by Adam Carter
I laughed, just to annoy her. “If you’ve stolen it, you wouldn’t have done it yourself.”
“No,” she replied tartly. “I would have hired someone like Shenna Tarin to steal it for me.”
I shut up. From her wicked eyes I could see she knew all about my relationship with Shenna. Why she had not said anything about it years ago, I couldn’t say. Possibly because I hadn’t been accusing her of anything at the time. It was just one more threat to me, but this one was something which could potentially quail me.
“That name’s already cropped up once,” Holbrook said. I wondered what she thought she was playing at. “We’ve spoken to her, but she’s not one of our main suspects.”
“Whereas I am?”
“Not at all, ma’am. No, our main suspects work at the museum. It looks like a clear-cut inside job. We’re just here to cover all angles.”
“An inside job?” Payne asked. “Then you have someone in custody?”
“We haven’t made an arrest, but we have people helping us with our enquiries. Between the three of us, one of those is very promising. Oddly enough, the one who mentioned Tarin to us, actually.”
“Your prime suspect,” Payne said slowly. “Does he have a name?”
Holbrook smiled. “One as well-versed in legal procedures as yourself should know we’re not at liberty to divulge such information, ma’am. But I can tell you it’s pretty much an open and shut case.”
“I see.” Payne paused. “The more I think about it, the more I think you might be right about Ralph, though. What if he engineered the theft himself? The man has addictions, don’t you know?”
“Gambling addictions,” Holbrook confirmed. “We know.”
“They must have bled him dry around about now.”
“I couldn’t comment, ma’am. Does he have any other problems?”
“Aside from being a violent drunk?”
“I noticed that when we were looking him up. He was violent to you during your marriage, correct?”
“Ralph’s always been a violent man, yes.”
“I’m curious. Why did you drop charges against him?”
“Because I wanted to be rid of him. I know how long it takes for something to come to court and how long it gets dragged out afterwards. I wanted him gone from my life and pressing charges just wasn’t worth it.”
“It must have annoyed you to let him off though.”
Payne shrugged. “He’s lost more than I have.”
“And with the Teardrop now gone, he’s lost everything.”
“I’m cut up inside.”
Holbrook smiled slightly. “Well, from one woman to another, it’s good to see you’ve become so successful since then.”
“Believe me, getting rid of Ralph Watts was the best thing I ever did in my life.” She glanced at me for the first time since deciding she hated me. “Men like Ralph Watts are better off out of everyone’s lives.”
I had no idea why she thought I was anything like Watts, but I’ve always made it a point not to be offended by anything suspects have to throw at me. And the more she spoke, the more of a suspect she was becoming. That, and she was annoying me.
“Oh, I agree,” Holbrook said. “Still, we’ll look into the Tarin angle, since you’ve mentioned her. I take it you haven’t seen her since you split with Watts?”
“No.”
“Good. I think that’s everything. Blake, is there anything you want to add?”
I could tell by the way she spoke she wanted me to say no, so I fought very hard against my natural impulse. “No,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Then thank you for your time, Miss Payne.”
I did not speak until we were back on the road. Even then, I waited until Holbrook offered an explanation because I knew I would just explode at her otherwise.
“While you were with Shenna Tarin,” she said, “I did some research into Benny Shoreham.”
It was hardly what I had been expecting her to say, but I said, “Go on.”
“His family’s interesting. He was raised by his mother, Julia Shoreham.”
“Fascinating.”
“But his father was the one I paid more attention to. His father’s a judge.”
I was glad I had two hands on the wheel, since the investigation could have ended with the both of us wrapped about a tree. “Anderson?” I asked, eyes wide.
“Mmm. Elizabeth Payne is engaged to Benny Shoreham’s father. Benny Shoreham just happens to have started work at the museum not long before the diamond is stolen.”
“It’s still a coincidence. It could also be Anderson wanting the diamond. We have nothing to connect Payne to the theft.”
“Sure we do.”
I waited for more and when it did not come asked, “What?”
“Shenna Tarin.”
“Shenna?”
“Both Shoreham and Payne mentioned Tarin. That’s weird, since Shoreham’s only met her the once, according to him, and Payne hasn’t seen her in years.”
I kept my eyes on the road, trying to work out the mess. “That still doesn’t give us much.”
“It gives us a connection. And I don’t know about you, but it makes me believe Shoreham and Payne were in this together.”
“But Shoreham wouldn’t have had the necessary knowledge to have stolen that diamond.”
“No. Maybe the opportunity, but not the skills.”
“So you’re suggesting Shenna’s involved as well?” I asked darkly.
“I’m not suggesting anything. Not at this stage. It would be nice to get everyone in the same room and hammer out some truths, but that’s not going to happen.”
That was, unfortunately, the way of most investigations. Even discounting Payne, Shoreham and Shenna, there were still Watts and Bob Harkett in the picture. I wasn’t certain I trusted anyone’s word, and even if I did they had all revealed motives.
“What if they’re all involved?” I asked slowly, still trying to work out in my own mind what I was talking about.
“All of them?”
“It could explain why we’re being given the run-around.”
Holbrook pondered that possibility. “Talk to Tarin. See what she turns up.”
“You don’t want to come along?”
“You don’t want some time alone with her?”
“I had that. Now we need to do this properly. If you’re right and there’s even a chance Payne and Shoreham have roped Shenna into this, I need to do everything by the book.”
“I never said I thought Shenna was involved. No more than I suspect anyone else, anyway.”
“No, but she could be. I may have been sweet on Shenna, but she’s still a suspect.”
“Sweet on her? Is that Blake-speak for being in love?”
I did not reply to that. If I was or ever had been in love with Shenna, that was none of Holbrook’s business. Nor was it anything that should have impacted on the investigation. Besides which, Payne’s mention of Shenna had triggered a defence-mechanism inside me. If she knew all about my former relationship with Shenna, I could be facing some serious problems.
“She’s looking forward to seeing you anyway,” I said.
Holbrook made that annoying half-laugh sound she always did when she couldn’t believe the stupidity of something I’d just said but had every intention of going along with it. “Sure,” she said. “What say we interrogate her next then? I get to be bad cop for a change.”
Again, I did not reply. I’d been a bad cop for Shenna too often. The thought of putting her away a second time was not something I even wanted to contemplate.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Shenna smiled as she saw me but spread her arms and hugged Holbrook. “You’re looking well,” she said as she broke away. “No, you’re looking really good.”
“Thanks,” Holbrook said. “Not so bad yourself.”
We had arranged to meet in a café and arrived to find Shenna already there. The café was small, family run and far too expensi
ve for me to usually think about using. I know I’ve never much cared for money, but I certainly didn’t go out of my way to spend it frivolously. Shenna was just finishing a coffee she was drinking out of a china cup which likely would have cost me more than a day’s work to replace, but as the waiter came over she ordered us all hot chocolates and encouraged us to try the home-made chocolate sponge.
Shenna and Holbrook then engaged in one of those inane and weird girlie chats I’ve never understood. It was odd, since the two women had never exactly been friends. When last they had met, we were chasing Shenna for a series of cat burglaries and were both incredibly proud when we caught her. But Shenna was never someone who bore a grudge and I could see she really did look back on our strange relationship with a deep fondness.
“Thanks for keeping Matthew afloat,” Shenna said as our hot chocolates came. I had never had a hot chocolate in my life and knew I wasn’t going to like it. As I took my first tentative sip all my inhibitions were confirmed. Why anyone would even think of drinking something like hot chocolate astounds me.
“It’s been a chore,” Holbrook said, and I picked up on their train of conversation with a little indignation.
“Hey,” I said, “why do I need to be kept afloat? I’m fine.”
“Sure,” Shenna said with a wink. “Thanks to Jane here.”
“No, thanks to me.”
“No thanks to you, no.”
Since it was an argument I knew I was not going to win, I decided to focus on my somewhat disgusting drink.
“You’re an odd woman, you know that?” Shenna said.
“Odd?” Holbrook asked. “In what way?”
“Matthew here likes you, maybe even trusts you. And Matthew doesn’t trust anyone.”
I might have upped and left them to it, save for the fact I was still waiting for my chocolate sponge.
“Pleasant as all this Blake-bashing is,” I said, “we did come here on business.”
“Sure,” Shenna said. “You talked to Miss Payne then?”
“You told her that?” Holbrook asked me.
I was reasonably sure I had. I was absolutely sure I didn’t care. “She’s a suspicious character, that one,” I said. “Have you ever worked for her?”
“Nope. Well, technically when I worked for Watts. But no, not since the divorce.”
“What about Roger Anderson?”
“Anderson? Hell, no.”
I exchanged a look with Holbrook. “You know Anderson?” I asked.
“I should. He was the judge who sent me down.”
I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. “Let me get this straight. You worked for Watts, who was married to Payne. Holbrook and I arrested you for jewel theft and Anderson sent you to prison. Now, years later, Payne and Shoreham might have dreamed up a scheme to steal Watts’s diamond, name-drop you enough for us to suspect you, and it turns out Payne is engaged to the judge who sent you away?”
“She is?”
“Yes,” I said dryly. “She is. All we need is for Harkett to be somehow tied into this little net and my head’s going to explode.”
“Bob Harkett?” Shenna asked. “Ooh, cake.”
The sponge was placed before me and I instantly forgot about the conversation. Chocolate in a drink might be revolting, but in a sponge it’s close to bliss. I shoved my spoon into the soft brown moistness and shoved a large portion into my mouth. As it began to melt, I smiled with a true pleasure I had not felt in a long while.
Then I remembered what Shenna had just said and the mood soured.
“Harkett?” I asked. “Why do you know that name?”
“You asked me to look into who might have stolen the Teardrop, right?”
“Right.”
“No one’s trying to sell it. That made me start to think that whoever stole it could be lying low with it for a while. You know, sell it on a few years from now, when all the heat’s died down. I’ve seen that strategy before, although it lessens the risk so I never used it myself.”
Shenna was never prone to rambling, so I could only surmise she was doing so to annoy me. “Go on,” I said, having lost all interest in my chocolate sponge.
“A name did come up, though,” she said. “Harkett. I assumed it was a pseudonym?”
“Probably not,” I said. “Go on.”
“Well, someone called Harkett has been trying to sell the Teardrop. Sort of.”
“What do you mean sort of? He either has or hasn’t.”
“Well, he didn’t have it at the time.”
“At what time?”
“About six months ago.”
“So six months ago someone called Harkett tried to sell the Teardrop?”
“He asked around for a buyer, then disappeared. No one wanted to touch it, obviously. It was clearly stolen, since it was in a museum. He even called it the Teardrop, so anyone he spoke to knew it was dodgy. No one’s heard anything from this Harkett since then, though, so I guess he just gave up.” She ate a spoonful of sponge. “Why? Who’s Harkett?”
I thought about not telling her, but she was in deep enough with us as it was. “A curator being forcibly retired.”
“Oh. I guess he found out six months ago and got annoyed.”
“Annoyed enough to think about stealing the Teardrop,” I said. “Or annoyed enough to actually do it.”
“Maybe he changed his mind about selling it,” Holbrook said. “Maybe he stole it after all but decided to keep it, or toss it in the river or something. If they took his job, it would be a matter of honour with him. Or maybe our initial hunch about him was right and he intends to whip it out and play the hero.”
“I’m not sure I care any more,” I said, pushing away my sponge and sinking my head into my arms on the table.
“So,” Shenna said lightly, “anyone accuse me yet?”
“You expect someone to?”
“Hell, I expect everyone to. Ex-con and known jewel thief? If I thought it would do any good, I’d accuse myself.”
I have always wondered just how much of Shenna’s glibness was a cover for something, but since I’ve never been able to figure out what she might be covering it’s not something I’ve ever had an answer to. Certainly she has never been lacking in regards to self-esteem, nor in skill or personality. But then again, I’m rather biased in matters pertaining to Shenna Tarin.
“The investigation continues,” Shenna said. “But the question is, am I in or out?”
“To be fair,” Holbrook said, “you never should have been in to begin with.”
“But since you are,” I said, “you may as well stick around with us.”
Shenna smiled. “Much fun.”
I cleared my throat. “I need to ask you something, Shen.”
“Shoot.”
I glanced to Holbrook, who took up the hint. “I’ll go wait in the car. Thanks for the cake, Shenna.”
We were alone a few moments thereafter but Shenna did not seem eager to have a private talk with me. I did not know whether that was an indication of her guilt or whether I should have felt ashamed for even contemplating that. She played her spoon about her hot chocolate, which I noted she had drunk a lot more of than I had.
“I need to ask you something,” I said.
“You said that. You’re either going to ask me something very insulting or you’re going to warn me of the dangers of working this with you. I’m not sure which I’d find more offensive.”
“I’d never warn you against any danger, Shen.”
“So we’re back to you not trusting me.”
“Don’t take it personally. I didn’t trust you even when we were sleeping together.”
“Is that all we were doing, Matthew?” She looked up at me. “Is that all we were to each other?”
“I thought that was all it was for you.”
She shook her head very slowly, her eyes searching for something which she couldn’t find. “You don’t much understand women, do you?”
“I’m a man. I
f we understood women, the world would be a scary place.”
“Don’t joke with me, Matt. Not over this.”
I wanted to glance away, but I respected her too much. “I don’t know what we had, Shen. I don’t fall for people I’m chasing to arrest. When we … found each other, I figured it was just a heat of the moment response. I never thought much of it at the time. There was a jewel thief, a police investigation, media attention, a beautiful cat burglar. It was like some weird pulp novel come to life. And at the end of it all, the detective made his arrest and the beautiful burglar went to prison with a smile and a compliment for the amazing abilities of her pursuer.
“It was only afterwards, when you were gone, that the reality hit home. The buzz of the affair was over and I was back to my mundane job, sitting behind my desk and filling in paperwork. It was only then that I even considered you meant more to me than … well, more than just the short time we had together.”
Shenna did not reply for several moments. I could see she was seriously thinking about what I had said. It was strange to see Shenna serious about anything and it disturbed me. I did not know what I wanted from this encounter, did not even know why I was doing my version of pouring out my heart. But if there was one person I would admit my feelings to, it would certainly have to be Shenna.
“So,” I said, “did you ever think about me? Afterwards, I mean.”
“Would it make any difference whether I said yes or no?”
I paused. “Yes. It would.”
Again she merely stared. Then she said, “What did you want to talk to me about? I think you were going to say something insulting?”
It was a brushoff if ever I’d heard one, and I had to respect her wishes. Sure, I’d opened up my chest and let her peer inside, but it did not necessarily mean she had to reciprocate.
“Payne,” I said. “Payne and Shoreham both mentioned your name.”
“Which they got from back when I worked for Watts, yes?”
“I need to make sure of something before we go any further.”
“Before we go any further? Or before the investigation goes any further? I don’t mind being a part of both, Matt – I’ve been there before. I just want you to be honest with me.”