Linger Awhile

34 Detective Inspector Hunter

31 January 2004. We hadn’t been around to Hermes Soundways since Fallok’s death, so that was where PS Locke and I went next. Bingo, there were two people inside, Irving Goodman and a woman whom I hadn’t seen before. When Locke knocked they had to open, and when I’d identified myself to the woman I said, ‘Now then, who are you?’

‘Grace Kowalski,’ she said.

‘Do you know anything about the death of Istvan Fallok?’ I said.

‘I think I do,’ she said. Goodman just stood there shaking his head and looking miserable.

‘You think you do,’ I said to Kowalski. ‘Discuss.’

‘We were told about Istvan’s death by the one who apparently caused it.’

‘Apparently?’ I said. ‘Who apparently?’

‘Justine …’ she said.

‘Two,’ said Goodman.

‘Justine too?’ I said. ‘Justine also?’

‘Justine Number Two,’ said Kowalski.

‘Are you telling me there are two Justines?’ I said. ‘Are they twins?’

‘Not born that way,’ said Goodman.

‘I see,’ I said, ‘they weren’t born as twins but they became twins later in life. If I had the time to be amused I’d probably find the two of you strangely entertaining, but I haven’t the time, and unless you both start talking straight you’re going to be in a whole lot of trouble. Now, on my command: Speak!’

‘You won’t believe us,’ said Kowalski. ‘What we’re going to tell you sounds impossible.’

‘In my line of work I sometimes have to believe six impossible things before breakfast,’ I said. ‘Stop stalling and start talking.’

‘Both Justines were reconstituted from the magnetic particles of a videotape,’ said Goodman. He stopped and waited for me to say something.

‘Wonderful,’ I said. ‘Carry on.’

‘Once the particles were in a suspension of disbelief,’ said Kowalski, ‘ingredients were added to make a primordial soup which was then zapped with 240 volts of electricity to precipitate the whole flesh-and-blood person.’

‘Is that it?’ I said.

‘Briefly,’ said Goodman. ‘If we get technical it’s a long story.’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ I said. ‘We can return to this later, but at the moment I’m more interested in Justine Two’s whereabouts.’

‘We don’t know,’ said Kowalski. ‘We were going to …’

‘Restrain her but she’s very violent,’ said Goodman. ‘She chased us out of Grace’s place which is why we came here.’

‘I think she’s probably left there by now,’ said Kowalski.

‘Where is your place?’ I said.

‘In Berwick Street,’ she said. So we went and checked out All That Glisters and the studio flat over it and came up empty.

‘Well,’ I said to Goodman and Kowalski, ‘so much for where she isn’t. Now that you’ve had a little time to think about your story, can you improve on the last version?’

‘You didn’t believe us, did you?’ said Goodman.

‘Did you expect me to?’ I said.

‘What about your six impossible things before breakfast?’ said Kowalski.

‘I was talking about believable impossible things,’ I said. ‘Now, have you anything useful to say about Justine Two?’

‘We’ve told you all we know,’ said Goodman.

‘Right,’ I said. ‘Very good.’To PS Locke I said, ‘Book them for perverting the course of justice and hindering a police investigation.’

‘OK, Guv,’ said Locke. He read them their rights, cuffed them, and took them to the nick. It wasn’t much but it was the only way I could relieve my feelings.