by Emily Selby
'Good idea,' Chris replied. 'By the way, do you have any hunches regarding Mr Rychter's overdose? He seemed very concerned and cooperative. He sent us Amanda's CV, as promised. It must have been just before taking the pills last night.'
Chris seemed to know more than she did.
'What time did he take the pills?'
'Between 1 and 2 am. The email he sent me was time-stamped 1.05 am,' Chris replied, glancing at the screen of his computer.
'What was in the email?'
'Just Amanda's CV. The one she submitted when applying for the job at his school, teaching English as a foreign language.'
Katie moved closer to the desk. 'Is there anything interesting in the CV? Why did you even ask for it?' She strained her neck but still couldn't read the text on the screen.
Chris stood up, freeing his chair. 'Take a look if you want,' he said. 'Maybe you'll find something of interest.'
Katie lowered herself onto the seat. Amanda's CV looked like any other CV, even though the headings were done in a foreign language, which Katie assumed to be Polish.
Chris leant over her shoulder. 'I've tried putting some of the things through Google Translate, but it doesn't always make sense,' he said. 'What do you think?'
Katie scrolled down the screen slowly. She found the education section - with the hospitality course in Birmingham listed. She found a course on Teaching English as a Second Language with a start date and a comment.
'I guess, this means ongoing or anticipated finish date?' Katie asked.
'Anticipated, at least according to Google,' Chris replied.
'Three years ago. I wonder if she ever finished the course,' Katie said quietly to herself, thinking back to Zuza's comment. 'But let's check her experience section,' she added, blinking and hoping the little comma-looking signs above some letters would disappear - they made her doubt her eyes.
'I think we'd better have it translated properly,' Chris said. 'But from what I've checked I can't see anything that looks like hotel reception. Or any other reception or front-of-the-house type of job.'
'Mr McBride hired her even though she didn't have the appropriate experience?' Katie half-stated, half-asked. 'I bet Ellen didn't like that at all,' she carried on. If this was, indeed the case, the hotel manager's behaviour towards Amanda would make sense, even though, as Katie firmly believed, Amanda was a good receptionist. 'That's not like him either. He's quite old-fashioned, he doesn't really believe in transferable skills.' She paused. 'He told me he only hired me because he knew I needed a job, and he knew I was reliable, and quick to learn.'
'You came recommended, but it would be unfair to say that you didn't have the relevant experience,' Chris protested. 'You get to deal with some customers here, at the station, too. Most of them are angry.'
'Good point,' Katie said, lifting her head to look at Chris. 'Which only supports the hypothesis that the mysterious "mutual friend" made a personal recommendation, just like the way Linda McKay recommended me.'
'Only that Mr McBride vehemently denies any undue influence in hiring Amanda,' Chris reminded her. 'He maintains this with or without his wife being present.'
'And he still denies any knowledge of the note that came with the money?'
Chris nodded. Katie turned back to look at the screen.
'So, Amanda got a job as a teacher and then as a receptionist even though she didn't have any qualifications or experience for either post,' she murmured. 'Fascinating. How did she do it? I wonder if she did the same with her previous jobs,' she pointed to the short line of entries listed on the screen.
Chris tapped on one of the lines.
'This is a modelling agency,' he explained. 'And this is a real estate agency, in Auckland,' he added sliding his finger up to an earlier entry.
'Have you checked with them?'
'The modelling agency has changed hands since she worked there, and no one remembers her even though they do have her on their record. I've also emailed the estate agency. But it's in the middle of the night in New Zealand, and we'll have to wait.'
They started at the computer in silence for a while.
'She's a mystery that friend of yours,' Chris said eventually. 'Even her husband doesn't seem to know her very well.'
'She was a private person. On another note, have you found out who broke into their flat?'
'Celia has been dealing with it, I've got too much going on with these men,' Chris replied. 'Apparently, someone went through Amanda's things, but according to your French friend, nothing went missing.'
'Any fingerprints?' Katie asked, hopefully.
'Celia found a number of fresh partials. They quite large, likely belonging to a man. We've sealed the place off now.'
'Any updates on Amanda’s laptop, or her phones?' Katie carried on.
'Not much. We've got a detailed report from her current mobile phone, but there was nothing new. A few calls to the local friends, which we knew about already. She didn't have a data plan. I guess, she used the internet at work. The old phone that Heaton cracked was apparently wiped clear of data, except these two text messages. It has a New Zealand SIM card, and we've requested the records from the service provider.'
'Didn't she have a mobile phone in Poland?'
'Apparently, she kept insisting she didn't need one, living in a small town and not having any friends locally. Rychter bought her a prepaid phone, but she hardly used it.'
'Where is the phone?'
'She left it behind, in Poland. Mr Rychter offered to courier it to us once he gets home.'
'If he gets home...'
'Do you suspect him, Katie?' Chris asked, a note of curiosity clear in his voice.
Katie nodded. 'What do you think?'
'Heaton seems keen to let chap off the hook. He's either innocent or very clever.'
'Did Amanda leave anything else in her Polish home? Anything that could help us dig into more of her mysterious past? Photos, old calendars, letters, postcards. People usually have some keepsakes.'
'Not according to Mr Rychter. All she had, she'd packed up in her suitcase and took it back to England. She never received any personal correspondence, and she had a wall calendar to keep track of her lessons. He doesn't recall her having a diary or anything like that.'
'That's a strange way of living,' Katie observed.
'Agreed. I think it was a choice, a very deliberate one. I've seen some people do it,' he added. 'People who operate in the grey zone, usually. People constantly on the go, on the run from someone or something.'
'That would make sense in the context of Hamish's letter. By the way, how did she receive it?'
'We think it might have been delivered by hand. Maybe left in her cubby hole at the reception. Or just on the desk. We haven't found any envelop though.'
'Clever. No traces left.' A heavy, cold sensation settled in the pit of Katie's stomach. A woman desperately trying to hide her past, dying because of her past and they were unable to find any trace. 'You haven't said anything about her laptop. Anything there?'
'Heaton's been dealing with it, so you'd better ask him.'
The door opened with the familiar squeak. Katie jerked her head to the right.
'And here's just the man,' Chris boomed just as Jack entered the staffroom. At the same moment the phone rang. Katie picked up the receiver automatically.
'Sunnyvale Police, Katie speaking. How can I help?'
'Ah, Katie. Hi,' The friendly voice of Emily Robbs, Linda McKay's daughter and a junior doctor in the local hospital, greeted her. 'Could you tell your officers that Mr Rychter is awake?'
'Sure. Can he be interviewed?' Katie asked, even though she probably shouldn’t have taken the liberty.
'The consultant thinks so. By the way, it will probably take some time. He can't stop crying.'
'Can't stop crying?' Katie repeated. 'Are you sure he's all right?'
'He's medically cleared but upset. We've asked the mental health team to review him, just to make sure, but we th
ink the shock of his wife's death has finally hit him.'
'Ah, okay,' Katie replied. Given the information she'd just heard, she couldn't shake the feeling it was more than simply the grief at play here. 'Thanks, Emily. I'll pass on the message.' She put the phone down.
'So Mr Rychter is alive?' Chris asked simply.
Katie nodded.
'Can you go and talk to him?' Jack asked.
Chris flinched. 'Maybe we should wait a little, sir. He's crying...'
Chris' aversion to crying people was well known by the Sunnyvale police team.
'I wouldn't wait any longer,' Jack said. 'I don't want any more people to die, okay? Take Katie with you, she'll teach you how to deal with weeping people.'
Chris' eyes darted from Jack's face to Katie's. 'Are you serious, sir? Because if this is really an option, I'd rather have her with me. She's good at putting people at ease and calming down the criers.'
Jack waved his hand. 'Let's just say she'll take the notes while you're trying to interview a very upset, grieving relative. If you don't mind, Katie?' Jack glanced at her, a playful smile dancing on his lips.
Katie bit her upper lip to cover her own growing smile. Would she turn down an opportunity to interview a key witness, or maybe even a suspect? Never.
'What about Mr McBride's financial records?' she asked, lifting the pile of papers.
'Ah, yes. We're drowning in information we can't process.' Jack said and shook his head. 'I'd do it, but I need to talk to the Polish police, in case Amanda had any dealings with them. And I'll check her husband's file, too. This case is getting quite international.'
It was certainly shaping up that way. At least, Katie didn't have to deal with anyone outside Sunnyvale. She reached for the nearest pen. Checking the hotel’s bank statements could help her progress her own personal, financial worry.
'I'll be able to make a start on these while Chris is driving,' she said, confidently. 'Let's get that out of the way.'
'Thank you, Katie.' Jack's face brightened. He gave her a nod and a smile.
A few seconds later, they were on their way.
23
In the patrol car, Katie pored over the statements.
'I'll drive slowly, no problem,' Chris said. 'Take your time,' he added.
Was it because he cared about her, or because he wasn't at all keen to rush to the hospital?
The task wasn't hard, though. By the time they reached the hospital car park, Katie had found a couple of suspicious transactions. They headed for the Intensive Care Unit. Apparently Mr Rychter was able to walk, so Chris took on the task of bringing him into the ward lounge for an interview, while Katie arranged the table and the chairs. Before the men arrived, she had the suspicious figures double-checked and underlined.
'I think I've got it. I'll show you later,' she whispered to Chris as he settled into his chair. 'Hello, Mr Rychter,' she greeted the man who dropped onto the chair opposite her.
Mr Rychter looked even paler and thinner than she remembered. His eyes were red and puffed, with dark circles underneath. The greyish hospital pyjamas emphasised the gaunt, pained look.
Chris' elbow touched her side. Chris cleared his throat. 'Are you sure you're okay to talk to us and don't want an interpreter?' he asked for the second time and nudged Katie.
'No, I should be fine,' the man replied. 'Forgive me if I don't express myself too clearly at times. I understand my friend Zuza has told you about my ... personal matters and my marriage with Amanda. I'm sorry I didn’t tell you before. Maybe you can understand, maybe not. But I'll try my best to help,' he said, his voice trembling.
Katie steadied her breath.
'Yes, we're aware of the context, and I'm sorry to hear it's been so hard for you, Mr Rychter,' Katie said as soothingly as she could. Chris' elbow moved away from her side, and Katie relaxed her shoulders. Silly Chris, he should really learn how to deal with upset people.
'You can call me Waldi,' he said and smiled. 'That was Amanda's idea. She was a nice girl, Amanda. I really liked her. What can I do to help you find the person who murdered her?'
Chris' elbow dug into Katie's side again. Panic gripped her throat. What was she supposed to say? She'd been too preoccupied with the bank statements to work out an interview strategy.
Quick, start somewhere!
'Actually, we were wondering if you might have forgotten or omitted some other information about Amanda,' she said, watching Waldi's face.
The corners of his mouth dropped. 'Like what?' he asked.
'Like if she has ever completed her teaching qualification? Or how she coped with teaching in a foreign language she didn't speak,' Katie blurted out. The last comment was a shot in the dark. She probably should have checked her assumption with Zuza first!
Waldi's eyes darkened. His head jerked backwards, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
'How do you know that?' his voice sounded hollow and wooden.
'Just asking,' Katie said, making a mental "fist pump."
'No, she's never finished the course, and she didn't speak Polish very well. Is this of any relevance to the investigation?' he asked abruptly.
'Anything we learn about your wife's past might help us progress the investigation,' Chris cut in. 'We'd really appreciate your cooperation, particularly, since you're still one of the key suspects.'
Katie glanced at her friend. His broad face was serious. Chris using pressure?
'Are you the principal of the school where she was teaching?' Katie carried on.
Waldi nodded, his face furrowed. She had her next question ready, but felt uncomfortable asking. She never liked the harsh questions and not-always-clean interviewing strategies she’d seen on TV. But if she ever wanted to become a police officer, she needed to toughen up.
Katie gulped, ignoring her heart dropping a few inches, towards her boots.
Don't mix personal and professional matters, Katie!
'So, you employed her knowing she didn't meet the minimum criteria for teaching,' she said trying to sound calm and not rushing through, even though this sentence seemed to burn a hole in her mouth. 'Why?'
Her intention wasn't to catch him doing something not entirely honest, but to discover how on earth Amanda managed to land jobs without the adequate training or experience. Maybe it would provide some insight into the situation with Mr McBride.
'Okay, it was not one hundred percent okay, but I didn't have anyone better to do the job. I wanted the children in my school to have English lessons.'
'And to keep your wife happy?' Katie added, not sure how to progress to her next question.
Waldi blinked and shifted his gaze onto Chris, who simply nodded. Why wasn’t he helping? Katie clasped her hands together.
'Your wife had a Polish ID, but she didn’t have a Polish passport. I understand her goal was to obtain this passport. Has she applied for Polish citizenship?' she asked.
Waldi's face tensed. Red blotches appeared on his cheeks and neck. She was onto something! Amanda's husband's discomfort was palpable.
A sudden thought popped into her head. The familiar tugging in the stomach pushed her to her next step. It was a bit crazy, but she had to follow the hunch by checking the evidence. She fished her phone from her handbag and typed her question into the browser.
'Why are you asking?' Waldi's voice broke into a hiss. 'I don't understand these questions. What do you want from me?'
'Just answer our questions, Mr Rychter, tell us the truth,' Chris said and nudged Katie again. Katie nudged him back, keen to scroll through the results of her query.
'Isn’t it a requirement to speak the language fluently in order to become a citizen?' she asked a few seconds later, lifting her eyes from the screen. 'I understand applicants need to pass a state language exam...' she let the last sentence echo in the room. If Waldi was smart enough, he would connect the dots she was putting in front of him.
Waldi grabbed the edge of the table so hard, his knuckles turned white. His jaw dropped, and sweat
glistened on his temple.
'Can I have a drink of water, please,' he croaked.
Katie glanced at Chris, who jumped to his feet.
'Stay there,' he said calmly but firmly and crossed to the water cooler. He returned with a full cup.
'Here,' Chris said, putting the cup on the table. 'Have a drink and tell us all about that citizenship application and the exam.'
Waldi drained the water and wiped his forehead with the back of a trembling hand.
'Okay,' he whispered. 'She failed the exam. But I used my connections to get that certificate, so she could file the application. I know, it's a crime,' he added and hang his head, staring at the table.
Lightheaded and giddy Katie considered getting herself a drink, but she didn't want to lose a single word of this conversation. Besides, she was on a roll. Her intuition was wide awake and roaring.
'Did Amanda threaten to report this to authorities if you didn't do what she wanted?'
Waldi's head bobbed left and right, probably in a gesture of negation. 'Not directly,' he said, still looking down. 'But she made some comments that made me think she would do it. She wanted to end the marriage, and I couldn't do it.'
Katie winced. Here was strong motive to silence Amanda. Waldi and Amanda could move to a bigger city to avoid the social odium of being gay, but falsifying an official document was illegal and would follow you around. A bad thing to have on your record if you were a teacher, and even more - an ambitious school principal.
'Are you going to arrest me?' he added after a long, tense silence.
'I need to think about it, Mr Rychter,' Chris said slowly. 'But for now, I'd like you to come with me to the police station. Are you coming with us, Katie?'
Katie glanced at her watch. It was nearly school pick up time.
'Sorry. I have to run. Here are the bank statements,' she pushed the papers towards Chris. I've circled the suspicious ones.' She climbed to her feet, stiffening her shaking knees.
She headed for the door, still a little wobbly.
What an interview! Her first. And it was a success!
24
Katie reached the school gate just in time. It started to rain heavily, and the kids were rushing trying to get into cars or hide under their parents' umbrellas.