Evil in Return by Elena Forbes Page B

briefing, but if you want to attend it, I’m sure it can be arranged.’
    Anna remained seated, smiling and looking up at him expectantly, as though she hoped he’d sit down again. ‘That would be useful, yes. But I’d rather get it from you, the horse’s mouth, as they say. Promise I won’t reveal my source. Is it something to do with the new book he’s writing?’
    He shook his head and handed her a business card. ‘We’ll need copies of whatever notes you’ve got, plus any drafts of the interview. If you think of anything else, give me a call.’
    Her eyes flicked to the card in her hand, then back at Tartaglia. She got to her feet. ‘Look, it’d be really good if I could put something in my piece about what happened to Joe. Just a line or two. I’ve answered all your questions. Surely you can tell me something?’
    He held up his hand. Others might be mollified by the sudden softening of her tone but it had no effect on him. ‘I’m afraid you’re the one jumping to conclusions. You were one of only a few people to see Mr Logan in the weeks before he died and you spent quite a lot of time together. Naturally, we need to speak to you and get some background info on him, but I can assure you it’s just routine.’
    ‘Routine?’ Her smile widened. ‘Pull the other one. It’s got bells.’
    Outside in the street, the dusty pavement reflected the heat of the day like an open oven door. Pausing in the deep shadow of the bar’s awning, Tartaglia wiped his brow and turned to Minderedes. ‘Wait until she’s gone then go back inside and find out who was in charge the night Joe Logan died. See if they have CCTV. I want to know exactly when Anna Paget arrived and when she left that night. She seems to be a regular here. Find out everything they know about her. After that, pay a visit to the newspaper she works for and do the same.’
    Minderedes grinned. ‘My pleasure. What a foxy little—’
    ‘What an attitude, you mean.’
    ‘And some. She thawed a bit at the end though, didn’t she?’
    ‘Because she wanted something.’ He gave Minderedes a penetrating look. It wasn’t the first time his usually acute judgement had been blurred by a pretty face, which was fine so long as he kept it out of the workplace, particularly away from anyone concerned with a case. But Minderedes had crossed the boundary before and had missed being suspended by the skin of his teeth. He hoped the man had learned his lesson, but somehow he doubted it. Minderedes generally acted as though he had nine lives. ‘Don’t go getting any ideas.’
    Minderedes held up his hands in surrender. ‘I know better than that, boss. You know that.’
    ‘I hope so, for your sake. You know the consequences.’
    ‘I was just looking. No harm in that.’
    ‘So long as your brain’s still working.’
    ‘At least she’s not the sort you forget in a hurry.’
    ‘It can work both ways,’ he said sharply.
    If Minderedes didn’t wipe that stupid smile off his face PDQ, he’d do it for him. Whether it was the heat, lack of sleep or Anna herself, Tartaglia felt irritable and on edge. To make things worse, he had the nagging feeling that he had let her off the hook, although he had no idea how. ‘Wait in the car until she leaves. Don’t on any account let her see you.’ In spite of Minderedes’ protestations, the less he had to do with her, the better. He didn’t trust either of them, nor did he want to alert Anna to the fact that they were checking up on her.
    Minderedes nodded. ‘Cool. So what do you think, Sir? You think she’s lying?’
    ‘I honestly don’t know. But I mean to find out.’

8
    ‘I still can’t believe it,’ Tim Wade said, shaking his head slowly as he struggled to uncurl his baby daughter’s fingers from his ear. ‘When I picked up the paper this evening, I thought it had to be a mistake.’
    Alex nodded. ‘I was supposed to be seeing him last night. I pitched up at his boat as we’d arranged but the police