Page 32 of A Simple Mistake
Aidan held up a finger to stop Skylar’s words, then unscrewed his fountain pen.“Start from the top.”
“Margot McTavish was found in her bed wearing nightclothes.The coroner’s report said she’d died just after midnight.And that she was wearing makeup.”
He paused and Aidan raised his head from his notepad.“And?”
“Judging from her flat and wardrobe, she wasn’t the sort of woman who’d do that.”
“Do what?Wear makeup?Really, Payne, if that’s what I’m paying you—”
“Hang on,” Jack interrupted and turned to Skylar.“She was wearing makeupto bed?How old was she?”
“Seventy-two.”
“She did what?”
“Retired academic.Walls of books and awards.Worked with her late husband.”
“Lived where?”
“Seven Dials.Second-floor flat in a mansion block.Gorgeous high ceilings, wooden floors, crown moulding… the lot.Furniture a mix of quality and antiques.And a wardrobe sorted by colour and couture house.”
Jack pictured the home Skylar described, and the woman who’d lived there.“I see it.Go on.”
“The coroner’s report mentioned bitten nails.Not cut short.Bitten right down.When all the photos in the flat show Margot McTavish with perfect long nails.She had rows of designer varnish in her bathroom.Do you know when the niece last saw her?”
“I’ll ask.”Aidan made a note on his pad.“So… you don’t like that she went to bed with makeup on.And you think something happened that made her cut her nails?”
Skylar shook his head.“She might cut one if she broke it, but she wouldn’t chew ten nails ragged.I found no sign of violence, but there’s more to this than an elegant, older woman dying in her bed.If it wasn’t for this job, I’d keep digging.”
Jack topped up his coffee cup and snagged another biscuit.“Who identified her?”
“Family.But according to the niece, they weren’t close.”
“There.As good a place to start as any.”
“But will you?You’re as busy as the rest of us.”
“I’m also as curious as the day’s long, and Conrad worships at the altar of justice.”Jack noticed the strain in Skylar’s face, the conflict fighting enthusiasm.Skylar Payne had radar for people, and he’d picked up on something wrong.“Get yourself to Tokyo and enjoy your job,” he advised.“We won’t just drop this, I promise.”
“You look more cheerful,” Gareth observed as he drove them through the rain-slick streets at the end of the workday.Jack wasn’t the only one, either.Everyonelooked more cheerful, if he thought about it, despite the daily nose-to-tail.
“Thunderstorm cleared the air and took my headache with it.”Jack leaned his head against the backrest and closed his eyes.And even from the driver’s seat, Gareth could make out the smudges of exhaustion Jack’s lashes couldn’t hide.
Protecting Nancarrow Mining reminded him of his time in the army.The days of nothing but routine, the hurry-up-and-wait of contracts and compliance, and the days when one piece of intelligence escalated routine into urgent all-nighters, followed by weeks of unpicking, fault-finding, and problem-solving.He had the staff to do it all, but he mustn’t forget that those staff members had lives.And that constant readiness blunted the edges.
Gareth lowered his window halfway, desperate for the breeze even if it came laced with exhaust fumes.It beat the temper-fraying humidity any time, as much as it helped dispel the niggling discomfort his thoughts had produced.“What did Conrad want?”
“Oh, that was priceless.”Jack turned his head, his smile one of genuine enjoyment.“Skylar got hired as chief stylist for Tempest’s Asia tour.”He cracked open an eye and smirked.“Now you’re going to ask me who Tempest is.”
“As if I don’t have your favourites memorised.He’s that gorgeous guy who’s also a DJ, right?”Jack’s eyebrows climbed his forehead and yeah, a bit of smug felt good.
“Colour me impressed.”
“You should be.Now, what has Skylar’s new job to do with Conrad?”
“Skylar was looking into a case for Aidan, and he isn’t done.”
“So you’re taking over.”It wasn’t a question.Aidan’s cases were about stepping up to help when others turned away.
