Super-Cannes by J. G. Ballard

Author:J. G. Ballard [Ballard, J. G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: prose_contemporary
Published: 2011-07-28T12:44:00+00:00

22 The Confession

'Frank...? head between your knees... you're fine now.'

I drove the Range Rover onto the floor below, and stopped in the cool shadows among the parked cars. I steadied Halder against the seat, and let the icy breeze from the air-conditioning system play across his face.

'Mr Sinclair...?' With an effort he focused his eyes. 'I blacked out for a few seconds. Was it hot up there?'

'Like a furnace.' I searched for a radiophone. 'I'll call for a paramedic.'

'No.' Halder took the phone from me. 'I need a minute to cool off. I guess too much light on anything isn't a good idea.'

He grimaced to himself, accepting the embarrassment he had caused. The roof had been hot, but repressed emotions had played a stronger role. I waited as Halder recovered his poise, and thought of the bullet holes in the parapet.

David Greenwood's murder spree had ended on the exposed deck above our heads, when a faulty magazine had saved the Frenchwoman from becoming his last, unintended victim. The clocks in Eden-Olympia had stopped for two hours as the deranged doctor moved on, rifle in hand, the silence of death around him.

When he killed his victims he had probably heard nothing, not even the shots from his rifle. But on the roof of the car park a nervous guard had returned fire, and then Greenwood was back in real time, the sounds of police sirens and helicopters filling his head.

Halder adjusted the air-conditioning fan, and watched the sweat evaporate from his shirt. Trying to recover his self-possession, he removed the keys from the ignition lock. He waited for me to leave the driving seat, but I sat back, my hands gripping the wheel.

'Frank, you've been a huge help. Showing me the route in detail, and the scene-of-the-crime photos. It was good of you, but why do it?'

'I liked Greenwood. It's as simple as that. I wanted you to see it all from his point of view. Something happened on May 28, something that wasn't right.'

'And affected you badly. That's what our tour has really been about - you, not Greenwood.'

'Not exactly.'

'Zander knows you're here. He authorized the photographs.'

'Zander and Dr Penrose.'

'Why Penrose?'

'He was interested to see how you'd react. Looking the truth in the face, not some fantasy garbled together from rumours and maids' gossip.'

'So they assigned you to keep an eye on me. When did this start?'

'After you went to Riviera News. The manager's secretary called us. I was to pick you up there.'

'So that's why Meldrum kept me talking. You followed me to Antibes-les-Pins and Port-la-Galere. I'm surprised I didn't see you.'

'Among all those chic suntans? Not so chic as mine.' Halder patted his cheeks, trying to force the blood into his face. 'I parked on the corniche road. A security man tipped me off when you were leaving. He used to work at Eden-Olympia.'

'And now he's keeping an eye on the widows. Making sure they don't talk too much to amateur detectives. But why trail me to the Rue Valentin? Zander didn't know I'd be there.

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