TWENTY-SEVEN
A GRIM REALISATION
Forbes and I finished our second cup of coffee. Kate remained closeted in the sitting room conversing on the phone with Prendergast. The two of us had sat in almost total silence all the while she spoke with him. There didn’t seem much to say as we both appeared content to commune with our own thoughts until we heard Kate’s latest news, if indeed Prendergast had provided her with anything else that might be of use to us. It had been a companionable silence, with neither Forbes nor I feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable at the lack of verbal communication. My house guest eventually broke the silence.
“She’s been on the phone for ages.”
I looked at my wristwatch.
“It’s only been twenty minutes.”
“Are you sure? It feels more like an hour.”
“I suppose
