Banner led us into his office and slumped behind his cluttered desk. He eyed Potter and Isidor with suspicion and said, “So, who are your friends, Hudson?”
“Just friends,” I said. Then, taking the camera from my coat pocket, I placed it on the table in front of him and said, “I’ve been trying to solve a puzzle, and here is a big piece of it.”
“Puzzle?” Banner said, looking down at the camera.
“Emily Clarke?” I reminded him.
“Clarke?” he replied, scratching his thick, white hair. “Oh yeah, I remember now. The girl that went missing.”
“That’s right,” I said. “She worked as a teacher at Ravenwood.”
“Look, I don’t really have time for this right now,” he groaned. “I’m kinda busy. Got a couple of guys down in the cells for burglary.”
“I’m pleased for you,” I said dryly. “But what about Emily?”
“Look, Hudson,” Banner said, “I’m really busy. Neither of the scum downstairs is talking. I got some of the boys to take ‘em both round the back of the station and give ‘em both a slap — but they still didn’t talk. So I went and paid ‘em a little visit in their cells. Even when I had their nuts squeezed tight in my hand and I thought their eyes were gonna pop straight outter their heads — they still wouldn’t talk about those burglaries.”
“Screw the burglaries,” I spat. “Emily Clarke has been murdered…”
“Murdered?” Banner smiled nervously. “Don’t talk such rubbish.”
“Watch the tape,” Potter said from the corner of the room.
“Why?” Banner asked, picking it up in one of his huge hands.
“Because it shows Morris McCain butchering Emily Clarke,” I said, trying to stay calm.
“Bollocks!” Banner cried and rubbed his thick white moustache, nervously. “McCain wouldn’t dare.”
“Why wouldn’t he dare?” Isidor asked him.
“Because it would all be over!” Banner shouted. “The treaty and everything would be finished. The treaty says that any wolf to be caught murdering a human would be put to death. McCain might be a bit of a bully, but he ain’t dumb enough to go murdering your friend, Emily Clarke.”
“Look, I haven’t got time to stand here and argue with you,” I told him. “If you don’t believe me, watch the footage on the camera.” Then, realising that Potter was right, and I was being made to feel about as welcome as a fart in an elevator, I went to the door.
“Where are you going?” Banner called out.
“To get my friend back before she becomes another one of McCain’s victims,” I said.