Jade Monkey

It took some time for all the excitement to die down. It took even longer for them to release me from hospital. I never managed to find out what they’d drugged me with. But if I’d have told them that I still have flashbacks and see white rabbits whenever I drink alcohol they’d have sent me to a different type of hospital entirely.

I managed to put the whole story together over that time, through the visits from DI Boura who told me I was no longer under suspicion, and that Miss Mills hadn’t been seen for a couple of days. I doubted whether she would be seen in public again under that name, I didn’t doubt that I’d see her again. From the reporter I gleaned the truth of what he’d discovered. It was a small thing, Miss Mills had been missing from a photo call for an updated version of the museum patrons photograph. But it had made him suspicious. If she wasn’t at the photo shoot, where else was she.

Miss Michelle kept her word, and I was paid handsomely. I certainly wouldn’t want to be the goons when she catches up with them. Andy sent me chocolates, Stiles sent me alcohol and Pete rented a small house in Cayley and moved my belongings there from the hotel.

It was some time later still that I sat back in my chair in the office and heard a knock at the door. I turned as Hannah entered. She wore a thick brown jacket and blue jeans. She took off her hat and put it on the hatstand, before sitting down in one of the client chairs.

I looked across at her. ‘You’ve got a case for me?’

She wrinkled her nose. ‘Purely a social call.’

‘In other words Pete told you that I’d moved back into my old office and asked you to drop by to check that I was still sane.’

‘Why do you ask questions that you know the answer to?’

‘Here.’ I said, and handed Hannah a much read letter from the pile of paperwork that had already managed to accumulate on my desk.

I made some tea as she read and handed her a steaming mug. She sipped and scowled. ‘Your tea is foul.’

‘There’s a reason why I usually go for alcohol.’

‘Still, she’s overseas.’ She said, gesturing with the letter. ‘You should be safe enough.’

‘You think so? You did read how she signed off?’

‘Yes. ‘Don’t die until I kill you’. I thought it was rather to the point.’

‘Still,’ I said. ‘If I’d have known she was working for Miss Michelle I’d never have taken the job.’

‘I think it all works out well enough. Simon was working for Miss Mills undercover, Shan was working for Miss Michelle undercover. It balances nicely. What are you going to do now?’

‘What are you going to do now?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Answer the question.’

‘Ladies first.’

‘Fine. There’s a teaching position at a University that I’m going to take up.’

‘Teaching?’

She smiled. ‘Mostly teaching.’

‘So, my turn. I was thinking of starting up as a detective again. Stiles got promoted, so between him DI Boura and Red Mark I’ve got some good contacts. Shan’s going to be busy overseas with her jobs for Miss Michelle.’

‘Killing people?’

‘I don’t know for sure. I never did know with her. She contacted you to bail me out at the museum. I mean, I was lucky that you were all at Pete’s. I don’t think she’s changed her mind about killing me. She just doesn’t want anyone else to do it.’

‘You’ll need a secretary.’

‘I know, there should be an ad in the paper tonight.’

Hannah smiled, and picked her hat up off the stand. ‘Good luck.’

‘That sounds a lot better than ‘Take Care.’

She waved a goodbye the door closed behind her.

I turned my attention back to the crossword that I’d managed to hide as she walked in when someone knocked on the door again. Frowning I got up and opened the door.

Trudy stood there dressed in a grey suit and cream blouse, she peered at me over the top of a elegant pair of wireframe glasses.

‘I hear you’re looking for a secretary.’