The Song Never Dies by Neil Richards Read Free Book Online Page B

reacted to that little embroidery of the truth. It was also a way of finding out who was talking to whom.
    And maybe even reveal Nick’s take on the evening in question.
    “Bollocks,” said Nick.
    “You don’t agree with them?”
    “Course not.”
    “What do you think happened, Nick?” said Jack.
    “Idiot had more than he could handle — he always did. Then he just went for a swim and passed out. Bloody obvious.”
    “People tell me he never went swimming unless he was sober.”
    “They’re wrong. Obviously.”
    “You sound very sure.”
    “Ten years we played and toured together. Lived in each other’s pockets.”
    Sarinda lay stretched out on the couch, disinterested.
    “Even shared the birds as well … back in the day.”
    “Close then? So you knew him better than, say Will … or even his wife …?”
    “Look mate, there’s stuff I know about Alex even he didn’t know.”
    “That’s a good line,” said Sarinda from the sofa. “We should use it in a song.”
    “Yeah, cool, sure,” said Nick, nodding at her. Then he turned back to Jack. “What’s it got to do with you anyway?”
    Jack watched him reach for a tobacco pouch on the table and start to roll a cigarette.
    Or maybe a joint.
    Time would tell.
    “Doing a favour.” Another smile. “Guess you’d say that I’m investigating Alex’s death.”
    “You’re no cop.”
    “I was. And now I work privately.”
    “Who’s bloody paying you?”
    Jack shrugged.
    “Look, I just need to ask you a few more questions. Then I’m out of here. That work for you?”
    Jack watched him lick the papers deftly, then tweak the end of the cigarette, pop it between his lips and light it.
    “Five minutes, pal. I’m working on Sarinda’s next big song.”
    Sarinda perked up at that. “Going to be even more humungous than ‘The Song Never Dies’.
    Humungous.
    Hard to believe this near teenager was such a singing sensation.
    Must be quite the tune.
    “Thanks,” Jack said.
    He took out his notepad and pen, flicked through pages, then looked up at both of them.
    The notepad always puts people on their toes, he thought. Never fails.
    “So, I gather you both arrived late at the party?”
    “We got delayed,” said Sarinda. “Very delayed.”
    Jack turned to her. She seemed to be challenging him to ask why. Some kind of game? He decided not to play and turned back to Nick.
    “So you arrived together?”
    “Yeah,” said Nick.
    “Then you all had a meeting about the tour — that right?”
    “Meeting? Alex told us the dates. And Carlton told us about the money. Done deal.”
    “And you objected to that?”
    “I object to being told what to do.” He looked at Sarinda.
    Jack had to wonder if that rule also held in this house, with the singing princess in charge?
    Jack made a note in his notepad.
    “And what happened then?”
    “We talked. How many gigs, nights on the road, travel, that sort of stuff.”
    “I’ve heard there was some kind of argument.”
    “Maybe,” said Nick.
    “Alex told me to get out,” said Sarinda. “Right after I called him a greedy dinosaur. He didn’t much like that !”
    Jack watched her laugh.
    A little too heartily , he thought.
    “Oh? You were part of the discussion?” said Jack.
    “He couldn’t bloody well stop me, could he? Free world.”
    “Sure,” said Jack. “It is, um, a free world. But I guess he was also free to kick you out.”
    “He tried to,” said Nick. “Told him to back the hell off.”
    “You stopped him?” said Jack.
    “Guy was a wimp. Always was.”
    “What happened then?”
    “He said he was going to wreck Sarinda’s career.
    Jack saw Nick’s eyes flick across to the girl — was that a warning not to say more?
    “What made him think he could do that?” said Jack.
    Nick’s eyes locked on her — but to no avail.
    “He reckoned he could prove that my song was his ,” she said. “Bloody idiot. As if …”
    “The Song that Never Dies?” said Jack.
    Jack watched Sarinda