“I think the answer to that is rather obvious. He was there, he called you, you came, you were there, we both saw what we saw, and it stands to reason you created a diversion, while I held what was supposed to be a murder weapon, worrying about the consequences of being caught with it, and in the time I took to hide the weapon, you and he made off.”
“I never said it was the murder weapon.”
“It was inferred, particularly when you were in such a hurry to offload it.”
“You’re imagination is running wild. It must be the pain medication.”
Harry smiled. “Of course it would be if I was taking it.”
“Where did you hide the gun, if that’s what you did?”
It was an innocuous question, but there was no doubt in Harry's mind she, too, was on a fishing expedition She needed that gun back. The question is, how hard was she going to try before it became obvious. “Good question. It was dark, and I was unfamiliar territory. I can’t remember.”
“But it is somewhere in the Outtel office?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t remember leaving it there. I was too disorientated, and the police were coming, I could hear the sirens in the background. I think it was likely I went outside and threw it in the dumpster out the back. I figured by the time anyone realized where it was, the dumpster would be taken away.”
“I don’t believe you. You didn’t have time.”
“You could only say that if you were still in the building monitoring my movements?”
She stopped and took a breath. This was a rabbit hole she didn’t want to fall into because the questions only got harder from here on.
“Sorry, I heard the police sirens also and took off. I wasn’t going to hang around and get caught.”
“I did, unfortunately. Sykes and his mate got there before I could leave.”
“Inside or outside the building?”
Time, Harry thought, to take a punt she wasn’t there. “I was outside after dumping the gun. I was coming up the alley towards the front of the building heading for my car. Sykes got there first.”
No change of expression to alert me to the fact she knew I was lying. It was a relief to know she wasn’t there.
She got over the revelation quickly and moved on. Another question: “Did anyone, like Al as you seem to think, also leave the building the same time you did?”
“I didn’t see anyone else, inside the building of out of it. The building had been quiet as a graveyard, and so was the surrounding area.”
“But you are now saying he might not be dead, and got up and left on his own?” Past you, as you say.”
“It’s more likely an explanation than the dead walking.”
From the blank expression on her face, Harry assumed she was taking the time to reassess her position in light of what he’d told her. He had a feeling the gaps and half-truths would soon disappear. Except if it incriminated her, or Al. There was clearly something else bothering her, whether it was about him, or about Al, Harry was not sure, but she was holding something back.
“What is it?” he asked after waiting a minute or two.
She took a deep breath. “Have you ever considered the possibility there might be a third brother? If there is let me know if or when you find him. ”
Then she left.
Harry shook his head. He would stick to his original conclusion. Al was still alive, and Angela was helping him. That meant she knew where he was, and knew how to contact him. Good thing then, he had put a tracker in her phone earlier that morning.
She definitely shouldn’t have taken him home with her, and he was surprised with himself for doing such a thing.
© Charles Heath 2016-2019
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