by Emily Selby
'People change,' Jack said cocking his head. 'Maybe poor Ava wanted to catch up on the time she wasted in the unhappy marriage.'
'True, but it still bothers me. And then, there is this other sister, who never answers the phone, but always calls back, can't go to the police station, but can go to the post office, so keen to collaborate.'
'I've talked to her about it. Keeva is not in the best of health and not in a position to travel, either financially or for health reasons.'
'Yeah, right. Or she has a call filtering service and will only pick up when her sister rings.'
'No. Remember, Ava had to wait for Keeva to return the call.'
'Whatever. Everything has a perfectly logical explanation!' Katie grinned. 'Doesn’t it annoy you?'
'Not necessarily,' Jack replied, his expression serious. 'I happen to like logical explanations, but I agree, this one is a little too perfect. A trip to Dublin to meet with the other sister may be in order.'
Katie ignored the little voice in her head telling her he'd be away without her. She poured tea into the mugs and grabbed hers.
'Did you find any fingerprints on the medication package?'
'Just one, partial. We're checking our database.'
'Why don't you just fingerprint all the suspects?'
'It's not as straightforward. But we can check against the database, in case we find a match.'
'Do any of your suspects have a criminal record?'
'Not that I know of. But some have been fingerprinted for international travel.'
'Good move then. Which ones?'
'Have a guess,' Jack replied, reaching for his mug.
'New British passports don't have fingerprints in them. What about the Irish ones?'
'Neither.'
'New Zealand?'
'Not the passports, but they fingerprint for immigration purposes sometimes.'
'Any luck?'
'No. It's Saturday morning in New Zealand. But the police will pass on my request to the relevant authorities and send me the results as soon as they find anything.'
'You've done an awful lot of work, today,' Katie said softly. 'You must be exhausted.'
'I'm okay,' he replied, stretching his arm across the table and covering her hand with his. 'But you've been working hard, too. And it's not even your job.'
'I'm happy to help you,' she said huskily, intertwining her fingers with his.
Jack squeezed her hand.
'What would you like to happen now?' he said quietly, looking deep into her eyes.
Her heart leapt forward as if it wanted to push her towards him. But her head knew it wasn't the right moment.
'I may have a few ideas, but for now, I think we both need some rest-'
'In our respective homes,' he finished her sentence with an undecipherable expression on his face.
Katie pushed her voice through the tightened throat. 'That's right. And tomorrow morning-'
'Unless I get a call from New Zealand in the middle of the night, then it'll be tonight,' he cut in again. A cheeky smile playing on his leaps.
Gee, she'd love to hear the news from New Zealand! More than get a decent sleep?
Yeah!
'If you get any news from New Zealand, let me know,' she said. 'But otherwise, pop in for a coffee, please.'
'I will,' he said solemnly, lifted her hand from the table and pressed it to his lips, leaving a smouldering hot kiss that burned right through to the bones.
32
Katie woke up startled. Her phone was ringing. She opened her bleary eyes to the darkness in the room.
The clock on her nightstand showed 6 am.
Who on earth was calling her at such an ungodly hour on Saturday morning?
Katie reached for her mobile.
Jack! The smoking-hot, drop-dead smart Jack.
'Hey, are you okay?' she asked.
'Yes. Sorry to call so early. I just wanted to let you know. I've got the news from New Zealand.'
'And?' she asked, trying to shake off the muddiness in her head. She didn't get much sleep. Tossing and turning, thinking about the kiss he branded on her hand.
'We've got Ava Fischer's fingerprints.'
'And?'
'No match.'
'What?' Katie sat up. 'It wasn't her who threw the empty medication pack into the bin?'
'That's one possibility. Can you see another one?'
Katie leant on the pillow. What was that crazy theory she came up last night?
'Two sisters. One sitting at home, and one travelling the world,' Katie said, still struggling with the thick, grey fog of sleep. 'I've never asked, were they twins, Ava and Keeva?'
'No. There's about fourteen months between them.'
'Negligible at our age,' Katie said and chuckled. 'They've swapped places. The trick as old as the world, isn't it? Ava is Keeva and Keeva is Ava.'
'Yes, or even more,' Jack replied. 'Or less, if you think about it.'
'Are you teasing me, or you don't know?'
'I'm following a similar train of thought,' Jack said. 'But I don't have any evidence. I'd like to see some evidence.'
Ah, yeah!
That was her Jack - DI Logic and Evidence!
'How are you going to get it?' she asked. 'Not by travelling to Dublin, are you?'
Here, you have it - she'd said it!
'That would be the best solution, but it would take too much time. A local Garda team are going to do a welfare check, if I may put it that way, on a sick woman in a busy neighbourhood in Dublin.'
'But Ava said she's not there.'
'I'd be surprised if she was.'
'Okay. And what are you going to do?'
'Invite you for a coffee, so you can be at the right place and at the right time,' Jack said and chuckled. 'By the way, look up "call redirection services".'
'You're sound in a very good humour, Jack.'
'That's because I'm in- er ... I'm in luck today. And I'm so lucky to have talked to you last night. That was a very helpful conversation. 8 o'clock at the station. See you!'
She jumped out of bed even though she still had plenty of time. She couldn't wait to see him. She made herself a coffee and spent twice as much time as usual on preparing herself for the day: a bath, hair washed and primped, fresh makeup. And then, it was time for the second coffee.
She needed coffee today!
What did he say? A phone redirection service?
Katie reached for her mobile and tapped her question into the search bar.
She scrolled through the results with increasing interest.
If this was what they did, it was really clever!
They? Or was it her? Just one of them, but which one?
Katie sipped her coffee.
Ava or Keeva?
She called Jack.
'I think it's Keeva. She set it all up with the phone and everything.'
'Hang on, I'll pull off the road,' he replied and in a few seconds, she heard the click announcing that Jack switched from the hands-free mode to a normal conversation.
'Why do you think it's Keeva?'
'She'd have more to lose. Particularly if Benjamin realised the woman, he met in the cafe wasn't actually his wife.'
'I agree,' Jack said. 'Hold on, I've got Chris on the line.'
Jack put her on hold while he answered the other call.
'Back again,' he replied. 'Man, it's getting clearer and clearer with every step. The Irish phone number redirects to a mobile which is currently in the UK.'
'In Sunnyvale.'
'That's the information we've received.'
'Are you going to get her?'
'We're certainly going to try.'
A sudden thought crossed Katie's mind. 'I've got an idea where else you can get Ava or rather Keeva's fingerprints. The key to her room in The Sunny Corner Hotel.'
'Great idea. I will see if Chris can get it.'
'How far from the station are you?'
'Will be there in a few minutes.'
'So will I,' she replied firmly and disconnected. She wasn't going to sit at home, looking pretty in vain.
That is, she wasn't going to sit here, while the most important moment in the case was to be played out.
Katie drained the rest of her coffee, dropped her mobile into her handbag and rushed to the hallway.
The forecast promised a chilly morning, she needed to wrap up warm, since she wasn't going to risk wearing a hat. She'd spent far too much time, adding natural-looking waves to her copper-coloured hair.
At the police station, Ava was pacing at the reception. Dressed in her long, dark coat, her hair tied back, showing greyish roots.
'What do you want again? When will I be free to go?' Ava asked, with tears filling her eyes.
'I'm sorry, I'm only here to open the office,' Katie replied. She was getting used to answering with a bit of truth and not too much. 'The inspector is on his way. Would you like a cup of tea?'
'Honestly, you Brits really think you can fix everything with a cup of tea?'
'No. But a lot of things are easier to deal with over a nice cuppa.'
Ava almost rolled her eyes. 'Alright. But can I have a coffee?'
'Sure,' Katie replied. 'Instant or brewed?'
'Wouldn't dare to ask for a brewed one, but if you have, it'll be grand.'
Katie sneaked into the staffroom. Brewed coffee it was. She'd bet Jack and Chris wouldn't mind some either, and they would have cause for celebration. Hopefully.
A few minutes later, as the coffee machine was spitting out the last drops into the steaming jug, Jack walked into the staffroom.
'She's here,' Katie said quietly, acknowledging him with a nod and a smile.
'Great. Have you seen Chris?'
'Not yet. Is he back from the hotel?'
'I haven't heard from him since that call on the way here. I'll take her through. Mind sending Chris a message that we're in the interview room so that he can join us as soon as he's here?'
We're in the interview room...
'Do you want me to bring the coffee?'
'Yes. And could I have one, too, please.'
He disappeared behind the door before she could say, "Yes, of course".
She texted Chris, prepared the drinks and put them on the tray.
The door to the interview room was open. She sneaked in.
'I have a just few questions,' Jack said. 'I hope these will really be the last ones, Mrs Fischer, if I may call you so. Or do you prefer Ms O'Reilly?'
'Either is fine,' Ava replied.
'Can you tell me how you communicate with your sister, Keeva?'
'By phone.'
'Does she ever answer you directly?'
'No. I've already explained it to you. She has some health issues and walking up to answer the phone takes her a while. She calls me back. She's returned your calls, too. Am I right? Why are you asking?'
'Because I've been trying to get hold of her since yesterday. She is not at home.'
Ava flinched, although she tried to hide by coughing into her hand. 'She said she was away. And how come you know?'
'I've asked the police to check on her.'
'She's gone to stay with a relative.'
'Which one?'
Ava's face paled, her eyes glistened. 'I-I... don't know...'
'The police have checked the nearby hospitals and for traffic accidents. No casualty under the name of Keeva O'Reilly was found.'
'That's good news,' Ava replied, staring at Jack and fiddling with one of the buttons of her coat. 'She's with a relative, as I told you.'
'You don't seem to have many relatives left, from what I've heard. Just you and your sister. And you're very close.'
'We are, so what?'
'It seems as though it all started after that incident in New Zealand in November 2011.'
Ava shifted uneasily in her chair. 'What are you talking about? There was no incident.'
'There was. Ava didn't get back from her work break. She was expected to resume her nursing duties but didn't turn up. Her body was found—'
'That's not true. It was someone else's body. I went travelling. I'm still here,' the woman glared at Jack.
'Are you sure? I'd like to talk to your sister. Right now.'
'Why don't you ring her?'
'I did. A few minutes ago. And I think she was calling me back only I couldn't answer since I was driving. I shall try again now.'
Jack reached for his phone. Katie used the opportunity to cross the room and hand Ava a steaming cup. The woman grabbed it so firmly, Katie thought she was going to break off the handle.
Katie put the second mug on the table in front of Jack.
A barely audible vibration rattled from Ava's handbag or her coat pocket.
'Your phone is ringing, Miss O'Reilly,' Katie said, watching the woman's every move.
'No,' she replied without shifting her gaze from Jack's face. 'It's not mine.'
'Can you check it please?' Jack asked calmly.
The vibration stopped. Ava reached into her pocket and pulled her mobile out. She glanced at the dark screen.
'Nothing,' she said. 'You can check,' she unlocked the screen and slid the device across the table, straight into Jack's hand.
He checked the screen.
'Nothing, but may I use it?'
'What for?'
'To call your sister. She'll be more likely to answer if she could see it was coming from you, won't she?'
'I don't know where you're going with this, but I don't like it. I'd like to have a lawyer present.'
'Yes, of course.'
'And my phone back,' she reached across the table again and Jack returned the phone.
The door opened, and Chris walked in. His broad face was serious, but Katie could sense his pent-up excitement.
Jack turned to face him. 'Sergeant Fox, any news?'
'Yes, Sir,' Chris replied, shifting his gaze between Jack and Ava. 'It's a match. The print on the medication package in the bin matches the fingerprints of the person who's staying at the Sunny Corner under the name of Ava O'Reilly.
Jack stood. 'Miss O'Reilly, I arrest you on suspicion of the murder of Benjamin Fischer and Chloe MacGregor. And on suspicion of using Ava Fischer's identity.'
Ava/Keeva slumped in her chair.
All three of them jumped to catch her.
33
After the drama in the interview room was contained with Katie's help (calling the paramedics and making tea), Katie left the station.
This part of the process wasn't her favourite. She enjoyed solving puzzles but preferred it when Jack and Chris took over the delivering justice part.
Having said that, she felt a little disappointed with herself - again! - for not being the one who presented all the pieces of the puzzle right in the murderer's face.
Well, she'd at least put most of the pieces together. And then Jack used them to complete the picture.
He wouldn't have solved it without her help, Katie repeated to herself. They were now a team. That's what teams do.
And Chris was part of it, too.
She drove home, distracting herself with the menu for lunch, and the very moment she finalised the dessert, her phone beeped. She pulled off in front of her house and read the text on her mobile.
"I'll take you to lunch. Pick a place in Carlisle. Your choice."
She ran upstairs and launched a search for a nice restaurant that was open for lunch on Saturdays.
She thought the moment would never come, but shortly before noon the doorbell rang.
'Coming,' Katie called out, trying hard not to run. She didn't want to appear at the door short of breath again.
She opened the door to Jack, who was smiling and had his hands behind his back.
'All good?' she asked sliding her gaze up from his chest, along his broad shoulders onto his face.
'What's in your hands?' she asked, her heart was hammering against her chest.
'A surprise,' he said and
pulled... a real sunflower.
'You really shouldn't have.'
'I should. I ordered it and the nice lady got it for me.'
Katie gulped. She gestured for him to follow her inside.
'Which florist was it?' she asked trying to sound only mildly interested. 'Not the one opposite the police station?'
'No. There is a little one, at the back of the church. It must be a new one. Everything still smells new...'
Katie released her breath while still smiling.
A new one. Probably not a gossiping type. Yet... She really should face her fears soon.
Next Monday. Definitely.
Okay, maybe one person at the time.
'Chris was with me, if that's of any interest,' Jack added climbing the stairs after her. She'd start with Chris.
'He asked me who this was for.'
Katie gripped the bannister so hard, her knuckles turned white.
'And what did you say?' She pulled herself onto the landing and turned around, trying to keep a neutral expression while tears were filling her eyes.
'That it was for you.'
A hot droplet rolled down her cheek.
Jack pressed his lips into a thin line. His blue eyes looked sad. 'You haven't told them we're going out, have you?'
She ran her tongue around her paper-dry mouth. 'Not yet. I was planning to do it soon.'
His jaw tensed. 'Will you?'
'I will,' she replied, her voice trembling. 'I promise.'
Jack took a deep breath.
'I-I... don't want to push you into something you feel uncomfortable with, Katie,' he said slowly.
'I am comfortable with it. I really am. Now.' Another tear slid down her face.
Jack reached out and traced the wet trail. 'Are you sure?' he asked softly. 'Because I am. I am ready to shout from the rooftops that I've met an amazing girl.'
Katie's chest erupted with soft, warm, tingling.
'I am sure. I don't really shout from the rooftops or from the ground, but I'm ready to tell the world I've met an amazing, smart, handsome and funny man whom I love spending time with.'
'Wonderful,' Jack said, his face lighting with another big smile. 'Because I was really worried we weren't on the same page.'