Jade Monkey

Given that I was alive, murdering me was not on her immediate agenda.

‘Hello Yourself.’ I managed. My voice sounded hoarse, even to myself.

My ex partner chuckled. ‘Cat got your tongue?’

‘Just a little surprised to still be needing it.’

‘Oh,’ she said disdainfully. ‘That.’

‘That.’ I surprised myself at the little surge of anger that came with the word, I thought I’d dealt squared myself with this a long time ago.

‘Well you always were one to hold on to your emotions a lot longer than I was.’

She took a deep breath and sighed. ‘How about a temporary ceasefire, for the duration of a little chat? I’ve lost my edge for detective work, and there are a couple of things I need to know.’

‘And you expect me to just tell you?’

‘Well, I will be sparing your life.’ She said brightly, looking at me to see how that played, and frowned at my arch look. ‘Didn’t think so.’ She bit her lip. ‘How about a mutual exchange of information then?’

‘We take it in turns to ask each other questions?’

‘Yes. Of course there are going to be some questions that I’m not going to want to answer, and I’m sure that there are a few things you don’t want to divulge either.’

I nodded. ‘We can each of us end it at any time?.’

‘Unless we can negotiate the point. Who’ll start?’

I grinned. ‘Ladies first.’

She smiled at that. ‘Keep on saying nice things and I might change my mind about killing you.’ She laughed at my expression then, and I heard an echo of the person she used to be. ‘Well, where to start?’

‘At the beginning.’

‘That was rhetorical you pedant. Where were you at the time of the murder?’

I blinked. What?’

‘That’s right, you were in the room weren’t you. What were you doing before the murder took place?’

‘I was in the loading bay in the museum, waiting for the goons and Miss Michelle so they could take receipt of the Jade.’

She looked uncomfortable then, as if she wanted to ask me something else immediately. ‘Go on,’ I said ‘just so long as I get two in a row as well.’ I had to admit I was curious where her line of questioning was going. She didn’t suspect me did she?

‘So, from the loading bay you just happen to decide to run down the corridor and coincidentally burst into an office, just in time to witness the murder?’

‘I have all the luck. There were voices in the room.’ I said, slowly, examining the memory as I spoke. The chains had fallen off the crate, and I needed to get security.’ She’d always had a talent for making me think. My mental gears changed smoothly as I considered the implications. The voices in the room had been quiet, no shouted argument or cries for help.

She nodded and waved me to ask my question.

‘Do you know where the Jade is?’

‘My best guess is that Mr Charles hid it or left it with someone before he was killed.’

‘Okay, what were you doing at the scene of his murder?’

‘Wait, you mean that you don’t suspect me? ’

‘They used poison.’

She wrinkled her nose at that. ‘I see. I must admit I suspected you for a while. You were there at both scenes. That story about a murderer wearing a trenchcoat and a fedora that fifteen police officers somehow missed seemed too ridiculous and the fact that you just blundered into the room a coincidence too far. Why was I at the murder scene? I was looking for him, in one piece, well one piece-ish and able to answer questions.’

‘I can imagine.’

‘No you can’t.’ She said quietly and met my eyes.

The room felt suddenly colder then, the sunlight outside the window seemed very far away.

‘Your turn.’ I said.

‘Are you working with the Archaeologist?’

‘No. Temporary alliance to try and cleat her name of Mr Charles’ murder.’

‘Well its nice to know I haven’t been replaced. One question for you. Not for you to answer, just for you to think about. Wasn’t it awfully convenient for her to turn up and bail you when she did?’

‘You think that was staged? She couldn’t know that you were going to turn up and take a few shots at me.’

She smiled.

‘So, why this?’ I asked, and her smile slowly faded.

‘Why this what?’ She said, shifting on her chair and looking slightly hunted.

‘This’ I said, waving an arm to indicate the room. ‘Why recreate the office that you yourself had a good go at reducing to rubble, and don’t tell me nostalgia.’

‘Nostalgia was a part of it. I don’t like looking back, but I couldn’t leave the place as it was. I missed it and rebuilding it gave me something to do.’

‘Murder, mayhem and DIY.’

‘I’m a woman of many talents. I did the rewiring as well.’ She paused. ‘I think we’re getting to the awkward bit now.’

‘Awkward as in “how do I think I’m going to get out of here without extra holes” awkward?’ I drummed my finger on the desk.

‘Yes’

‘Easy.’ I stopped drumming my fingers and tossed the cardboard box across the desk with one hand and kicked my seat back towards the door. The wheels glided over the polished wood and I was out and dashing down the stairs by the time she’d thrown the box to the floor. Two things occurred to me as I ran. The first was something that she herself had told me years ago, that walls don’t stop bullets. The second was that during our entire conversation, I hadn’t used her name.