‘You have to think, David. What else did he say?’
Strachan was conscious she had used his Christian name. She was standing right next to him. He could smell her perfume, something sweet and intoxicating. She leant over the map and her hair fell forward. She pushed it behind her ear with a simple curl of her hand.
‘Come on, think, David. He must have said something?’
Strachan forced himself to focus. ‘He said the map was more than useful, it was vital.’
She stared at the map of the city of Shanghai. It looked like a normal map; the streets named in English, and the borders between the Chinese areas, the French Concession, the International Settlement and the Old City sharply delineated with dotted red lines.
The doorbell rang.
‘Father,’ Elina shouted. She ran to the door and wrenched it open. A tall Chinese man with a wispy moustache stood in the doorway holding a cardboard box. ‘Delivery for Danilov.’
Strachan joined Elina at the door. ‘So late?’
‘Papers from Doctor Fang. He say they for Inspector Danilov. Please sign.’
The young man held out an invoice to Strachan. Elina sighed and went back inside the apartment.
Strachan took the box and closed the door. ‘Where shall I put this?’
Elina waved her hand, not looking up from the map. Strachan placed the box near the new couch. Danilov could look at the reports from Dr Fang when he returned.
If he returned.
Strachan joined Elina in staring at the map.
‘The map is divided into sixty-four squares. Those at the top numbered one to eight, and those along the side lettered A to H. Did he talk about map references like F6 or C4?’ She traced the numbers from the top and the side, covering two of the murder locations.
‘No, I don’t think so. I would have remembered if he’d mentioned those numbers.’
She sat once again and exhaled. ‘There must be something about the map. Are you sure this is exactly the same one as in the Investigation Room?’
‘It’s the same one, I told you. It’s the one we all have.’
Her fingers started to tap on the map, ‘What did you see, Father? What made you so excited?’
Strachan scratched his head. ‘I remember when we were in the detectives’ room, before he ran to the Investigation Room, he said he’d had his eureka moment.’
‘What?’
‘His eureka moment; it comes from Archimedes in his bath…’
‘I do know what a eureka moment is, Detective Sergeant Strachan.’
He was conscious she was no longer using his Christian name.
‘He must have told you something? What did you talk about?’
Strachan thought hard, trying to remember the conversation with the inspector. The clock on the sitting-room wall was approaching eleven o’clock. He was tired; he had been working since seven that day. His brain refused to function.
As if reading his mind, Elina touched the back of his hand. ‘I know you’re tired but you must try to remember. It’s important.’
He racked his brains. ‘We were talking about the case and I said something and he jumped up and ran down the corridor.’
‘What did you say?’
‘It was nothing important. I was gabbling on as usual. I just said this case was like a chess game where your opponent is five moves ahead.’
‘After you said this, he ran to the Investigation Room?’
‘Exactly. I didn’t know what was going on.’
Elina stared at the map. Then she switched her gaze to the half-finished game of chess sitting in the corner of the room. Her eyes lit up. ‘The map, it has sixty-four squares…’
‘So?’
‘Exactly the same as the chess board. Quickly, what were the pieces found with each of the murder victims?’
Strachan thought for a moment. ‘Sally Chen had nothing. The American man had a pawn.’
She placed a pawn on the map next to the Shanghai Country Club.
‘Lieutenant Deschamps and his girlfriend had a queen.’
She placed the piece at the War Memorial.
‘The next one we found was a bishop at the cold store. But there was no body there.’
Elina took a bishop and put it on the map next to the Burlington Hotel.
‘The final two pieces were both queens again. One with Miss Cavendish at the Canidrome, and the other nearby, at the Cercle Sportif, with the body of the Princess.’
You didn’t find a chess piece at the undertaker’s?’
Strachan thought for moment and then shook his head.
She quickly placed two queens on the last two locations. She stepped back and stared at the map. Then, she leant in closer. ‘Oh my God.’
Strachan looked at the map. He couldn’t see what she was talking about. Just names and numbers and chess pieces scattered randomly.
‘The killer has already played his move for checkmate.’