Volume 2, Chapter 10

Maria has arrived at Auckland Airport’s Domestic Terminal and is in the baggage reclaim area. The carousel has just started when her phone rings and it is Inka.

“Hello Inka. What’s up? Can’t we meet up as we arranged?”

She tells me she has found someone slumped over his desk at the University of Auckland, probably dead. I suppose it is Merrick. That is highly unexpected. Inka is being somewhat discreet over an open line and I need to be similarly terse. She says she will text me when she knows where she will be and finishes the call. Ah, I have just missed my bag. I need to wait until the carousel comes round again. No real hurry as I don’t know where I am going. I’ll have a coffee before I catch a cab.

That coffee was good. No word from Inka. I may as well take a cab to my hotel and we can connect up later. What has she got herself into? That woman does seem to attract trouble. She is potentially a very good agent but she is inexperienced. I kind of want to be with her when she is interviewed but really she should be able to handle that by herself. This cab is free. “Hotel Grand Chancellor please.”

The trip is taking a while so I think I will phone Inka to see what is happening. The phone is answered immediately but not by Inka; it is another woman’s voice.

“May I speak to Inka please?”

“Can I get her to call you back?”

“I really need to speak to her immediately.”

“Oh, very well. I’ll see what I can do.”

I then get put on to Inka and she confirms she is being interviewed at Auckland Central Police Station. I tell her I’ll be with her shortly. I’ll identify myself to the police and, if necessary, even indicate that Inka is working for us.

I speak to the cabbie. “Sorry, but there’s a change of destination. Auckland Central Police Station, please.”

I arrive at the Police station. I need to show my SIS identification and be firm that I need to speak to Smithers immediately. He has an impressively dead-pan demeanour. He gives the appearance of neither being annoyed at being dragged out of an interview nor particularly curious about why I am here. I tell him that I had been assigned to Inka Makkonen in connection with Sammy Becker-Lau’s murder, a point that may have been known to him but probably not front of mind. I explain we have an interest in the current death on the assumption that it was Eldon Merrick and so need to be kept in touch.

Smithers says, “It wasn’t Professor Merrick who died but someone else who was in his office. We have yet to establish the identity of the deceased and the cause of death. We have been trying to get in touch with Professor Merrick, unsuccessfully so far. We will keep you appraised. Can I consider you the SIS representative for this matter?”

While pondering the mystery death, I respond by saying, “I may well be given that role. I will check with Wellington and they will contact you directly.”

“Very well. Does Inka Makkonen work for you?”

That is an insightful question.

“Let’s say she has been helpful to us earlier in the year. You need not suspect her.”

Smithers seems to accept that without further question and probably takes it as an unofficial ‘yes’.

We take a cab to my hotel and go up to my room. How should I handle this? We were lovers for a while after her ordeal earlier in the year but we had only been meeting on a professional basis over the last few months while she was in Wellington. I had got back together with my former partner and Inka should really be off limits. Inka doesn’t seem uncomfortable or anxious about me but she does seem a little tense, which is understandable after the events of the day. I give her a hug, which she relaxes into. I need to keep close to her while we work through what has happened. But first we need some food. I know a good restaurant we can walk to near the waterfront and I can route us via the viaduct basin, home of the America’s Cup Regatta in 2003.

While at dinner I suggest Inka stays over with me in my hotel room. She seems a little surprised but agrees readily. I do look forward to spending the night with her but I certainly have a practical motive. I want to keep her close as more information comes in about the death tomorrow. She has an appointment in the afternoon but it will be very convenient to have her close in the morning.

Back at the hotel room I kiss her carefully and deliberately. She relaxes in my arms on the bed and starts to give me little cat licks on my neck, as she does. We do keep talking, though, and then, out of nowhere, she tells me that Suu Maung was there at the university when she discovered the body. Well that is a surprise. Without really intending to, I break the bedroom mood immediately and report that information to Wellington on my work phone using code phrases and a pseudonym.

When I finish I look across to Inka. I feel she is a bit miffed but uncomplaining. She may feel she should have mentioned that earlier, though that omission is totally understandable in the circumstances. I don’t want to apologise exactly. I know, I’ll leap on her. She accepts that form of apology totally. Time for business in the morning.