Free Challis - 03 - Snapshot by Garry Disher

flushed. Just remember
who I am and who my son is and who you are, mister.

    Getting back to Janine, Ellen said
hastily.

    Lovely girl.

    Challis reflected that he wouldnt
get more than that from McQuarrie, who seemed incapable of discerning
individual quirks in people. Janine came from a good family, was successful in
business and had been chosen by his son, so no further scrutiny was required.
Shed passed the only tests that mattered.

    Poor woman. Had she struggled to be
seen and heard by the family?

    Did Janine ever mention particular
clients who were threatening or abusive?

    Challis watched the superintendent
absorb the implications. No, but thats a promising avenue, Hal, very
promising. Follow it up.

    Challis nodded, despite his
reservations. Would Mrs McQuarrie have anything to add, do you think? Not now,
perhaps tomorrow?

    You keep my wife out of this.

    Sir, I have no desire to upset
anybody, but isnt it possible that she knows things you dont? Youre very
busy, after all. Were they close?

    Janine was like a daughter to both
of us.

    Yes, sir. How about her parents?
Have they been told?

    Theyre both dead, Im
afraidkilled in an accident some years ago. But there is a sister, Meg. Now,
will that be all?

    Thank you sir, Ellen said.

    They were halfway to the car when
McQuarrie caught up with them, taking Challis by the arm and saying, Its time
I spoke to the media.

    Challis exchanged glances with Ellen
and they followed the superintendent up the driveway to the street and the
reporters, who were standing with hunched shoulders against the driving wind.
McQuarrie lifted a hand and said, I wish to make a brief statement, and
confirmed that his daughter-in-law had been shot dead at approximately 9.30
that morning. Challis and Ellen endured; cameras flashed at them. Meanwhile
McQuarrie had apparently cast off his grief and strain; this was the McQuarrie
who wore a costly suit and carried himself with a military mans brisk snap and
fearless gaze, like a British Army officer in a stiff-upper-lip film from the
1950s. He impressed the cameras, but it seemed to Challis that the man knew
more about golf than crime, more about wealthy Rotarians than criminals or the
police officers under his command. Tessa Kane arrived halfway through, earning
a frown from McQuarrie, but he didnt falter, talking at length, answering
questions, and finally clapping a hand on Challiss back, saying, This is the
man who will find my daughter-in-laws murderer.

    The cameras and microphones turned
questingly to Challis but he declined politely and returned to the car with
Ellen. While she drove, heading across to the Nepean Highway, Challis sat
slumped against the passenger door full of thoughts and with Georgias drawings
clasped in his lap.

    Ellen broke the silence. I notice
you didnt tell the super were going to his sons place of work.

    He stirred and grinned. I didnt,
did I?

    First impressions of the son?

    Smooth, a charmer, in a private
school kind of way.

    Professionally charming, not
personally charming. Did you notice that he didnt once look at or talk to me?

    I did.

    And it had nothing to do with rank.
Im a woman, ergo I dont have a brain. She paused. Be interesting to know
what his relationship with Janine was like.

    Yes.

    After a pause she said, as if
testing the waters, Hal, what did you make of the super and his wife?

    Challis cocked his eyebrow at her. Not
exactly heartbroken.

    No.

    They praise Janine, but secretly
didnt like her, or thought her unworthy of their son.

    Ellen nodded. Thats the impression
I got.

    And if youre asking should we
consider the super, or even Mrs Super, a suspect, the answers yes.

    There, it was out in the open. With
anyone other than Ellen, hed have kept his suspicions to himself. He saw her
nod. And your reasons are...? she said.

    Little things: lack of grief, being
protective of his son and granddaughter, being faintly obstructive and wanting
to guide the investigation. All explicable, but