Amuse Bouche by Anthony Bidulka

Author:Anthony Bidulka [Bidulka, Anthony]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Suspense
ISBN: 9781894663915
Amazon: 1894663918
Publisher: Insomniac Press
Published: 2005-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

THE NEWS STRUCK ME LIKE A SPEEDING FREIGHT

TRAIN. "Did you say Tom Osborn? Are you telling me it was Tom Osborn's body they found in Pike Lake?"

Clark Shiwaga nodded. I could not read the look on his face. He didn't appear prepared to elaborate.

"How can that be? Tom Osborn is in Europe."

"Not anymore."

"Why are you here, Mr. Shiwaga?" No use beating around the bush.

"Mr. Chavell would like to hire you. I have a cheque to retain your services. Same amount as before. Is that appropriate?"

"What is it exactly I'm being hired to do?"

"Last time he wanted you to find Tom. This time, he wants you to find his killer."

He was murdered! "He was murdered?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"How? How do you know all this if it hasn't even been made public?"

The big lawyer studied his hands for a while, pausing before he answered. "I have contacts."

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"Contacts who just happened to know that your client would be interested in this information?"

"Yes."

This didn't jive with what I'd heard from Anthony last night. According to him, Chavell had called him for suggestions on a private investigator because he specifically didn't want to involve his own lawyer. Yet here was that lawyer sitting before me and acting as if he was in on the whole thing. How to phrase this delicately? "I was Under the impression Mr. Chavell did not use his business advisors in personal matters." Hopefully mat would get the point across.

Shiwaga seemed a bit put off by this. "I handle all of Mr. Chavell's legal matters. Business and personal."

So much for tact. It rarely works. "Do you know Mr. Chavell is gay and that Tom Osborn was his partner?"

"Yes." The answer came quickly.

"Does Mr. Chavell know that you know?"

"Yes. However Mr. Chavell believes most other people do not have that information."

"But he is incorrect in that belief?"

Shiwaga's eyes never left mine as he nodded slowly. "To a certain extent... yes."

"So once the Pike Lake body was identified, 224

Anthony Bidulka

your contact knew you and your client would be interested?"'

"Will you take the job?" he asked without answering my question. I knew the answer anyway.

"There's one big difference from the last time Mr. Chavell hired me. The police weren't involved. Now they are. It's their job to find the killer. I used to be a policeman in this city and I can assure you they will undertake a complete and thorough investigation."

"Yes, I'm sure they will. However, there are some...special circumstances here."

"Such as?"

"It is only a matter of time before investigators from the police and media get wind of the relationship between the victim and Mr.

Chavell. My client is concerned that suspicion will fall quickly upon him when that happens.

Not only is that suspicion unfounded, but it would be...cataclysmic to Mr. Chavell's reputation in this city. You already have all the background information. You respect the sensitivity of the matter. You know the people involved.

Certainly some of the work you did for the former case will help you here. And, you know Mr.

Chavell is innocent.

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