Chapter 19 #2
“I had a meeting with Zurine,” Hallie began, and went on to tell the pair of them what had happened and the bargain she’d struck with the forger.
It was almost intimidating talking to such an attentive audience. Both the director and Girard let her talk it through once, in her own words, before they asked any questions. When she’d finished, the director was wearing a frown that was no longer irritated but thoughtful.
“You believe she will come up with the information?” he asked Hallie.
“I do, yes. She’s an accomplished liar, and a criminal, but her reaction to Manju’s death was genuine. I do think she wants Findo Trask caught and punished, and is happy to use us to get that done.”
“Makes sense. Show me the phone she gave you,” the director ordered.
Hallie hesitated. “She did make it clear this is the only means of communication.”
“Understood,” the director said, softening his tone a little. “We might be able to track its purchase, though.”
“Alright.” Hallie dug the phone out of her pocket and handed it over.
“Unregistered, I assume?” the director said.
“I assume so, yes,” Hallie said, and was proud of how steady her voice was. There was a knot in her stomach at the admission. Having the phone was still making her deeply uneasy.
“We’ll get you a waiver for its possession,” the director said, and glanced at Girard, who had his own tablet out and was taking notes with a stylus.
“Already on it, sir.” Girard didn’t even look up from the screen.
“A waiver, sir?” Hallie asked.
“We aren’t exempt from the registration requirements, much as some of the younger members of the houses might like it,” the director said, an acid edge to his voice suggesting there was more than one story there.
“However, law enforcement does get some special dispensations when getting information from criminals. Having an unregistered phone as a means of contact is pretty common. And although I can’t pretend I’m happy with the deal you made, I will be if it pays off and gives us results. ”
“Yes, sir,” Hallie said, relief washing over her.
After Mel’s fury and accusations earlier, when Peredur had aimed his anger at them both, she’d been worried about what the director might think.
Although she had technically been working with the investigators for a few weeks now, she and Girard had been out of Daydawn for most of that time, working independently.
So she wasn’t sure where or how she fit into the team overall.
She was far more used to working on her own, and while she very much enjoyed and valued working with Girard, she thought that had more to do with the fact it was Girard.
There were definite advantages to having backup available.
But she was quite sure she wasn’t going to fit into the hochlen way of doing things.
Then again, the director had specifically asked for her to join the investigators because she wasn’t going to think like everyone else.
He had seen value in her different perspective.
And she trusted him and his judgement. It was going to take time for her to find her place and work out where she fit in.
After all, she hadn’t developed all her skills and knowledge as a skip tracer in just two weeks. That had taken time, too.
The director pulled out his own phone and took some photographs of the unregistered phone before handing it back to Hallie. “You’ll let us know as soon as she makes contact?”
“Of course, sir,” Hallie said. She tucked the device away, feeling marginally more comfortable about having it.
“Waiver’s in place,” Girard said, looking up and giving Hallie a slight smile. “You’ll need to hand the phone in as evidence when you’re done with it, but you’re cleared to have it just now.”
“Good. Thank you,” Hallie said. She cradled the mug of coffee in her hands, abruptly nervous.
She’d given them all the information she had about Zurine and couldn’t help but think that the director may have a few things to say about her encounter with Mel earlier.
But when he spoke, it had nothing to do with the other investigator.
“I’d like you to make a start on reviewing what we’ve gathered so far. You’ve got a bit of time before you need to get ready for Lady Cotovatre’s event,” he said.
“Of course,” Hallie said. She got to her feet, and hesitated. “Are you joining us?”
“It’s been suggested my presence is expected,” Peredur answered, a dry tone in his voice letting Hallie know that suggested was a mild word.
But he smiled as he got to his feet. “It will be an interesting change of pace from going around in circles with the papers.” He glanced at the wall in what Hallie thought was the direction of the conference room, and another wave of tiredness crossed his face.
“I think I’ve memorised almost everything in that room to the point where nothing is making sense.
Fresh eyes are definitely needed. Anything that occurs to you, no matter how small, I want to hear it. ”
“Yes, sir,” Hallie said, pushing aside her instinctive response which was to tell him she wasn’t sure what she could add.
She wasn’t used to an investigation of the size and complexity of the one laid out in the conference room and, in many ways, she’d rather be chasing down an angry and violent skip through the streets of low city.
But she was here. She’d been given a position of respect with people who treated her as their equal.
The very least she could do was to play her part in the team effort.