by Lown, Anne
George was blunt in return. “She wasn’t hanged. We’re treating it like a suspicious death until we have the autopsy report.”
“I’m sorry, Jen,” Scott said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “I thought you just had the hots for that bloke.”
Jenny attempted a conciliatory smile. She knew she’d hurt him chasing after Jason but she hadn’t been able to help herself. She didn’t know if she was on the rebound or if she liked the challenge of a difficult man. A sigh escaped, and the fatigue overcame her. The adrenaline rush she’d had earlier was abating. She could do with a lie down.
“Right,” George said, “back to the questions. Who found the body?”
“We stayed together, but Adam opened the bedroom door.” Jenny gripped Carmie’s arm with her free hand, but out of exhaustion and not upset.
“Did anyone touch anything?”
“No,” Carmie said, “we kept hands in pockets.”
George nodded. “We’ll still need to print each of you. Pop by the station tomorrow for a statement and we’ll do it then.”
Jenny perked up. She remembered the question she wanted to know an answer to. “How did Paul Worthers die?”
“He was murdered.”
“But how did he die?”
George gave Jenny a strange look as he contemplated answering her. “He was stabbed in the back. Is there something you need to tell me?”
Carmie turned her attention to Jenny, giving her a bulging-eyed stare to convey something, but Jenny ignored her.
“A couple of dolls turned up at the charity shop. One before Paul died with his name on, and another today with a noose around its neck. I thought you should know.”
“Yes,” George said, “that is something we need to know. I’ll have a constable pick them both up today. Please don’t handle them anymore, you could disturb evidence.”
“I think an officer already collected the first one.”
George nodded again and walked away.
Scott glared at Jenny. “How’d you get yourself caught up in this?”
Carmie tapped his arm to get his attention. “Let’s go back to the shop, we’ll talk there.”
The trek back was far quicker than their journey to Emma’s house. They found a customer peering through the window, and Carmie had to explain the shop wouldn’t be open for the next few days.
She unlocked the door and held it open, locking it again behind them. They traipsed through to the office at the back of the shop but made sure they could hear the police arrive for the doll. Carmie sat on Emma’s chair beside the desk while Scott unfolded a couple of metal folding chairs leaning against a wall.
Jenny was confused. “I thought you said Paul drowned in the bath. That’s not what George said.”
“Emma told me he drowned, she got it from Tracy.” Carmie folded her arms, her tone defensive.
Scott was quick to react. “Maybe it appeared like he drowned, and no one knew until they moved him. The autopsy would’ve found the cause of death.”
Carmie shuddered, rubbing her upper arms. “Something strange is going on here.”
“I agree,” Jenny said. “Someone’s trying hard to make Jason seem like a killer.”
Scott shrugged. “Maybe he is a killer.”
Jenny’s mouth dropped open. “Why’d you think that?”
“Were you with him when these people died?”
“No,” Jenny said. She was fighting his corner, but even she wasn’t totally convinced. “All this started when he returned to the village. Someone employed Paul to find him guilty, and that got him killed. If Jason was a killer, he wouldn’t have come back in the first place.”
“He did threaten to beat her.” They both turned to Carmie, stunned by her revelation. “He did. Right here in this room. I heard him.”
“He was pretty angry at her last night and said he’d kill her then, you heard him.”
Scott was backing up what Carmie was saying, but Jenny just couldn’t believe it. “Why would he say those things in public if he’s going to do it? None of it makes sense.”
“What about your friend, Sarah? Have you spoken to her yet?”
Jenny could’ve slapped herself. “No, damn it. I haven’t. We’d better go over there tonight, see what she says. Also, we still haven’t seen Ben Vickers about the pass in my bedroom.”
“Do you really think he was in there?” Carmie looked like she was starting to enjoy herself. The drama of the day, although horrific with it being her boss, was livening up her mundane life.
“I don’t know,” Jenny said, “but I found it under my bed. Mine hasn’t turned up, so maybe someone’s taken it.” Thinking made her head hurt, but she needed to because she didn’t know what would happen next. “It must be something to do with those diaries.”
Scott almost interrupted her. “Didn’t she say last night she knew where they were?”
“Yes, but who’d believe her? If she did, she would’ve given them to Paul or even the police.”
“Well someone might’ve, or they wanted to make sure she’s lying because now she’s dead she can’t tell anyone.”
“You think someone killed her for the diaries?” Jenny’s fingers crept up to her neck. She massaged it without thinking, something she sometimes did when she felt afraid.
“Maybe. Well, if they haven’t got them yet they must still be looking. I’m going to stay with you until whoever it is gets caught.”
Jenny leapt from her chair and wrapped her arms around Scott’s head, kissing him on the crown. “Thank you.” She hadn’t realised how frightened she was until Emma had died. If her intruder was the murderer and she’d been home when they’d broken in, things might’ve turned out different.
Someone rapped on the shop door. Carmie went to see who it was. A policeman stood outside waiting for her to answer. She unlocked the door and let the man in.
“I’ve come for the dolls.” He held up two evidence bags to show he was ready then slipped on a pair of latex gloves.
“It’s only one, the other’s been taken.” Carmie escorted him to the other side of the counter where the cash till stood. She bent down to show him the parcel but bolted upright and gasped. “It’s gone!”
“What?” Jenny called from the office.
Both she and Scott strode over to where the two stood behind the counter.
“It’s gone,” Carmie repeated.
The policeman didn’t seem amused. “Are you sure that’s where you left them? I was told to pick up two.”
“Yes,” Carmie said. “I know where I put things. The cabinet was broken into, so I left it there for safekeeping.”
The officer spoke into his radio and waited for an answer.
“Someone’s broken in again.” Tears flowed down Carmie’s cheeks.
Jenny slipped her arm around Carmie’s shoulder to comfort her.
Scott was the first to think of something. “The door was locked. It didn’t look like anyone’d broken in. Were the keys still at Emma’s house?”
They waited while that fact was checked, but the answer Jenny had expected was the one they’d received. No keys of any kind had been found.
“I think someone has them.”
The policeman was quick to dispel Scott’s assertion, but the look on his face said otherwise. No one in broad daylight would’ve thought anything of someone using keys to open a door. There was no CCTV in the shop or outside, something they may have known, so there was no way to tell who that person was.
Carmie would have to stay while Scene of Crime officers came and processed the shop. Guilt for leaving the woman alone again ate at Jenny’s insides, but she needed to talk to Sarah, and the sooner the better.
She began to speak, “I’m sorry, but...”
Carmie nodded. “It’s all right, go do what you’ve got to do.”
Outside, Jenny’s legs went weak. Scott caught her by the arm and held her up.
Could someone really be killing people for Annalise’s d
iaries?
Jenny knew if Jason was involved she’d have to accept it. The police would do their best to catch whoever it was, but there were things people didn’t tell the police, and those were the things she needed to find out.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jenny had left her car at work in the Bishop Mail Centre car park. Adam said he’d give her a call when he was ready to return at the end of the shift. True to his word, he picked her up and took her in. Scott was dropped off at his house, not wanting to be seen near the building due to his calling in sick the last few nights. She picked him up on her way back to Chapel End.
Jenny pressed the intercom button outside the Manor House gates, and Dawn answered in her usual polite way.
“I’d like to see Miss Rake. It’s Jenny Reid.”
The buzzer sounded, and the gate unclicked. This time, Scott got out of the car to push the gate open so Jenny could drive through, and then he closed it behind her. Again, the house appeared from behind the trees, and they parked where they had before. Another car was in the driveway, a BMW, which she guessed belonged to her partner. Jenny wondered if it was a good idea coming to speak to Sarah unannounced when he was home. He might not know about the goings-on of the village and throw them out for involving her, especially considering she was disabled.
The front door opened, and a small child stood waiting for them. Behind her Dawn was walking along the hallway and admonished her daughter for opening the door to strangers. They waited while she dealt with the girl and then greeted her with a smile.
“Hello, Dawn, lovely to see you again.” Scott was always quick to talk to the ladies. He had a knack for flirtation, and it was always positively received. This time it was the daughter who batted her eyelids at him. “And who is this beautiful young lady?”
“Ellie-Mae,” she said before turning to hide her face in her mother’s apron, her confidence evaporating with being spoken to.
“Let me take you through,” Dawn said. “Miss Rake’s been expecting your visit.” She led them the same way as last time and opened the living room door.
Sarah sat on the sofa, another pink blanket over her lap. Near her was a man of about the same age who stopped reading the book he held when they entered.
“Let me introduce you to Giles, my partner,” Sarah said. “Giles, this is Jenny and Scott, the couple I was telling you about.”
Scott made a straight line for Sarah and took her hand to kiss it. “My lady,” he said and nodding a hello at Giles.
Sarah laughed. It was obvious she was really taken with him and his unusual antics.
It seemed Giles found him pleasing, too. “Welcome, please take a seat. A drink, anyone?”
“Whatever you’re having,” Scott replied. He knew how to ingratiate himself just right when the moment called for it, and it was one of the things she loved about him. He knew how to behave when it was important to do so.
Jenny declined and got straight to the point. “What did you see last night?”
Sarah shifted her position to get more comfortable on the sofa. She waited for Giles to give Scott a glass with two fingers of eighteen-year-old Oban whiskey and to settle himself in the chair he’d sat in. He seemed intrigued by what his partner was about to say, like he’d already heard it and was wanting to know their reaction.
“We watched the drama when Emma came into the pub. She’s definitely making a stand for Jason’s affections and hates you with a passion.”
A thought occurred to Jenny: maybe Sarah had been at home all day and hadn’t heard about the last few hours. “You do know Emma’s dead, don’t you?”
“What?” Sarah’s face was ashen as she took in this news. “No, I had no idea.”
“Sorry to be the one to tell you. It happened last night.”
“Well,” Sarah said, “that puts things in a bit of perspective.”
“How do you mean?” Jenny’s skin prickled. Now Sarah knew Emma was dead, Jenny wondered if what Sarah said would be different in any way, especially with an emphasis put on things that hadn’t seemed important before.
I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
“Ben hasn’t been to work today. He was due in by nine a.m. to start digging the beds but he never turned up. I’ll have to ring him, poor love.”
Jenny blew out her cheeks. She’d misunderstood what the woman had been implying. Maybe the information she’d collected wouldn’t be corrupted after all. She tried to keep things on point. “What did you see last night?”
“A few friends gathering for a drink. Then Ben came in, but he had a face like thunder and marched straight into the toilets. Next Emma arrived. The whole village knew she was into Jason when she was younger.”
Scott appeared as though he didn’t like being left out of the conversation so took a break from savouring his drink to join in. “You do know they’re related, right? Cousins, I think someone said.”
“No, I didn’t know,” Sarah said, “but now I can understand why he’d drag her away like that.”
Jenny wondered if Ben had known what Emma was going to do. He seemed to be there for something other than an evening drink because he hadn’t approached the bar. Maybe he’d been listening and had the job of stepping in if things turned nasty.
Scott jumped in to move the conversation along. “Anything else happening while those two were going at it?”
“Jenny seemed mortified by Emma’s behaviour, hence her nudging you to get involved. You didn’t seem too bothered, like you’ve seen your fair share of aggro,” Sarah said.
A smile spread across Scott’s face at the mention of his favourite hobby. He loved inciting a disturbance. An evening without something erupting was a waste of a good night out.
Sarah carried on. “The barmaid disappeared when the shouting started. She looked terrified, like she’s a victim herself. Martin thoroughly enjoyed it. He kept an eye on all of you, like he was watching your body language and making mental notes. It was Graham who’d noticed that, as we’d decided to watch different people.”
“What else did he notice?”
Jenny glared at Scott, but he ignored her. He was enjoying himself, and Jenny admitted it beat being at work sorting parcels.
“Graham watched Martin, Scott, and Tracy. When everyone left, Tracy came back into the bar and started talking to Martin. They didn’t notice him sitting on his own as I’d left soon after you lot.”
“What were they talking about?” Jenny found the conversation intriguing, so much so she was perched on the edge of her seat.
Sarah turned to Giles who gave a slight nod. They’d obviously discussed what had gone on. It seemed they had no secrets. “Tracy’s frightened. She thinks Dave might have killed Paul in a fit of jealousy.”
Scott and Jenny stared at each other, wide-eyed and opened-mouthed. It was an unexpected turn of events, something Jenny hadn’t seen coming.
Scott was the first one to find his voice. “Why does she think that, did she say?”
“Something about Paul being an old boyfriend and him trying to get her to run away with him.”
“But she’s married,” Jenny said, shaking her head at the suggestion.
“But she’s not happy. Dave’s never around—he’s got a hobby.” Sarah made quote marks with her fingers when she mentioned the word hobby.
Scott burst out laughing, “You make it sound sordid.”
Giles joined in the conversation for the first time. “It is. He goes dogging. You know, when people meet up in cars for...” He cleared his throat. “Sex. While he’s doing that, she does crafting.”
If Scott’s mouth hadn’t been wide open and his eyes popping out before, they certainly were now. “Oh my God! The dirty bastard. I wonder where he does that?”
Jenny wasn’t amused by his outburst and slapped his arm in disapproval.
“Ow,” Scott said. “Remember we’re not together anymore, I can do what I like.”
She’d forgotten momentarily they weren’t a couple.
She thought she’d got used to being single and making her own decisions, but it was a rude reminder when he’d said it.
Giles laughed. “There’s a lay-by at the other end of the village, very popular with men who like standing around a car watching others at it.”
Sarah carried on talking. “Graham said Martin listened intently and offered to sort Dave out for laying a hand on her. She refused, said she’d brought it on herself, but he seemed prepared to defend her.”
“What about the diaries? Do you think Emma knew where they were?” Jenny was eager to know if Emma had been telling the truth. It crossed her mind the woman might’ve told someone else about them, but if she hadn’t, did it mean her killer could’ve be in the bar? If she was murdered, that was.
Sarah thought for a moment, then slowly shook her head. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem likely. She would’ve produced them if she could’ve got hold of them.”
“Did anyone pay particular attention when she said it?”
“Everyone did—it was a shock. The only one to not react like the rest was Jason. He looked sick, like he’d seen a ghost. I don’t know if that’s because she was bringing up something he’s not yet come to terms with emotionally, or a reaction when someone feels like they’ve been cornered and there’s no way out.”
There it was again. Doubt fought with a pang of guilt in the pit of Jenny’s stomach. She was trying her best to be supportive of the hell Jason currently found himself in, but something kept nagging away in the back of her mind. What if? She swatted it away and tried to concentrate on the rest of the conversation.
Giles caught Scott’s gaze. “What did you do when you left the pub?”
Jenny answered for him. “Walked Jason back to his place and stayed for a cuppa. We talked about what we knew and then we went back to mine. I had to be at work in the morning.”
“That’s right,” Scott said, “and Jason was going to call DS George in the morning to tell him about Emma.”
Giles nodded and steepled his fingers. “Has anyone talked to him today, to see how that went?”
Jenny and Scott looked at each other. She hadn’t thought about what Jason had said the night before, what with the commotion at Emma’s house.