‘Yes, with reservations.’
She sighed. ‘Story of my life. Missing out on right blokes and taking on wrong ones. I’ve moved around a lot in the last few years after coming out of hospital. Short-term rentals and sub-lets. Had to go back into hospital a few times. I didn’t want to haul a lot of stuff around with me. I’ve got a rented storage locker in town. When Granny Twizell died I was sort of unofficial executor. I helped cleaning out her stuff. Hec and Joseph weren’t interested. I took most of it to Vinnies and the Smith Family but I kept those papers, as you call them. They’re in storage along with some of my clothes and books and uni notes and like that.’
‘Will you let me look at them?’
‘Sure. Didn’t you say there could be a dollar in it? Give me a day to settle in here and see how things go with your girlfriend and I’ll take you to them.’
~ * ~
I phoned Wakefield with the possibly good news.
‘That’s marvellous. Well done.’
‘We don’t know that they’re what you want yet.’
‘From what you say there’s a good chance. I’ll drive up tomorrow. I take it Ms Tanner won’t object to me being present?’
‘I think she’ll be delighted.’
‘Good. I hope you’re staying clear of all that messy business with the other Tanners.’
‘Not exactly.’
‘What about Twizell? Is he involved at this point?’
I didn’t want to go into that with him and gave a vague answer. There was excitement in his voice and he mentioned a bonus. All in all, a very satisfactory phone call.
Kristie said her car was out of action and asked if she could use Jack’s.
‘Not a good idea,’ I said. ‘If Jack did some sort of deal with people about the money and they financed him into the 4WD they’ll be on the lookout for it when he doesn’t show up.’
She nodded. ‘I’ll need some money to get my car out of hock.’
I didn’t want her running around freely just yet. I told her the man backing my investigation was coming up to look at the papers and that if they proved to be what he hoped, I was sure he’d give her some money.
‘That raises the stakes,’ she said. ‘What’re you going to do now?’
‘Leave the Patrol somewhere, go back to my motel and wait for your call tomorrow.’
‘What about Johnnie and Rod?’
‘Don’t worry about it. Work with Marisha and see what happens about the papers. A new start.’
‘Who’s this client of yours?’
‘Professor Henry Wakefield.’
‘Is he a spunk?’
I laughed. ‘You’re recovering fast. I’m off. Tell Marisha I’ll be in touch.’
‘I bet you will.’
I drove back to the CBD, left the Patrol in a parking station and handed the keys in to the attendant. If it ran up an overdue bill that wasn’t my problem. Twizell’s abduction was my problem, sort of, and I decided I had to come clean about it. I phoned Kerry Watson and arranged to meet him at a pub near my motel. He arrived fifteen minutes after the appointed time, tired and in a bad mood. He flopped down in a chair at the table I’d picked and looked at me with bleary eyes.
‘I’ve had a shitty day,’ he said. ‘Are you going to improve my mood?’
‘I’ll buy you a drink, a couple maybe.’
‘That’s a good start. Double scotch and something to munch.’
I wasn’t planning to do any more driving so I ordered two doubles and bought a packet of crisps and one of nuts. Watson didn’t bother with the preliminaries. He took a swig and split the packets open with his big, blunt fingers. He munched a fistful of both and washed them down with more whisky.
‘Did you ever see In the Heat of the Night?’ he said.
‘Of course. Great picture.’
‘Remember what Steiger says when he answers the phone?’
‘“Talk to me.’”
‘Right.’
I told him everything he needed to know—about my and Twizell’s encounter with Hector and Clem, about Twizell and the money, about Kristie and Rod Templeton, about me falling into the trap of Kristie being the bait and about Templeton’s grabbing of Twizell with the money as his object.
Watson ate and drank and said nothing. When I’d finished he pushed his glass at me and I got him a refill.
He sipped, cautiously. ‘You should’ve told me you’d met up with Hector.’
‘I had no idea where he’d go.’