Deadly Diplomacy (16 page)

“So Ellen Chambers
was
working for the Chinese?”

“Apparently, they were paying her to help them get a controlling percentage of the joint venture.”

“Really?”

“According to the report, the negotiations were going well and the Chinese seemed happy enough with a 25 per cent share of the joint venture. Suddenly, about a month ago, they started demanding a controlling share, almost as if they knew they could get it.”

Jess’s brain whirled. “With Ellen Chambers on the inside, you mean?”

“So it seems.”

“But would she have the power to sway the negotiation that much on her own, Simon?”

“I don’t know. I suppose having someone on the inside would make the Chinese believe they could get a better deal.”

“But why would she do it? It doesn’t make sense. She had a job she loved, according to her sister. And a fat corporate salary. Why jeopardise everything for
more
money?” She plopped down on the edge of the bed. “Poor Susan’s going to be devastated.”

“You’re not going to tell her?”

“Of course not.” Then she sat bolt upright. “So why did Nigel keep this report to himself?”

“
Exactly!
”

The silence seemed to crackle down the line.

“Have you told the High Commissioner, Simon?”

“I haven’t had a chance. He only got back from Perth in time for the dinner last night, and he was cranky enough as it was. I’ve just left a message on his voicemail asking for a meeting first thing this morning. Mind you, I don’t want to tell him about that intelligence report and drop Nigel in it, at least not without talking to Nigel first. And I don’t particularly want to own up to breaking into Nigel’s combination cupboard either.”

“I’m bloody furious Nigel kept that report from me.” Jess paused. “Do you think he’d read it? Maybe he just shoved it under his papers and forgot it?”

“
You’re
defending
him?
”

“He did seem distracted yesterday.”

“Well, it’s possible, I suppose. But Nigel never makes mistakes.”

“Mm.” Jess went quiet. “At least you’ve all heard about Anthony Harris’s murder now. So what’s the latest?”

“It’s had everyone flapping around in Canberra, I can tell you. The High Commissioner tried to phone Mrs Harris to offer condolences, but she’s in Singapore on business.”

Jess looked at her watch, she had to get on. “Simon, I haven’t got much time, but I need to tell you a few things before you go.”

“Fire away.”

She explained to him how she’d come to have Ellen’s diary and how Susan had run off with it. “I feel terrible,” she confessed. “The police need the diary for their investigation.”

“It doesn’t sound like you could have stopped her, Jess.”

She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but it didn’t work. “Then Susan rang me last night. She’s still got the diary. She said she wanted to see me this morning. I’m waiting for her to call now.”

“It’s important to get that diary to the police, Jess.”

“That’s exactly what I plan to do when I see her this morning. But that’s not all, Simon. Susan thought Ellen was having an affair. She never met the man, but she thinks that’s why Ellen always stayed at The Palms. She met him here privately and,” Jess hesitated, “the thing is I got a look at that diary before Susan grabbed it. And I noticed Ellen met someone with the initials TH regularly when she was in Brisbane. I think those initials might have stood for Tony Harris. The Minister’s family and friends call him Tony. I think Ellen might have been having an affair with him. And that’s the link between their two murders.”

“
Christ, Jess!
That’s a lot of supposition.”

She carried on. “If Ellen Chambers was under surveillance for corruption, could Anthony Harris have been in involved in that too?”

“You’re getting fanciful now, Jess.”

“You think?” Annoyed at his tone, she changed the subject. “Yes, well did I tell you the Chinese delegation came up from Canberra on the same plane as me yesterday morning? Anthony Harris met them at the airport, before he was murdered. He introduced me to Chen Xiamen. Now there’s a cold fish.”

“I suppose Harris had the job of schmoozing the Chinese in his Brisbane electorate.”

“So, what do we know about this Chen Xiamen?” she asked. “Who is he in the Chinese pecking order?”

“He’s the Chairman of the China National Energy Corporation,” said Simon, “and known for being really ambitious. The word is he’s in line for a position in the Standing Committee of the Politburo in Beijing. Though rumour has it he’s got something of a chequered past.”

“What’s he done?”

“I don’t know. But his current role seems to be a make or break one for him.”

“So, getting a great result out of this LNG contract would be crucial for him,” she said. “A last ditch effort to get the top political job he’s always wanted. I guess he’d be willing to pay bribes. Do whatever it takes?”

“Maybe.” Simon sounded cautious. “Anyway, I thought I’d try and find out more. So I sent an email to London and our Embassy in Beijing urgently requesting information on the
source
of the corruption allegations against Ellen and Chen in that intelligence report. That seems to me what’s missing in all this. Who is behind these allegations?”

“Good point. Can you let me know as soon as you hear from them, Simon?”

“Of course. By the way, I’ve flicked through all the newspapers this morning. The press were coming from the angle that Ellen’s murder was probably a mugging, or a sex attack gone wrong. Of course now they’re focused on finding a connection with Anthony Harris’s murder. Let’s hope forensics can release some hard facts soon, before the media start making it up. Oh, and you’ve been quoted extensively, Jess. So there’s no chance of any anonymity, your picture’s in every paper.”

“Is it?” Conscious of the time, she switched her phone to speaker and started getting ready. “I met the Chairman of Western Energy here yesterday.”

“How’d he seem?”

“
Really
cut up about Ellen Chambers. I’m going to meet him at the Convention Centre later. In fact, I’m going into town to work out of the Consulate-General now. There’s no point in staying here, I’ve done what I can. I’ll get a room in the Riverbank Hotel, where the Western Energy lot are staying. It’ll be easier.” She pulled her navy blue linen trouser suit and her white blouse out of the wardrobe.

“Did Langhurst say if he was still flying to Canberra for the High Commissioner’s dinner this evening?”

“He didn’t mention it.” Jess sat down on the dressing-table stool and brushed her hair. “I feel so sorry for Susan Chambers, Simon. She told me her sister was frightened of the police before she was murdered. And now Susan refuses to talk to them. She’s so young.”

“Don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment, Jess.”

“Of course I won’t,” she snapped. “I told you, I plan to get that diary to the police before lunch. By then, I’m hoping they’ll have the initial autopsy results on Ellen Chambers. Oh, and I’m going to dodge the media for a few hours, if that’s okay?”

“Sure, we’ll be fine until they start fretting about their lunchtime bulletins.”

She picked up her lipstick. “By the way, when I talked to the journalists yesterday afternoon, one of them was a complete pain. He kept on and on about whether any of us
knew
Ellen Chambers, and whether she’d worked for the British Government.”

“What was he getting at?”

“You tell me.”

Simon paused. “Who was he?”

“He never told me his name. Or the media outlet he worked for. He bombarded me with questions, and slipped out. But I got the distinct impression he knew something about Ellen Chambers that I didn’t.” She hesitated. “Then I had a wander down to the jetty. What a chilling experience
that
was.”

There was a pause. “Look, I’ve got to attend HC’s dinner this evening. But I could fly up to Brisbane tomorrow afternoon to give you a hand, if the High Commissioner agrees.”

“No need. I’m fine.”

“Jess…”

“I tell you I’m fine.”

“All right. Let’s talk again later… By the way, great job on the media, Jess. Thanks.” And he hung up.

She snapped her mobile shut. Why did he have to sound so surprised about that?

*

The lift doors slid open. Scanning her mobile for messages, Jess frowned as she hurried across the lobby. She’d left two messages for Nigel, and he still hadn’t rung back. She’d expected him to be too busy yesterday with the Foreign Secretary’s visit to keep phoning her. But she was surprised he hadn’t called at all. That wasn’t like him.

She became aware of an animated buzz of voices and looked around. So many guests seemed to be checking out. Her ears pricked up at a distant wailing noise. Was that a siren? A police siren?

Threading her way across the lobby through guests and suitcases, she searched all the faces, looking for Susan. Would she suddenly appear like yesterday?

Her eyes stopped on a familiar figure at reception.

Was that Chen Xiamen? He had his back to her, but she recognised that dapper suit and the way he puffed himself up to look taller. She looked around for the rest of the Chinese, but Chen seemed to be alone. Should she go over? But when he turned and she saw his face, she instinctively slipped behind a marble pillar out of sight. Gone was the relaxed mask of yesterday. His lips were pursed tight with temper as he marched towards the main entrance and out of the door. She hurried over to the window and was just in time to see him jump into a taxi and drive off. What was all that about?

She lingered in the lobby for another few minutes in case Susan Chambers showed up. When she didn’t, Jess walked over to the dining room to get some breakfast. At the entrance, she picked up a local newspaper from the stack on the counter and waited to be seated. The tables, covered in white linen cloths, stretched the length of the room in neat rows all the way to the terrace doors. But hardly any of them had been laid. There were only two waitresses on duty, and they both looked flustered. Her mobile rang and she answered.

“Morning, Jessica.”

Langhurst’s friendly voice made her smile. “Ah, good morning, John.”

“I just wanted to check you’re still coming to the Convention Centre at 12.30?”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

“Good. Where are you now?”

“At the hotel, grabbing a quick breakfast before I check out.”

There was a pause. “I feel useless waiting for news,” he said. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help?”

“Not as far as I know.” Then she remembered what Simon said. “Are you still planning to attend the High Commissioner’s dinner in Canberra this evening?”

“Yes.” Langhurst’s voice was businesslike now. “I’m going to duck out of the Conference later and get the four o’clock flight to Canberra. I’ll be on the first plane back in the morning, so I won’t miss much.”

“Excellent. I’m sure the High Commissioner will be delighted to see you.”

“Right, well if there’s nothing I can do, I’ll see you at 12.30, Jessica.”

“You will,” she replied, brightly, and hung up, just as one of the waitresses came over.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Ma’am.” The words seemed to stutter out of the woman’s mouth. “We’re, well, we’re all behind… we just can’t believe it.”

There was something about the woman’s shocked face that made Jess ask: “Can’t believe what?”

“Haven’t you heard?” The woman leaned closer. “There was another murder at the jetty last night.”

Jess felt her stomach turn.
Please don’t let it be Susan.

“Danny Burton,” the waitress went on. “He was shot, just like that Minister yesterday afternoon.” Seeing Jess’s blank expression, she whispered: “Danny was a gardener here. He’s the one who found Miss Chambers’ body yesterday morning. Who’s going to be next? That’s what we’re all wondering. We’re terrified to go out of the hotel.”

Jess didn’t know what to say or do. Should she go down to the jetty? Phone Inspector Sangster? Was he down there already?

“Follow me,” the waitress said.

Numb, Jess followed her to a small table and sat down.

The waitress poured her a cup of coffee, and disappeared.

Jess got up again and walked over to the doors at the far end of the dining room. Stepping out onto the terrace, she could see the jetty. Should she go down? She could see uniformed officers milling around and the crime scene cordon up again. Thinking she’d only get in the way, she went back to her seat and pulled out her mobile to call Sangster. Was he already down there? If so, he wouldn’t want to be disturbed. She took a sip of coffee, but it tasted bitter in her mouth. She started flicking through the newspaper again, but she couldn’t concentrate.

“Morning, Jess.”

She jumped up when she saw it was Sangster. “I’ve just heard about Danny Burton.”

He pulled out a chair and sat down. “He was shot last night. A single bullet to the back of the head, and a knife to the heart.”

“Just like Anthony Harris?” She shuddered. “Why would anyone kill Danny Burton? Did
he
murder Ellen Chambers?”

Sangster shook his head. “But I think he knew who
did.
And that’s why he was killed.”

“Do you have any idea who?”

“No.”

She sat back in her chair and studied Sangster’s face. There were deep lines etched around his eyes and mouth that she hadn’t noticed yesterday.
Three
murders and the police didn’t seem to have a clue. Then she remembered the shadowy figure on the path last night. “What time was Danny killed?”

“Around midnight. Why?”

She sat forward. “After I phoned you, I saw someone on the garden path, about half way down to the jetty.”

His eyes narrowed.

“It sounds ridiculous, but I had this feeling that someone was watching me while I was sitting on my balcony. So, I went inside.”

“What time was that?”

“11.30. I remember the time because the late TV news had just started.”

“Did you get a look at whoever it was?”

She shook her head. “I heard a rustling in the bushes and saw a shadow on the path. But it was too dark to see.” She paused. “Where was Danny’s body found?”