“Do you buy it?” asked Jackie, who was leaning back against the stone wall which her bed was pushed up against.
“Buy what?”
“The reason Michelle gave for kicking us out. That people were complaining and threatening to leave her bad reviews.”
Allie slowly pondered the situation. She had been thinking about it nonstop since Michelle had told them the news. “It could be true…”
“But you are thinking what I’m thinking, right?” asked Jackie.
Allie frowned. “You’re probably thinking that we should go for a run to clear our heads.”
Jackie giggled. “Well, yes, but I know you’d say no to that. No, I mean about Michelle. Do you think we were getting a little too close to the truth—about Larry’s loans—and that’s why she kicked us out? Maybe she didn’t want us uncovering anything else?”
“Oh, that. Yes, of course that’s what I was thinking. I’m just wondering what she’d gain by getting rid of us. Wouldn’t it be better to have us right there so she could keep tabs on us?”
“Nope. First, there might be some kind of evidence that she’s hiding and doesn’t want us to find. Second, guilty people don’t always act all that logically. She might be thinking ‘out of sight, out of mind’ if we’re gone.”
Allie smiled thoughtfully. It sort of made sense when Jackie said it like that. “And perhaps she thought we’d run off back to London with our tails between our legs.”
“Exactly. She probably didn’t expect us to stick around. But we’re not quitters.”
Despite having to stay in Aunt Kay’s house, Allie was beginning to feel quite cheery. She was sure they were onto something with Michelle. “We should keep watch on her and see if she does anything suspicious.”
“Exactly. Let’s find out what it is she’s keeping from us.”
Just then, Jackie’s phone began to buzz. She looked down at it.
“Ugh. Why’s he calling me? He should be calling you.”
“Who is it?”
“Eddie.” Jackie answered the call and held the phone up to her ear. “Yes… I understand… okay… yes… no, nothing at all… I suppose so… yes… you too… see you then.”
“Let me guess. He’s taking you to Paris on a whirlwind date.”
Jackie giggled and shook her head. “It’s you he’d be taking on a date. No, we’ve got to go and give statements. About our visit to Bill’s house. We were probably the last people in the house and the last to speak to him, and so they want to ask us what we know. Again.”
“I’ve visited that police station more times than I’ve visited Aunt Kay in our last two trips.” Allie wasn’t pleased to go back there again. She knew she had precisely nothing useful to contribute to the investigation into Bill’s death.
“Ooh! I know what’s going on!” said Jackie, bounding off the bed and landing on her feet with a huge smile.
“What?” asked Allie suspiciously.
“Eddie must have fallen in love with you, then he killed Larry right after we visited to have an excuse to meet you! Then he tried to crash into your car, and now he’s killed Bill, just to spend time with you!”
Allie stood up, alarmed. “Do you think so?”
Jackie slapped her thigh and giggled, though it sounded more like a cackle to Allie. “I’m kidding! Lighten up. If he’d resort to that, I’m sure he’d just kidnap you instead.”
Allie rolled her eyes, having had quite enough of Jackie’s jokes for one day.
“Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter 24
The interviews with the police had gone more smoothly than they had any right to expect, what with the way things had been going for them lately.
It turned out that Eddie himself wasn’t actually there; he was off duty by the time they arrived at the police station. Allie had her interview with the same steel-haired officer as after Larry’s murder, and she found out that her name was Judy Remington.
They had been allowed to leave as soon as they had given their statements, though the police had asked how long they were planning to stay in Hawthorne. Their vague promise of three or four more days had been enough for now, though she suspected the police intended to speak to them before they left to go back to London. They hadn’t said it as such, but Allie could read it in their eyes.
“I think they’re going to arrest us soon, you know,” said Allie to Jackie.
They had just parked the car behind the cafe in their usual carpark, though it wouldn’t be staying there overnight this time since Michelle had unceremoniously kicked them out of their accommodation.
Allie hadn’t wanted to return to Aunt Kay’s house just yet as her children would be returning home shortly, and Allie wasn’t ready to face their grubby hands.
“But why would they? They don’t have any evidence against us. It’s all been coincidence.”
“That may be, but we’re the closest thing they have to suspects, and some of the locals are getting annoyed. They’ve already forced us out of the B&B. I bet they’re calling the police every hour telling them to arrest us.”
Jackie shook her head. “No way. People are better than that.”
“Perhaps. Come on. I need a mug of tea. I don’t want to go home until it’s nearly bedtime.”
“But you love those kids.”
“Ye-es,” Allie said tentatively, “I do, but only in small doses.”
Jackie giggled. “Come on.”
They walked down the small access road that went between the buildings. Just before they came out onto the High Street, Jackie took Allie’s wrist and pulled her to a halt. She gestured towards the High Street with a tilt of her chin and a pointed stare.
Allie couldn’t see anything special. But when they stopped and she listened properly for a moment, she heard the unmistakable sound of Michelle’s voice.
“You better keep my secret safe,” she said in a tone that dripped with anger.
Allie and Jackie looked at each other. Michelle was most upset about something.
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. You can trust me.”
Allie leaned in to whisper in Jackie’s ear. “Dan?”
Jackie gave an affirmative nod.
“If anyone finds out,” said Michelle, “it’ll all be over for me. Everything. So you just make sure you keep your trap shut. Got it?”
“I said I would, didn’t I? Just drop it. You’ve done your bit. I’ll do mine.”
“Very well. See you later, Dan.”
“Hopefully not.”
They heard the sounds of two sets of footsteps walking away, and a moment later Dan passed across the end of the little road they were on. But he didn’t turn and see them.
“What do you think that was all about?”
Jackie frowned, raising one leg behind her and beginning a stretch against the wall. She often claimed that twisting herself into awkward and uncomfortable positions helped her think. Allie didn’t buy it. “Michelle’s got a secret, and Dan’s got to keep it.”
“Yes. That’s exactly what she said. But do you think it could be...”
Jackie’s head was now bent all the way back, but she flicked it forward and locked eyes again with Allie. “That she murdered Larry and Dan knows about it? He has to keep her secret?”
They stood there, thinking.
“I mean, it could be any old secret. It could be just about anything, couldn’t it?”
“It could, but how many secrets do you think someone could have that could be so ruinous? And what a coincidence it would be with both of those murders.”
“I think it’s time we had another word with Dan.”
They walked out onto the High Street and could see Dan in the distance walking away at an unhurried pace in the direction of the cornershop in which he worked. They followed behind and caught up to him when he stopped to smoke a cigarette before going back inside.
“Hello, Dan. On a break?” asked Allie as they approached.
; He half-raised his chin in a combined greeting and confirmation but didn’t offer them anything further.
“Dan,” said Jackie, stepping up close to him. “A little birdie told me that Michelle has a secret. A rather big secret.”
Allie didn’t step quite so close, as she didn’t want any of his cigarette smoke on her clothes.
Dan took a long drag in and then blew it out in half a dozen rings. Allie was glad she’d stayed back. “A secret, huh?”
He looked back and forth between them, eyes narrowed, as if assessing what they may or may not know. “You saw me and Michelle speaking. Just now.”
“That’s right,” said Allie.
“Look, it’s a big secret. If I tell you, will you promise to keep it to yourselves?”
They exchanged glances and gave little half-shrugs to each other.
“Sure,” said Jackie.
Allie wasn’t quite so sure about making such a promise. If Dan were to announce that Michelle had murdered Larry, for instance, then she didn’t intend to keep that promise at all. But luckily it had been Jackie that had given her assurance.
“It’s this,” said Dan, leaning towards them. “Michelle’s breakfasts, in the morning. You’ve had her scrambled eggs, right?”
Allie’s expression turned to befuddlement.
“Yes...” said Jackie, equally surprised by this turn in the conversation.
“The thing is, she doesn’t make them. It’s powdered scrambled eggs. If people found out the second B in her B&B was faked there’d be hell to pay. It’s a cut-throat business, that.”
Allie nodded at him. “Thank you.” Jackie gave her a surprised look. “But I don’t believe you,” finished Allie.
Dan tossed his cigarette onto the ground and stomped on it with a heavy black boot that looked more suited to construction work than minding a shop.
“You don’t believe me?” He considered it for a moment. “So, you’re calling me a liar?”
“Yes,” said Allie as she skilfully stepped to the side to avoid Jackie’s cautionary kick.
“I don’t like being called a liar. Not one bit.” He was shaking his head slowly, and on his face was a snaky smile that was more threatening than amused.
“You shouldn’t lie then. I’ve had Michelle’s eggs, and they are not powdered. I know, because I saw her making them when I was inspecting her kitchen.”
Dan glared at her. “Look. It’s none of your business. Why don’t you keep your snouts where they belong and stay out of this?”
“Look yourself, Dan. We know Michelle has a secret and we know that, despite accusations, we had nothing to do with the two recent murders. So, unless you can tell us what Michelle’s secret is, we’re going to assume it’s something to do with all these deaths.”
“It’s only two deaths. Don’t exaggerate.”
“That’s not the point!” Allie was getting increasingly frustrated with Dan’s avoidance of their questions.
“Right. Listen up. I’m going to tell you this once.”
Allie gave Jackie a satisfied smile. Jackie didn’t look convinced.
“Michelle is a... decent woman. Yes, she’s got a secret, but no, I’m not going to tell you what it is. If you’re that curious, go and ask her yourself. Tell her you were eavesdropping and spying on her, but you didn’t get all the details, so could she please fill you in on the rest of it. I’m sure she’ll be delighted.”
“Is he being sarcastic?”
Jackie nodded at her sister. “Yes, he’s being an idiot.”
“I’m going back to work.” Dan turned away from them without offering them a farewell. Under his breath he muttered something that sounded like it began with f and ended with “...muppets.” He pushed open the door to the shop and disappeared inside.
“That wasn’t very successful,” said Allie sadly.
“Oh, I don’t know. We’ve confirmed that Michelle’s got some big secret at least. The only thing is, now I’m not sure it has anything to do with the murders.”
“I know how we can find out whether it has anything to do with the killings,” said Allie with a twinkle in her eye.
“Oh?”
“Let’s go and ask her!”
“You’re a real Sherlock Holmes, Allie.”
The girls walked back down the street, Allie leading the way and Jackie trailing behind.
Jackie had expressed her doubts about the extremely clever plan that Allie had devised, but she also wasn’t about to let Allie go off and ask a potential killer if she was an actual killer on her own, so she came along regardless.
When they got to the entrance to the B&B, Allie paused.
“We’re not allowed in, are we?”
“Technically, Michelle said we weren’t welcome to stay there anymore. She didn’t say we were barred from visiting.”
“Oh,” said Allie with a relieved smile, “good point!”
Still leading the way, Allie climbed the stairs. When they got to the top and entered, Michelle was sitting at the desk. She looked up at them with some surprise.
“Allie, Jackie,” she said as she shifted uncomfortably in her wooden chair. “You moved your stuff out already, didn’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Then...”
“We’re not barred from visiting, are we?” asked Allie.
“Who are you visiting? You don’t know any of the other guests, do you?”
“You,” said Jackie, stepping to Allie’s side.
“Me? What is it that you want?”
“We heard you talking with Dan,” said Allie.
“About your big secret,” said Jackie.
They paused, waiting to see how Michelle would react.
The first thing she did was clench her teeth together and narrow her eyes. Allie thought it was an involuntary reaction caused by anger. It turned out, she was right.
“I’m sorry?” she said through clenched teeth. “Were you eavesdropping on a private conversation?”
Jackie shook her head.
“No,” said Allie, “it was on the street. We didn’t mean to hear anything. If you want to have a private conversation, you should probably have it somewhere, well, private.”
“What did you hear?” she asked in a worried tone.
Jackie shook her head at her. “We didn’t hear anything, only that you had a secret.”
“Look, it’s none of your business. But I’ll tell you one thing: It’s nothing to do with those awful deaths. I know you’re in it up to your eyes, but trust me, this is nothing to do with that. So, could you please just leave me and my secret alone?”
By the time she had finished speaking, some of the anger had left Michelle’s face. Now she seemed more tired than anything. Tired and a little sad.
Allie stepped back awkwardly. “Sorry to have bothered you,” she said in a tone rather meeker than the one she had used when they first arrived.
“We’ll leave you to it then,” said Jackie.
The two of them left the B&B, feeling unwelcome for the second time in one day.
This time, they also felt guilty.
Chapter 25
While Jackie claimed that she had been tossing and turning all night long, Allie had slept exceedingly well. She had prepared by visiting the chemist to purchase eye-shades and earplugs, and so had managed to avoid all the disturbances of the night.
Jackie, on the other hand, said she’d been restless the entire night, waking up dozens of times, unable to sleep because of worry.
Allie didn’t really get it. There was no point worrying about things in the middle of the night when you couldn’t do anything to change them. She saved her worrying for when it mattered: out in the real world with all its illogicality and craziness. Such as at that very moment, while they were having tea at Bree’s Café.
“Here’s a question,” said Jackie. “Why does Michelle bother cooking her breakfasts upstairs? She should do a deal with Bree and send her customers down here. It’d be much easier for
her.”
Allie nodded. “And Bree’s breakfasts are much better.”
Normally they wouldn’t have been quite so catty about Michelle’s food; they would have couched it with phrases like different style or more homely. But they weren’t exactly enamoured with Michelle at the moment.
“That’s a good idea though. If we ever buy the place, the first thing we should do is kick Michelle out and then re-work it so the customers come to Bree’s for breakfast. We could probably even put in another bedroom if we did that.”
“Good idea. But first, we really need to make sure we don’t get done for murder.”
Allie picked up a teaspoon and began to stir her mug of tea thoughtfully, even though she hadn’t added any sugar to it. Jackie had banned her from that vice when they were still teenagers. “Do you think we could buy it from prison? Are there rules against that?”
Jackie nearly spat out a mouthful of her own tea but managed to recover and swallow it down with a splutter. “Don’t say things like that!”
Allie shrugged. “Why not? It’s good to think ahead, isn’t it?”
“No! It’s bad luck. We’re not going to prison, touch wood.” Jackie made a point of rapping her fingers against the table.
“I don’t think it’s wood,” said Allie with a thoughtful frown. “At least, there’s a plastic coating of some kind on top.”
“You’re insufferable. Just read the paper or something. Stop putting thoughts of going to prison in my head.”
Allie shook her head to herself. While obviously she didn’t want to go to prison, there was no harm in at least doing a tiny bit of mental preparation, just in case.
Anyway, even if they were arrested, they’d never get a conviction against them. There was no evidence, just circumstantial placings. She was quite confident of that. Unless, she thought, someone decided to frame them.
Before she could carry on with that line of thinking, she took Jackie’s advice and had a look at the newspaper she’d picked up by the door when they had entered.
The lead story in this edition of the paper was some rather sordid local news.
An Alibi A Day Page 16