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Chapter 13
‘Tellme what happened, Estelle,’ Poe said. ‘Don’t try to second-guess what I want to hear – I need it all.’
‘What do you know?’ Doyle said.
‘I can’t tell you. If I do I’ll be dragged out and arrested.’
‘Well, we can’t have that.’ Stroppy. Feeling sorry for herself.
‘We can’t!’ Poe snapped. ‘Because I won’t be able to do what you need me to do if I’m in the next cell.’
She stared at him, surprised. He’d never raised his voice to her before.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
‘You have nothing to apologise for, but we are up against it. Detective Chief Inspector Tai-young Lee is not an idiot and she has a solid case. I need a thread to tug on.’
‘Do they really think I killed my father?’
Poe considered the question. Decided he was OK telling her. She’d been arrested for his murder after all. ‘This isn’t a holding arrest, it’s the real thing,’ he said. ‘They’ve talked me through the evidence and it’s compelling. They aren’t looking for anyone else.’
She held his eyes. ‘Ask me then,’ she said.
‘Ask you what?’
‘Youknowwhat.’
‘I honestly don’t.’
‘Ask me if I did it.’
‘Why would I do that?’ Poe said. ‘Iknowyou didn’t do it.’
‘How can you be so sure? You barely know me.’
She stared at him so intensely that he started reddening. He held her gaze nonetheless, knew she needed to know why. ‘Because you asked for me,’ he said.
Her expression softened. ‘Thank you, Poe,’ she said.
‘Tell me what happened, Estelle.’ He removed his notebook and looked at her expectantly.
‘It’s a short story, not even a novella,’ she said. ‘I received a text from Dad at lunchtime asking if I wanted to join him for dinner. I sent one back saying I was finishing work early and would be with him as soon as I could.’
‘Did he often invite you to dinner?’
‘More recently, yes.’
‘Why?’
‘Because of you.’
Poe waited for her to elaborate. Even arrested for murder, she couldn’t help but play with him.
‘Not biting, Poe?’ she smiled.
‘Not today.’
‘It’s because of my involvement in your last few cases. My name’s been in national rags a few times and it’s made him quite the celebrity with his grouse-shooting cronies. I think he’d finally realised I hadn’t let him down.’
