a
pseudonym?"
"Isn’t it obvious?
"Not to me."
"Because, like most novelists,
Rex writes in a genre ghetto. In his case, it’s political
thrillers. Nobody expects him to write a profound work about the
human condition. So if Waiting for Rain appeared under his
own name, nobody would take it seriously. That’s why he used a
pseudonym."
"I asked Rex if he’s Richard
Olsen and he denied it."
Kline giggled. "Did he? Well, he
would, wouldn’t he? I mean, why use a pseudonym if you’re just
going to roll over and confess? Anyone who uses a pseudonym is
entitled to lie about it." Kline put his hands on his belly and
smiled. "And don’t forget, novelists are good at lying: we do it
for a living."
The last character witness they
interviewed was Rex Markham’s close friend, Tim Nolan. The three
lawyers had met him before, when he accompanied Rex to the
inspection of the murder scene.
Robyn had also met his wife,
Beverley. So, when they shook hands, she said: "You know, I’ve met
your wife."
"Bev? Really?"
"Yes, at Grimble & Co."
"That so? She didn’t mention
that."
It soon became obvious that Tim
Nolan would be a good character witness because, though he liked
Alice, he was happy to claim Rex would not have murdered her.
Brian then chatted with Nolan
about the Australian cricket team’s chances on the forthcoming
Ashes tour of England. Robyn was mildly interested in cricket, but
Brian, who attended an expensive private school which he never
really left, was a tragic case. She let the boys connect.
After Nolan left, Robyn suddenly
recalled her last conversation with Beverley. Something that
puzzled Robyn about it now made sense.
She turned to Brian and Bernie.
"You know, I haven’t mentioned it before, but Beverley Nolan is the
person who told me that Alice had an affair with Terry
Torkhill."
Brian shrugged. "Really?"
"Yes. Beverley knew about it
because Alice told her."
Brian frowned. "Yeah. So
what?"
"Well, Alice only told
Beverley about her affair with Terry Torkhill. She didn’t mentioned
her second affair."
"And, your point is?"
"Why did Alice tell Beverley
about her first lover, but not her second?"
Brian's frown deepened. "I’m
sure you’re going to tell us."
"I am. Alice didn’t tell
Beverley about her second lover, because Beverley would have got
very, very upset if she knew his identity."
"Why?"
"Isn’t it obvious? Alice's
second lover was Tim Nolan, Beverley’s husband ."
Brian frowned. "I think you’re
jumping to conclusions."
"No, I’m not. It makes perfect
sense."
"OK. Let’s assume you’re right
and Alice was bonking Tim. Where does that get us? We can’t prove
he had either a motive or opportunity to kill her. In fact, we’ve
got absolutely no idea where he was on the night of the
murder."
"I know. That’s why I should
have another chat with Beverley."
Brian frowned. "No, don’t do
that."
"Why not?"
"Because it’s not your job. I
want you to focus on the trial. Leave the poking around to Bernie
and his private detective."
"The private eye hasn’t turned
up anything so far."
"I don’t care. Leave it to
them."
"But…"
Brian scowled. "Do as you’re
told." He turned to Bernie. "Can we leave this matter to you?"
The solicitor nodded. "Sure.
I’ll get the private detective to check Tim Nolan’s
whereabouts."
Robyn sighed. "What a waste of
time."
Brian lifted an eyebrow. "God,
you’re impetuous."
"I just want to win."
He frowned. "Maybe, but every
game has rules, including this one."
She’d noticed Brian was happy to
bend the rules if he could get away with it and he would benefit. He was obviously worried she might steal his
thunder. Further, like many with rubbery morals, he loved to
preach.
Soon afterwards, Bernie left and
the two barristers started loading folders onto the metal trolley
they would take to court on Monday morning.
They’d almost finished when
Brian’s secretary, Denise, entered and said the Court List for
Monday had been posted on
pseudonym?"
"Isn’t it obvious?
"Not to me."
"Because, like most novelists,
Rex writes in a genre ghetto. In his case, it’s political
thrillers. Nobody expects him to write a profound work about the
human condition. So if Waiting for Rain appeared under his
own name, nobody would take it seriously. That’s why he used a
pseudonym."
"I asked Rex if he’s Richard
Olsen and he denied it."
Kline giggled. "Did he? Well, he
would, wouldn’t he? I mean, why use a pseudonym if you’re just
going to roll over and confess? Anyone who uses a pseudonym is
entitled to lie about it." Kline put his hands on his belly and
smiled. "And don’t forget, novelists are good at lying: we do it
for a living."
The last character witness they
interviewed was Rex Markham’s close friend, Tim Nolan. The three
lawyers had met him before, when he accompanied Rex to the
inspection of the murder scene.
Robyn had also met his wife,
Beverley. So, when they shook hands, she said: "You know, I’ve met
your wife."
"Bev? Really?"
"Yes, at Grimble & Co."
"That so? She didn’t mention
that."
It soon became obvious that Tim
Nolan would be a good character witness because, though he liked
Alice, he was happy to claim Rex would not have murdered her.
Brian then chatted with Nolan
about the Australian cricket team’s chances on the forthcoming
Ashes tour of England. Robyn was mildly interested in cricket, but
Brian, who attended an expensive private school which he never
really left, was a tragic case. She let the boys connect.
After Nolan left, Robyn suddenly
recalled her last conversation with Beverley. Something that
puzzled Robyn about it now made sense.
She turned to Brian and Bernie.
"You know, I haven’t mentioned it before, but Beverley Nolan is the
person who told me that Alice had an affair with Terry
Torkhill."
Brian shrugged. "Really?"
"Yes. Beverley knew about it
because Alice told her."
Brian frowned. "Yeah. So
what?"
"Well, Alice only told
Beverley about her affair with Terry Torkhill. She didn’t mentioned
her second affair."
"And, your point is?"
"Why did Alice tell Beverley
about her first lover, but not her second?"
Brian's frown deepened. "I’m
sure you’re going to tell us."
"I am. Alice didn’t tell
Beverley about her second lover, because Beverley would have got
very, very upset if she knew his identity."
"Why?"
"Isn’t it obvious? Alice's
second lover was Tim Nolan, Beverley’s husband ."
Brian frowned. "I think you’re
jumping to conclusions."
"No, I’m not. It makes perfect
sense."
"OK. Let’s assume you’re right
and Alice was bonking Tim. Where does that get us? We can’t prove
he had either a motive or opportunity to kill her. In fact, we’ve
got absolutely no idea where he was on the night of the
murder."
"I know. That’s why I should
have another chat with Beverley."
Brian frowned. "No, don’t do
that."
"Why not?"
"Because it’s not your job. I
want you to focus on the trial. Leave the poking around to Bernie
and his private detective."
"The private eye hasn’t turned
up anything so far."
"I don’t care. Leave it to
them."
"But…"
Brian scowled. "Do as you’re
told." He turned to Bernie. "Can we leave this matter to you?"
The solicitor nodded. "Sure.
I’ll get the private detective to check Tim Nolan’s
whereabouts."
Robyn sighed. "What a waste of
time."
Brian lifted an eyebrow. "God,
you’re impetuous."
"I just want to win."
He frowned. "Maybe, but every
game has rules, including this one."
She’d noticed Brian was happy to
bend the rules if he could get away with it and he would benefit. He was obviously worried she might steal his
thunder. Further, like many with rubbery morals, he loved to
preach.
Soon afterwards, Bernie left and
the two barristers started loading folders onto the metal trolley
they would take to court on Monday morning.
They’d almost finished when
Brian’s secretary, Denise, entered and said the Court List for
Monday had been posted on
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