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I was shown into the cell where Trinity was being held by one of Luncardy's interchangeable young coppers, leaving Rosie and Gumshoe in the waiting area. The police didn't seem keen of having humans exploring even more places inside their station. The surface folks get such strange ideas sometimes. For example, I'm sure you'd like me to describe the holding pen as a squalid dungeon, low-ceilinged and straw-lined, but in reality it was dry, warm, had reasonable seating and was very well-lit by Goblin standards. "Hi Trinity. This must be a bit of a come-down for you," I suggested ironically. Trinity seemed unfazed. She was lounging on the bolted-down chair with every evidence of comfort, a Goblin who knew she wasn't going to be hanging around for long. "Nah," she replied, "Just a professional liability, and one I carry insurance for. That overpaid lawyer of mine should be back shortly with a writ from the Judge, and then I'll be outa here." "So I hear," I agreed, "Although Luncardy seems to think you're holding out on her." "I don't much care what the police think. Especially Miss Busybody Luncardy." "But I do," I urged, "Look, I need Luncardy's help if I'm going to stand any chance of achieving what we both want. So if you do have something, if you know - or even suspect - something you've not told them, or me, then you might consider doing so now." Trinity shook her head slowly. "I'm entirely in the dark," she said, "I don't even know why you - or the cops, for that matter - think I know where Garrick is. I'm a victim here. I've lost my investment in what I thought was a legitimate import/export company. The cops seem to be nearly convinced of my innocence, especially after my lawyer showed them one of the falsified business permits." "They are convinced," I said firmly, "So why don't you give them something to go on? Something which helps build a case. Even if you don't know where Garrick is right now." "Like what?" "Tell them everything about your business dealings with Garrick. What the arrangements were, how he presented the fake permits, his comings and goings. Anything." Trinity thought it over. "Okay, I'll talk to my lawyer," she said eventually, "If Luncardy's on the level, and she can convince my legal advisor, then I'll make a statement." Later, I would learn that Trinity's statement was a considerable help in filling in the tangled web of deceit and double-dealing which would have put Garrick away for a long time. My sister missed little of what was going on around her, and a smart cookie like Luncardy would be able to put two and two together, to see through the fronts and cut-outs, and get a better picture of what Garrick was up to. It was complex, true, but also very profitable: Garrick would eventually be revealed as having access to a considerable fortune, concealed in dozens of trusts and anonymous bank accounts. And by that time I would already have discovered what he was doing with all that money.
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Part 69