The Turin Shroud Secret by Sam Christer Read Free Book Online Page B

of sandy hair, stands a good six-three and was undoubtedly a Norse
     warrior in a previous life. His glacial blue eyes and amazing white teeth have clearly evolved from a stealthy predator, a
     wolf-like beast with primeval sexual needs that she’s sure he indulges regularly.
    ‘I’m Matthias,’ he extends a warrior hand and well-learned Hollywood smile. ‘I’m the director.’
    Mitzi loses her fingers in his cavernous palm. ‘Lieutenant Fallon – LAPD. This is my partner, Detective Karakandez.’
    Nic just nods.
    Mitzi looks at the director with heightened curiosity. ‘Are you European, Matthias? I couldn’t quite place your accent.’
    He laughs. ‘Most people can’t. I am Swedish but my name is German – it means “Gift of the Lord”.’ He reads her thoughts. ‘It’s
     not a name born out of vanity. It is because myparents lost several children before birth and had me late in life.’
    Mitzi could warm to this guy. Oh yes. Given a time machine to take her back to a pre-marriage epoch, a chalet in the snow-capped
     Scandinavian mountains and a rug in front of a log fire, she could warm to him in a very special way. She glances towards
     Sarah. A sisterly look of approval. Female consent for her to feel free to make a fool of herself in whatever manner she wishes.
    ‘I’m afraid we have some very bad news, Mr Svenson,’ Nic cuts in, anxious to get to the purpose of their visit. ‘Your writer,
     Tamara Jacobs, is dead.’
    ‘Tammy?’ Svenson looks genuinely shocked. ‘Dead? How?’
    Mitzi adds some detail. ‘Her body was found in the ocean, down on Manhattan Beach.’
    ‘Oh my God.’
    ‘Do you know if she has any close friends, family?’
    He pauses to think. ‘She and her husband split up some time ago. That’s confidential. Amicable break from what I know.’ He
     struggles for the words. ‘I think he spends a lot of time out of the country – with his
new
partner.’
    Nic notes the emphasis. ‘When did you last see her, Mr Svenson?’
    ‘Me?’ He looks puzzled. ‘Wednesday, I think. Yes, I’m fairly sure it was.’ He glances from one cop to the other. ‘I remember
     now, it was early afternoon and we sat outside the set with a coffee and talked about the script.’
    ‘What time exactly?’
    ‘Of that, I’m not sure.’ He holds out his bare wrists toindicate he doesn’t wear a watch. ‘I’m an artist, I don’t believe in being manacled like that. It was after lunch. Maybe three,
     four o’clock.’
    ‘We broke for lunch at one,’ says Sarah, eager to assist.
    ‘Then it was nearer four,’ adds Svenson. ‘I was late getting off set. I had lunch with the studio publicist, then I looked
     at some rushes with the assistant director. After that I met Tammy and we decided to grab coffee outside in the sun and talk
     about the end.’
    Mitzi needs him to be clearer. ‘The end of what – the movie?’
    ‘That’s right. She still hasn’t delivered the final scenes. We have a fallback of course, but there was an agreement that
     she could keep the ending secret. All I know is that it is set in the Holy Land.’
    ‘That’s a lot of scenery to build.’
    ‘It is indeed. Thank God for green-screen technology.’
    ‘Were there any on-set problems, Mr Svenson? Arguments between Tamara and any of the characters?’
    ‘The actors, you mean? No – not at all.’ He seems almost amused. ‘Tammy wasn’t interested in actors, just words and screenplay.
     The only time she came on set was to see me and offer rewrites.’
    ‘Who did she have most contact with?’ asks Nic.
    Svenson nods to the assistant. ‘Me and Sarah. When I wasn’t around she’d pass notes through Sarah and she would help her with
     much of her admin.’
    ‘There’s lots of it,’ says the assistant with a smile.
    ‘I really have to go now – is that all right?’ Svenson motions to the set behind him.
    ‘Sure.’ Mitzi pulls a contact card from the inside of her jacket. ‘But I need a full copy of the