t the thought occurred to her? Her heart sank. “But I need to see people. You can’t come with me or wait in the car. It’s too hot and you’re sick.”
His hand closed over her wrist. With extreme gentleness, he tugged it towards the small of his back and patted her fingers over the weapon concealed in his waistband. It drew her closer to him than she wanted, and intoxication washed over her. He stared down at her with such intensity that it both thrilled and terrified her. He’d rescued his clothes from the dryer and they carried the scent of her washing powder, but his body heat altered the fragrance. It rose from him like a heady musk. Familiar and yet strange and exciting.
Lexi’s chin bumped his collar bone, and she jolted, leaving a faint hint of her red lipstick on the dark fabric. She tilted her head back and his green irises sparkled like gems as he studied her face. His gaze flicked to her lips and back to her eyes, betraying him without words. Lexi lifted her free hand and pressed it against his chest, readying her muscles to defend against the kiss she saw in his tortured expression.
Shade cleared his throat and dropped Lexi’s hand. He turned as though satisfied he’d made his point and walked a few paces along the hallway. She saw the Glock’s bulge through his tee shirt and berated her own stupidity. Henk had threatened to knee-cap Shade with such ease. It rolled off his tongue without thinking. Such a malicious wounding involved a handgun and a low velocity shot. Of course, these men carried illegal weapons. And drove unregistered vehicles and skulked around the town on their secret tasks. The whispered subconscious warnings leaked into Lexi’s brain, and she strengthened the walls of her emotions. She promised herself she would stop losing her heart to liars and confidence tricksters. By the time she reached the front door, she had hardened her resolve and changed her priorities. She would buy the antibiotics and get rid of her unwanted passenger first.
Shade’s ruined leather jacket sprawled across the back seat. He’d taken all his meagre possessions with him and sat in silence as Lexi drove. He’d produced a baseball cap from somewhere and hauled the brim low over his eyes. Tarant called and Lexi didn’t mention the other audience member to their conversation. “Did you pick up the pills yet?” he asked.
“Almost there now.” Lexi made the turn onto the Fairfield bridge and slowed for the banked traffic. “I Googled it. Is it next door to the veterinary clinic or behind it?”
“My guy is a vet. Take it or leave it.” Tarant made it sound as though Lexi had a choice. “You have a dog named Spot which got into a fight. Say you spoke to the vet on the phone, and he left the prescription at the desk. Pay for it and leave.”
“I can’t give those to Steve!” Lexi’s jaw ached with her teeth grinding. “They’re formulated for animals, not people.” Shade’s eyebrow rose at the name change and his lips twisted. But he made no protest.
“It’s the same stuff,” Tarant retorted. Unhappiness oozed through his voice. “Why do you need Keith Barnard’s address? I should come with you in view of what happened yesterday.”
“No.” She answered with haste. It seemed a terrible idea to put Tarant and Shade anywhere near each other. “I’m fine!” Lexi exhaled. “We’ll deal with Battersea another time. But I know that Father Donald picked Mrs Barrymore up from her house on the day of his death. She worked out he visited Trent Barnard in prison. And then she instigated this weird, almost insignificant, conversation about Keith Barnard. She said her husband’s name was Hilly and he employed Keith as an investment banker as a favour to Sam Barnard. It’s linking up but I can’t see how yet. I think the chauffeur discovered something. If he spied on Garima for Lachlan, it’s possible he overheard the conversation via the Bluetooth bug and didn’t like what he heard. Father Donald mentioned recognising Robin’s car just before he whispered to the priest about a threat. Did you find out anything about Darlene Barrymore’s late husband? Keith did something dodgy and it got him fired. I want to know what he did and I’ve figured I just need to ask him.”
Tarant’s tone became clipped as his fingers tapped over a keyboard. “Barrymore became an accountant straight from school. Married young. This is all public record. I’ll log a request with The People. But I’ll need to sort out a proper deal with them now Harvey’s gone rogue. Their monthly retainer is extortionate, but I’m out of options.”
“Okay, keep looking,” Lexi replied. “I’ve added a copy of the raw recording to the online server, but I must replace the bug in Garima’s car. It should stay there for now. I’ll also add one of my own. At least we know what the chauffeur did outside of driving Lachlan around like a king. He maintained all the devices planted around the town.” Lexi ran a hand over her forehead. “I wonder how many there are. It’s been an education. Lachlan’s grip on this city reaches further than we estimated.”
Tarant made a grunt of agreement. “I’ll text Keith Barnard’s address to you. Go there after you get the medication and then come back to the office. We should debrief. This is getting messy.”
Lexi nodded and her training forced her to notify Tarant of her next task. Just in case. “Then I’m visiting my father.” She drew a ragged breath. “Rojas works for him, so be very careful engaging with him from now on”
