to her in a long time.
‘You messed me around, never returned my calls and then you pitch up here expecting my help. Unbelievable.’
I passed her a menu. We were sat in a quiet corner of The Corn Exchange, a pub close to the office. It was late afternoon and I’d spent the last couple of hours delivering warrants. The kind of bread and butter work which keeps our heads above water. I wasn’t hungry but it was the only way I could get her to agree to meet me. ‘I hear the fish and chips are good.’ I placed my wet coat on the back of my chair. So much for the sunshine.
She shook her head. ‘You certainly know how to treat a girl, don’t you?’
I sipped at my diet coke. ‘I know...I should have called you.’
‘Save it, Joe.’ She flashed a smile at me. ‘Water under the bridge.’
I hoped it was true. A mutual friend had introduced us and I’d felt pressurised into asking her out on a date. In truth, I’d had mixed feelings about it. On one hand Jane is an attractive divorcee in her late thirties with everything going for her. On the other hand, it all felt far too soon after Debbie’s death. The date had been set up with good intentions, but I was surprised how unprepared I felt. The body was willing but other parts of me less so. When I remembered Jane worked for Christopher Murdoch, I’d made the call. It had felt embarrassing but needs must.
‘Let’s get one thing straight, though’ Jane said. ‘I’m still angry with you. I’m only here because I want to help Christopher.’
I nodded and took our order to the food counter. I had about twenty minutes before it arrived. Sitting back down, I asked her how Murdoch was doing.
‘As you’d expect,’ she said, ‘he’s in pieces. His wife has been murdered.’
‘How about the police? I assume they’re in close contact with him?’
I stumbled over my words but Jane cut across me. ‘If you mean, are they treating him as a suspect, I don’t know. What’s your interest?’
I told her I’d been investigating his wife. ‘Do you know her?’
‘Not really. I’d met her at functions but I wouldn’t say I knew her.’
‘How was their marriage?’
Jane put her drink down and stared at me. ‘I know what you’re doing.’
‘What am I doing?’
‘For whatever reason, you’re fishing. I don’t know why and I can’t say that I want to know. I know how you make a living, Joe, and frankly, I find it a bit strange. All I want to do is help Christopher as much as I can, so whatever it is you want to know, can we get to the point?’
I nodded. Definitely business not pleasure. ‘How long have you worked for him?’
‘About five years. I met him when we both worked for the council. When he set up on his own, he asked me to come with him.’
‘What do you do?’
‘I assist him. Work on projects, meet people. It’s not a specific job.’
‘I assume you two get on?’
‘Absolutely. I wouldn’t work for him otherwise. He treats me well; I’m well paid, given interesting projects to work on and I’m left to get on with things. And I get to help shape the future of the city. It’s perfect for me.’
‘And away from work?’
‘We don’t really socialise too much. We both have lives away from work but I have nothing bad to say about him. He’s a decent guy who people warm to. Feel free to ask others who know him.’
I assumed you had to be likeable in some way if you were trying to bend people to your way of thinking. If you’re fronting regeneration projects, it’s also inevitable you’re going to face opposition and be unpopular. ‘Has he said anything about his wife’s murder?’
‘Like what? Do you think he did it?
‘I don’t know.’ I shrugged. ‘It wouldn’t be the first time it was the husband.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Christopher isn’t capable of such a thing.’
I leant closer. ‘I’m trying to level with you, Jane. These sorts of things don’t happen by accident. If I accept he didn’t do
‘You messed me around, never returned my calls and then you pitch up here expecting my help. Unbelievable.’
I passed her a menu. We were sat in a quiet corner of The Corn Exchange, a pub close to the office. It was late afternoon and I’d spent the last couple of hours delivering warrants. The kind of bread and butter work which keeps our heads above water. I wasn’t hungry but it was the only way I could get her to agree to meet me. ‘I hear the fish and chips are good.’ I placed my wet coat on the back of my chair. So much for the sunshine.
She shook her head. ‘You certainly know how to treat a girl, don’t you?’
I sipped at my diet coke. ‘I know...I should have called you.’
‘Save it, Joe.’ She flashed a smile at me. ‘Water under the bridge.’
I hoped it was true. A mutual friend had introduced us and I’d felt pressurised into asking her out on a date. In truth, I’d had mixed feelings about it. On one hand Jane is an attractive divorcee in her late thirties with everything going for her. On the other hand, it all felt far too soon after Debbie’s death. The date had been set up with good intentions, but I was surprised how unprepared I felt. The body was willing but other parts of me less so. When I remembered Jane worked for Christopher Murdoch, I’d made the call. It had felt embarrassing but needs must.
‘Let’s get one thing straight, though’ Jane said. ‘I’m still angry with you. I’m only here because I want to help Christopher.’
I nodded and took our order to the food counter. I had about twenty minutes before it arrived. Sitting back down, I asked her how Murdoch was doing.
‘As you’d expect,’ she said, ‘he’s in pieces. His wife has been murdered.’
‘How about the police? I assume they’re in close contact with him?’
I stumbled over my words but Jane cut across me. ‘If you mean, are they treating him as a suspect, I don’t know. What’s your interest?’
I told her I’d been investigating his wife. ‘Do you know her?’
‘Not really. I’d met her at functions but I wouldn’t say I knew her.’
‘How was their marriage?’
Jane put her drink down and stared at me. ‘I know what you’re doing.’
‘What am I doing?’
‘For whatever reason, you’re fishing. I don’t know why and I can’t say that I want to know. I know how you make a living, Joe, and frankly, I find it a bit strange. All I want to do is help Christopher as much as I can, so whatever it is you want to know, can we get to the point?’
I nodded. Definitely business not pleasure. ‘How long have you worked for him?’
‘About five years. I met him when we both worked for the council. When he set up on his own, he asked me to come with him.’
‘What do you do?’
‘I assist him. Work on projects, meet people. It’s not a specific job.’
‘I assume you two get on?’
‘Absolutely. I wouldn’t work for him otherwise. He treats me well; I’m well paid, given interesting projects to work on and I’m left to get on with things. And I get to help shape the future of the city. It’s perfect for me.’
‘And away from work?’
‘We don’t really socialise too much. We both have lives away from work but I have nothing bad to say about him. He’s a decent guy who people warm to. Feel free to ask others who know him.’
I assumed you had to be likeable in some way if you were trying to bend people to your way of thinking. If you’re fronting regeneration projects, it’s also inevitable you’re going to face opposition and be unpopular. ‘Has he said anything about his wife’s murder?’
‘Like what? Do you think he did it?
‘I don’t know.’ I shrugged. ‘It wouldn’t be the first time it was the husband.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Christopher isn’t capable of such a thing.’
I leant closer. ‘I’m trying to level with you, Jane. These sorts of things don’t happen by accident. If I accept he didn’t do
Similar Books
