Page 13 of Savage Reckoning

More scribbling. “I see. Then, I wonder if you can account for the presence of a fourteen-year-old girl on the helicopter.”

“Natalija is the sister of one of my patients,” I interrupt. “She was on her way here for a holiday.”

“A holiday?” It’s clear he doesn’t believe a word of it. “Can I assume the young lady will be able to confirm that?”

“You can,” I assert. “Would you like me to locate her for you?”

“All in due course. For now, I prefer to concentrate of the specifics of the crash. Can you tell me why you thought your aircraft was under attack?”

“Well, the two missiles were something of a clue…” Magda suggests.

“Why would anyone wish to attack a civilian aircraft?” the detective inspector persists, seemingly unmoved by the sarcasm in her response.

“Perhaps that is for you to discover, Inspector. You are the detective, not I.”

He makes that odd tutting sound again. “Quite so. And you can be assured we will get to the bottom of this.”

Personally, I doubt that, but best to let him retain his fantasies. Meanwhile, the more the authorities can establish about the weapons used, the better.

“Miss Botnari is looking tired. And she is about to undergo major surgery, so unless you have further questions that really can’t wait…?”

“Of course.”

The pair get to their feet.

“I’m sure we will need to speak to you again, Miss Botnari.”

“Well, I won’t be going anywhere for a while, Inspector.”

“That’s Detective Inspector, miss.”

Magda simply smiles. “You know where I am…” She lies back and closes her eyes, effectively dismissing the pompous little man.

The door clicks shut behind the two police officers, and Magda opens one eye to peer at me. “Have they gone?”

“Oh, yes.”

She opens the other eye and struggles to raise herself up in the bed.

I help her by shoving an extra pillow behind her. “That okay?”

“Lovely. So, now for the good bit. What’s the story on you and Mister Universe?”

“Mister…?”

“The rather beautiful Gabe Sawyer,” she clarifies. “I saw the way you looked at him.”

“I didn’t look at him.”

“Yes, you did. As though you wouldn’t mind seeing him burst into flames. Or maybe gobbling him up for breakfast.”

“I met him once before, that’s all. He… he…”

“As good as that, eh?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The man gets to you.”

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