Page 20 of Ace My Heart

“Pete Levine.” I whispered.

“Can you speak up a little please, Miss Black?” the taller one prompted.

“Pete Levine,” I answered, enunciating each syllable carefully.

“And what time did you head back up to your room?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know exactly, but it was probably about nine.”

“And can you describe for us what you found when you returned?”

I paused, gathering my thoughts. I tried to focus only on the facts. “I got out my key, but when I got to the door it was already open. It was really dark inside so I flicked the light switch, and then I saw the blood, and I fainted.

“The next thing I remember is waking up in a pool of it, and Joel was there.”

“You didn’t notice anything else out of the ordinary? Was Joel already in the apartment when you got back?” the shorter one asked gruffly.

“Well, I didn’t really have time to take much in before I was unconscious on the floor, but I’m pretty sure I was the only one there.”

“And did Joel Herbert tell you where he had been all night?” shortie persisted.

“He left at about seven last night with Julie Green, my physio. He was expecting to spend the night with her.”

“Thank you, Miss Black. Will you be remaining in Melbourne for a while?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I had planned to stay until the end of the Open, but now …” All I really wanted was to go home and curl up in a ball in my familiar little apartment, and cuddle my cat.

“Where’s Joel?” I asked. The two men shared a meaningful look.

“He’s being interviewed in another room. He might have to stay down here for a few days.”

That wasn’t a lot of information, but it told me a hell of a lot about what was happening.

I sat up sharply. “Listen, Joel wouldn’t … do this, I don’t care what you think!” I snarled at them.

A nurse poked her head around the curtain. Shortie glared at her, but she held her ground, pushing the curtain aside and bustling through to check on me.

“We’re just making initial inquiries, Miss Black. Where will we find you if we need to follow up?”

I knew that as soon as they left, I was ringing Leopard Airlines and booking the next available flight home. I rattled off my address.

“Thank you for your time.” The taller man smiled at me. Shortie scowled, and they breezed out through the curtain.

The nurse smiled sympathetically at me. I asked her if I could make a phone call. I had no idea where my mobile was – probably back at the apartment and now a piece of evidence in a murder investigation.

I phoned the airline and thankfully they had two seats available on the last flight back to Sydney. I booked them both, reciting my credit card number over the phone to them. I was pretty sure that Joel would be allowed to leave – I mean, we both had airtight alibis for last night. I knew he would want to get home to his mother.

Oh God! Had anyone called Sandra to tell her? I was halfway through dialling her mobile before I realised that I couldn’t make that call. It wasn’t my place. I hoped that she’d been told by a police officer knocking on her door, and not when she turned on the morning news. The lump in my throat throbbed.

Trembling, I dialled Brad’s number.

“Hello?” He sounded panicked.

“Brad, it’s Mel.”

I heard his shaky exhalation over the phone. “Mel! Thank God! I’ve been freaking out all morning wondering where you were! I’m over at Savoy Tower – I came to bring you brunch. There are policeeverywhere, they have the whole seventeenth floor blocked off … I’ve had cops hounding me about who I am and what I did last night and who I was with. They wouldn’t tell me if you were okay, or where you were or anything!” Brad’s voice quavered.

“It’s okay, Brad. I’m at the hospital – they brought me here because they thought I was hurt, but I’m not.” I took a deep breath, preparing to break the news. “Steve was …”

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