Yesterday's Shadow Read Online Free Page A

imperative early.
    Malone recited the bad news. “That's the bald fact, Mr. Avery. What puzzles us is what was the Ambassador's wife doing in a hundred-dollar-a-night hotel under an assumed name?”
    Avery had listened in silence, without expression; but now he let out a long hiss of breath, as if he had been holding it in. “Holy shit! Does the media know?”
    â€œYes. There was another murder last night at the same hotel, one of their cleaners. If it hadn't been for the double homicide, I don't think the press would have been down there. It would have got a three-line mention in the news brief in tomorrow morning's papers, that's all. But now—”
    â€œDo the media know who she is?”
    â€œNot yet. So far the hotel management doesn't know. I didn't let the manager see this when I took it out of the safe deposit box—” He took the plastic bag containing the passport from his pocket. “All they know so far is that she was American.”
    Avery held out his hand. “I'll give that back to the Ambassador.”
    Malone looked at Random, who said, “It's our turf, Mr. Avery. It's a New South Wales Police Service job, I'm afraid. I wish it weren't, but that's the fact of the matter.”
    â€œDoes it have to be?” Avery was not belligerent. He just had the look of a quarterback seeing tackles coming at him from either side.
    â€œI'm afraid so. We'll cooperate with anyone you bring in, but it's our case. We'll be as discreet as possible, but it won't be too long before the media has a field day.”
    â€œDid your security people check yesterday when she didn't turn up?” asked Malone.
    â€œWe-ll, no-o.” Avery looked abruptly tentative. “We didn't send anyone out there after the driver came back and reported he hadn't found her. We phoned Canberra and they said to leave it to them. They're very secure about security down there,” he added and sounded undiplomatic.
    â€œWhat do they have down there? CIA, FBI, what?” asked Random.
    Avery closed up: “I think you better ask them.”
    â€œHow long has the Ambassador been out here?” asked Malone.
    â€œTwo months. He's still finding his feet. Don't quote me,” he added and almost managed a smile.
    â€œIs he a career diplomat?”
    Foreign ambassadors made little or no impact on the country outside the limited circle of Canberra. They were wraiths that occasionally materialized. Like now.
    â€œNo. I should imagine half the State Department had never heard of him till the President submitted his name. I'd never heard of him . . .”
    â€œYou're being very frank, Mr. Avery,” said Random.
    â€œI'm getting on side,” said Avery, and this time his smile widened. “Look, you want the facts. I'm the one who's gonna be closest to you in this, so I'll fill you in all I can. Mr. Pavane was a big supporter of the President in the last campaign, raising enough money to wrap up Missouri and Kansas for the President. He comes from Kansas City, his family has been there for years. He was president of one of our biggest agrobusinesses and he was picked to come out here because we always seem to be at odds with you on meat and agricultural tariffs and subsidies. Again, don't quote me.” He went round behind his desk, sat down, looked glad to have a chair beneath him. “I'll call our embassy now. They'll have someone down here this afternoon. I'll tell them it's your turf, as you call it, but you may have to explain it to them yourselves.”
    â€œWe'll do that,” said Random. “You might tell them while you're on the phone that Inspector Malone and I have the backing of our own Assistant Commissioner and our Commissioner himself. Inspector Malone will be doing the leg-work, I'll be running the investigation. But behind me—”
    â€œI get your point, Mr. Random,” said Avery. “Does your Premier and your state government know