Inspector Rames

Chapter 39

Nora was standing next to the sink, pouring hot water into two pastel-coloured mugs on the counter. She glanced over her shoulder as we entered and tucked her rumpled hair behind her ears. "Good morning. Tea?"

"No, thank you," I said.

Petr sat down at the island, and we took our places opposite him. Nora removed the teabags and added milk, then passed him one mug and settled down with the other. She held it level with her chest like a shield. Grief had given her visible wounds in the form of red, gritty eyes.

"Nora, we were hoping to ask you a few more questions," I said. "We tried calling you yesterday after you'd been sent home from work."

She glanced down. "Sorry, I only picked up my missed calls this morning. I had an appointment at the hospital. I needed a PET scan."

"Oh, right. I...hope it wasn't for anything too serious."

"It was a reassessment of my breast cancer."

"Oh." I was used to handling murder, but I found any other touchy topic just as awkward as the next Englander. "I'm sorry to hear that."

She lowered her mug so that it was resting on the island. "Don't be. I don't need chemo anymore. So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Ah, the much more comfortable topic of murder. "What time did you leave the lab on Thursday?"

"Not long after five." She looked between us quizzically.

"You didn't clock out," Alex explained. "So we couldn't check the clocking machine records."

She blushed. "Oh, I'm afraid I do that all the time. The chemo's made me a bit forgetful."

"Can anyone confirm the time you left?" I asked.

"No. I was the last to go."

"But I can confirm what time she came home," Petr said. "About twenty past, maybe half-past five."

I turned to him. "You work at a pharmacy, don't you? What time did you finish?"

"Five. But it's only down the road. I always get home before Nora."

"Okay. Where were you both between seven and nine?"

"I was...with some friends at The Silver Star." Petr looked at Nora. "And you said you'd been watching a film, didn't you, love?"

"Yes." She smiled tightly. "I ordered a takeaway and watched a film. On my own."

"What film?" I asked.

Alex's lips twitched.

"The Immortal Star," Nora said.

I knew for a fact that film was available on Xplora. "We heard you'll be taking over Lonn's role now. I hope you understand that we might not have released the crime scene for you by Monday."

"Of...course." She frowned. "But how did you know about that?"

"Riannon told us."

"I see." Nora's face cleared. "I expect she's jealous?"

I decided to play into her hands and see where it got me. "Oh, yes. Very. Was she hoping for the role someday?"

"I don't know. She won't be surprised that it's been given to me -- she was always aware that I was her senior. But I think that awareness is her problem. It always felt like we were battling to see who could be the better assistant to Lonn."

"Why did Lonn need two assistants?" Alex asked.

"After my diagnosis, he thought I wouldn't be able to handle everything, so he decided Riannon should help me. If anything, her involvement exhausted me more. But he meant well..."