The door closed behind us. Brushing the icicles off my sleeves, I looked across at Constable Jack. “Holy shit, Sherlock. Let’s get back to civilisation and thaw out. I need a fix of something warm and friendly.”
“So what was that all about?” he asked. “That was one cold woman. How on earth did they get close enough to have children? What on earth did he see in her? What was he thinking? She is horrible.”
Well, at least I know what you don’t like, lover boy.
“Beats me. I just feel sorry for the kids. Are you sure they actually exist or are they part of a story to make people think she has a heart? And what does she mean by ‘wrong side of the Pacific Highway’?”
As we drove back over the Bridge I had a chance to think about where the case was going. So far, we had nothing. Jimbo had an interesting collection of ex-wives – but I didn’t think any of them had killed him. Apart from having alibis for the Friday afternoon, the personalities were wrong. Jacqueline was too stupid. Bethany too religious. Victoria too nice. Anna too controlled. Tessa was saving the world in Somalia, we still hadn’t talked to the one in Connecticut and Lynnette was still in Bangkok.
The business world either loved him or hated him, depending on which side of the balance sheet you were looking at. He had made and broken politicians, ruined reputations and created economic heroes. He had populated the world with abandoned children, discarded wives and disappointed lovers.
Perhaps the universe had stepped in to correct a horrible mistake.
I settled back and checked my phone as we drove back to the war room. Not bad. Only forty-three messages since 9am, mostly spam and messages from people I didn’t want to talk to. I was starting to hate my iPhone.
Coffee first. Then work.
Christian was leaving the Trop as we arrived, but he came over for a hug.
“Oh, gorgeous girl. You’re looking tense.” His strong surgeon hands caressed my shoulders. “Let Doctor Chris give you a massage. Yes?”
“Fuck off, Chris,” I laughed.
“So that’s a no from Detective Griffiths. What about you, Jack? I could give you a quick rub if you like.”
“You’re absolutely outrageous, Chris, and I love you for it but not the way you’d like.” There is nothing sexier than a heterosexual hunk who is completely comfortable around the gays. “We just finished interviewing an interesting woman. Perhaps you know her? She must be the world’s first walking heart donor.”
Doctor Chris hooted. “Oh, you’ve met the beautiful Anna Jameson. She’s famous. What a bitch! Evidently she walked in when Jimbo was fucking some guy and all she did was say something like ‘You are truly disgusting. Goodbye.’ Then she hired the best silk in Sydney and took him to the cleaners.”
“So tell me, Chris. Do you think she could have shot Jimbo?” I asked.
“Not if you found the bullets, my love. She’s so tight she’d dig them out of the body and sell them for fishing sinkers.”