BooksBarbecue
Back I Know What I Saw Save as PDF
Chapters (59)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for I Know What I Saw
  3. By the Same Author
  4. Dedication Page
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. Now read on for a preview
  55. 1
  56. 2
  57. 3
  58. 4
  59. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

‘No comment,’ I say in a whisper.

‘There’s an interesting entry there on that sheet, Mr Shute. It shows that you cleared the entire account, in cash, just a matter of weeks before her murder. Is that the reason she was killed, Mr Shute? That’s a sizeable sum. Just over a quarter of a million dollars. Where is the money?’

‘We are ending this interview now, Officer. This is outrageous. I haven’t been given any disclosure about this. It’s unethical and you know it.’ Jan stands up. ‘Are you charging him or not?’

‘Actually, those are all the questions we have for you at the moment, Mr Shute. We are terminating this interview. The time by my watch is 21:17.’ He switches the tapes off, and turns his attention to Jan.

‘We are still at an early stage with regards to investigating the offence. Obviously, this a serious charge. It’ll be for the custody sergeant now to deal with bail.’

‘But you’re the OIC,’ Jan says. ‘You know he’s going to do what you want him to.’

Blake gets up from her seat and puts her file together. ‘I’m the officer in the case actually. And since we haven’t charged him yet and since he seems to turn up here wanted or not, I’m taking the view that he’s going to surrender. I’m recommending bail to return in four weeks. That’s the 19th of March,’ she says, looking into her phone. ‘Make sure you come back. It’s a long wait in custody for a murder trial.’

Jan looks shocked but manages a curt thank you.

Twenty minutes later I am standing on the pavement, shaking Jan’s hand. She doesn’t react or flinch at having to touch my skin. I can hardly believe they have released me after all those questions. All that insinuation.

‘Thank you,’ I say.

‘Don’t thank me. It’s that OIC. She’s got the hots for you,’ she says, looking up at me. There is a foot in height between us.

I take a deep breath and screw my eyes shut. Did that just happen? ‘What now?’ I say.

‘Now? You make an appointment to see me on Thursday,’ she says, picking up her case from the ground. ‘And when you do, you need a better explanation for what happened to the money than you gave me in the cells after the interview.’

‘But I told you, I don’t know where it is.’

I left it with Seb. But that was years ago. I have no idea whether he still has it. He might have given it back to Grace, I think, and then the reality of it hits again. She has been dead for thirty years.

‘It’s not often money can buy your freedom, Mr Shute. But when it can, you take the chance. The money or your life.’

32

Tuesday