‘Hey, Mitch, got the tape recorder?’ she repeated.
He shook his head in despair and pushed a clear evidence bag towards her.
‘Anything on there?’
‘No prints other than hers. I haven’t listened as I knew you’d be along soon enough.’
She pressed the Play button through the plastic and placed the device back on the desk. They all listened as a woman’s voice filled the room.
Kim closed her eyes and mentally inserted Nadine and Joe into the description of events relayed by Rita Copson.
The two of them hug.
Nadine: Hey, Joe, glad you could make it.
Joe: Of course. I’ve been dying to meet you.
Nadine: Me too. Text messages aren’t very satisfying. You can’t say what’s really on your mind.
Joe: Oh, there are lots of things on my mind at the moment.
Nadine laughs.
Nadine: Easy, tiger, plenty of time for that. Let’s enjoy our drinks for a minute.
Joe: Okay, if that’s what you want.
Nadine: Where does your wife think you are right now?
Joe: Not exactly foreplay conversation.
Nadine: You can whisper in my ear if you’d like.
Joe: I don’t want to talk about Lucinda right now.
Nadine: She must be very trusting to let a man like you out on his own.
Joe: She believes every word I tell her.
Nadine: Tell me about her.
Joe: Why?
Nadine giggles.
Nadine: It turns me on. I enjoy messing with a married man.
Joe: She’s nice enough. Not sexy like you. She’s a good cook, and she takes good care of my boys, but she’s not exactly dynamite if you know what I mean.
Silence.
Joe: Are you listening?
Nadine: Oh yeah, sorry. What was that?
Photographer leaves. Nadine cools. Joe reaches under the table. Nadine jumps back.
Nadine: What the fuck, Joe?
