Forty-nine minutes later, the two detectives were walking into the reception area of MI6.
On their return journey, Stuart had turned left out of Featherstone Road instead of right. The slightly longer and aesthetically pleasing route afforded the added advantage of coming up against less traffic.
Love had got Stuart to stop at Holders Hill Circus. He wanted to pick up some fresh food for Julie and as an afterthought some for himself as well. A couple of minutes later, Love was sprinting back to the car to where Stuart was waiting. The Jag was running over with the heaters going full blast. It sounded like a big cat purring.
‘Did you find anything out?’ Stuart said.
‘Yeah,’ Love said. ‘They sell kangaroo meat.’ He shook his head. ‘I mean, kangaroo meat? Who in the hell eats kangaroo meat?’
Stuart smiled. ‘Apart from myself not you I take it.’ He switched the control to “D” took off the handbrake checked for traffic and pulled out.
Love grunted. ‘Okay, I like chicken and a bit of steak now and then, bit of corned beef, but I don’t go in for this “exotic” meat crap.’
‘I’m with you there,’ Stuart said. ‘Apart from health issues I don’t see the point in introducing even more animals to breed, slaughter. Haven’t we enough already?’
‘My point and we’re getting off the point,’ Love said. ‘They know Jill Pfeiffer, said she was pleasant, they like her, know her husband not so well. He wasn’t so approachable according to one.’
‘And the son?’
‘Just that they see him riding by on his bike.’
‘That’s it?’
‘Except that Jill happened to mention that Heinrich gets his absolute love of motorbikes from his dad.’
‘What! And he had to be persuaded to buy one for his son?’
‘Yep,’ said Love as they motored along Holders Hill Road. A pleasant residential area with its eclectic mix of architecture. ‘This case just gets weirder the more we learn.’
Moments later, the car was crossing over Great North Way into Parson Street.
Stuart gestured with a nod of his head, and said, ‘Fleurs isn’t far from here,’ he paused, ‘shall we check on Heinrich’s story whilst we’re in the area it’ll save us coming back later.’
Love glanced out his side window and then at Stuart. ‘I reckon we should, partner, seeing as we’ll be passing it in a couple of minutes.’