The Fallen by Jassy Mackenzie Page A

View.’
    ‘I’ll see you then,’ Jade said, and thanked the old lady again before disconnecting.
    She found herself looking forward to the meeting. Mrs Koekemoer sounded like a chatty soul. Jade had no idea what she might learn, if anything, or even what questions she should or could ask. Still, it was a start, and she was sure it would lead somewhere.
    Lost in thought, Jade nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a chalet door slam, the sound of wood hitting wood as loud as a gunshot. Swivelling in the direction of the noise, she saw Larry marching out of his chalet, hefting two very large travel bags with him. Given that his hands were full, Jade guessed he must have kicked the door shut behind him.
    He dumped the bags on the ground, opened the Hummer’s boot and then hefted them both inside. Jade noticed that the boot was already three-quarters full of other luggage. She wasn’t sure how many clothes the two had thought they would need for a short stay at a scuba resort, but they had obviously decided to err on the side of plenty.
    And now, it seemed, they were packing up and leaving.
    ‘Hey! ’Scuse me, folks!’
    Neil was standing outside the front door of his house, staring in consternation at the departing guests.
    Larry glanced briefly in his direction before climbing into his Hummer and slamming the door. From where she was sitting, Jade couldn’t see through the mirrored window, but she assumed that Roxanne was already in the passenger seat.
    Combing her orange hair, probably.
    ‘Hey! Wait a minute!’ Neil waved an arm. Then, sandals slapping and his smart shirt working loose from his baggy shorts, he began running towards the Hummer.
    ‘Sir, please. If you’re leaving, we still need a payment from you.’
    The driver’s window buzzed down and Larry’s face appeared.
    ‘You must be shitting me. Is this some kind of a joke?’ he yelled at the manager.
    ‘Sir …’ Neil sounded breathless, and Jade only caught snatches of his voice. ‘… so sorry … only a fifty per cent accommodation deposit received … four nights’ stay … the scuba-diving course … a substantial bar tab … two sets of dive equipment hired …’
    She had no problem making out Larry’s response.
    ‘Someone got murdered because your bloody resort isn’t secure. Then you get your guy to come in and screw two bolts into the door. Two bolts! That’s supposed to keep us safe? It’s a farce. This place is a joke. You can forget about your payment.’
    ‘But the police want to talk to you!’ Neil’s voice rose even higher.
    ‘They can talk to my lawyer!’
    ‘At least …’
    Before Neil had time to complete his sentence, the Hummer’s engine roared and it sped away, spinning giant slashes of sand from under its thick black tyres.

17
    The aftermath of murder. David knew he should be used to it by now, but every time it saddened him. Sorting through the personal possessions of the deceased, trawling through papers and diaries, photograph albums and cellphone data, looking for information and possible clues, was so damn depressing.
    Strictly speaking, there wasn’t much more he could do at the crime scene. Surfaces had been examined, brushed and vacuumed. Forensic specimens had been collected, fingerprints taken. The bloodied sheets were long gone; only the stains on the floor remained.
    David could have locked up the room and left an hour ago. Left this sad and empty scene, and headed back to his chalet.
    But he was still here. Rereading his notes. Going through the two cardboard boxes of Amanda’s possessions that he, Pillay and his assistant had neatly assembled earlier in the day.
    The murder was so unexpected, so incongruous, here in this beautiful, peaceful little resort. As terrible as the incident was, however, David couldn’t help feeling grateful that it had provided him with something of overriding importance to focus on.
    It had pretty much stopped him from thinking about Jade; the way