Passing the Baton #2
Skylar grinned like a loon, and Jack couldn’t fault him for it. Jack would pay an indecent sum to see Tempest perform. Going to work on his tour was— “Bloody epic.”
“One for the portfolio, sure. I met him in L.A. a couple of years ago, but I didn’t think he’d remember me. Not from one awards show. But he did, and no way am I going to let an opportunity like that slip through my fingers, right?” His grin turned evil. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you an autograph.”
“You’d better, if you need me to pick up your slack. You’ll be there long?”
“Four months at least. And yes, you may give me a shopping list.”
“Thank you most kindly. I will.”
Moneypenny brought in coffee and biscuits and handed Jack two aspirin as she passed.
Jack swallowed them, though his headache was subsiding the more he relaxed and focussed on Skylar’s bright smile.
He could fit another job into his already crammed days, especially when treats were coming his way.
Jack hadn’t been to Japan since he’d started working for Nancarrow Mining, and amongst all his acquaintances, Skylar was the only one who understood and appreciated what Jack was missing.
“Are you two quite finished clowning around?” Aidan growled just as Jack was about to start listing what he wanted. “I thought you were in a hurry to be off?”
“There’s always time for honest appreciation.” Skylar resumed his seat, waved Jack into the remaining one, and then turned to Aidan. “Get on with it, then. I assume Horwood hasn’t heard the story.”
Aidan Conrad glowered, but he didn’t argue. Eyes on Jack, he summarised the details of Margot McTavish’s death, her niece’s conviction, and his own request to Skylar. “Your turn now, Payne. Do you think this should be a murder investigation, or do I call my client and tell her she’s dreaming?”
Skylar dug himself out of the chair’s plush upholstery and perched on the edge of the seat once more. “There’s something not right about this case.”
“You said something was bugging you. Did you find it?”
“Yes, but…”
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 makeup to 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. Everyone looked 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.
“I was planning on, but then I had a better idea.” Jack straightened, suddenly wide awake and twice as focussed.
“Skylar was looking into the death of a woman. Found at home in her bed, with no sign of a disturbance anywhere. Then the woman’s niece came to Aidan, convinced her aunt had been murdered, because a ring she never took off wasn’t on the body when they found it. You’re with me so far?”
“I can keep up.”
“Good. So… Skylar snooped a bit, and he agrees with the niece. Not that it was murder, necessarily, but that something’s not as it should be.”
“Why?”
“Because a woman who keeps twenty-seven bottles of designer nail varnish in her bathroom wouldn’t bite all her nails to the quick. Or go to bed without taking off her face first.”
“Unless she felt ill, maybe?”
“Quite. I agreed to carry on where Payne left off. But now I’m thinking… what if we give this one to Nico as his first job? I told you he wanted me to teach him to hunt.”
“And you’d do it even if you don’t feel comfortable with it. We’ve been over this, Jack.”
“I wasn’t rehashing it. Not sniping at your reluctance, either.
” Jack leaned across the centre console to dot a quick kiss on Gareth’s cheek.
“I’ll use this case to teach him. Show him how to dig into the dead lady’s past, snoop on the family, maybe hack a camera or two.
Nico sees that we’re taking him seriously.
And he learns the skills he needs without running into memories that trigger him.
On top of that, we help Aidan. Everyone wins. ”
“That’s…” Gareth wanted to pull over and kiss Jack silly there and then. “That’s an excellent idea. I like it. Do you think Nico will go for it?”
Jack relaxed back into his seat. “I can sell it to him.”
“Then please do.” A knot unravelled in Gareth’s stomach. He hadn’t looked forward to having Nico flinch at loud noises or scream himself awake at night. Maybe this way he wouldn’t have to.
He held out his hand. Jack took it and laced their fingers together. They were a team, and on the same page. It felt good.