by Emily Selby
'Were you late?'
'Correct. But I didn't expect Jeff to arrive on time either. He never was a punctual person.'
Jack nodded.
'What time did you get the message from him that he couldn't meet you?'
Michelle lowered her head.
'I can't remember exactly. I think I heard the ping when I was parking the car, but I didn't check my phone until a little after eight,' she said.
'You can check the time on your phone,' Jack said in a matter-of-fact way.
Michelle didn't reply.
'Michelle!' Katie nudged her friend.
'No, I can't.' Michelle lifted her head and looked at Jack. 'I deleted them all.'
Jack closed his notebook. He glanced at Katie.
'We can recover text messages,' he said to Michelle.
'No problem,' Michelle said, not looking at Jack. 'You can have my phone.'
She handed it across. Jack thanked her, put it on the table beside him and opened the notebook.
'Did you notice anybody or anything suspicious around the building at the time?' he asked Michelle.
'No. The lights were still on across the car park. There were people leaving, maybe a couple of cars. The community centre was already dark. I came around from the back, where the crafts room is.'
'Where did he want to meet with you?'
Michelle hesitated.
'I don't know. I didn't think about it. I somehow assumed we would meet inside the building, or by the main entrance. But the door was locked when I arrived. So, I went around to see if he was there. I didn't see anybody or anything.'
'Are you sure?'
Michelle paused and looked up at the ceiling.
'Hang on, there was someone. But he was leaving.'
'Who was it?'
'Alex Gibson. He was looking for his wife. Apparently, she'd called to tell him she'd forgotten to bring something from home. And he was dropping it off for her in an envelope. He thought she was in the community centre.'
'But she wasn't there?'
'No. As I said, the building was dark, and the main entrance was locked. The crafts room was also dark. I didn't check the door, but I think it was locked.'
'What about the side entrance?'
Michelle looked blankly at Jack.
'I'm sorry, I've no idea. I didn't think of checking.'
Jack nodded. 'Where was Olivia Gibson?'
'I think she was on her way to my place.'
'And he didn't know about your meeting with her?'
Michelle shrugged. 'I don't know. He insisted on showing me that she'd called him. He was a bit... pushy. As if I was lying to him that she was supposed to come to my place. But then when I suggested I could pass the envelope onto his wife, he was reluctant to hand it over to me.'
Katie lowered her head. The desire to roll her eyes was so strong.
'Alex can be a little... overbearing,' Katie said.
'What was in the envelope?'
'No idea. I didn't look.'
'Okay, but maybe you felt something...'
'Ah, I see. From the feel of the envelope, it contained something small and quite hard. About the size of a thumb.'
'Didn't his wife open the envelope at home at your place?'
Michelle blinked.
'She did look inside. She mumbled something. I didn't really listen, sorry. I was still upset with Jeff cancelling at the last moment and wasn’t sure how to proceed with our business venture. But it seemed to me that Olivia was surprised. She said something about him reading her mind.' Michelle blew out her cheeks, irritation growing in her voice. 'She does it a lot and I just switch off when she says anything like that.'
'What did you and Mrs Gibson talk about?'
'A business idea she came up with some time in October.' Michelle gave Jack a brief outline of the project.
'Thank you, Michelle,' Jack said after she’d finished. 'I have a few more questions. Do you or your husband, or anyone else in the house have a gun?'
'No. Of course not.'
'Do you know of anyone who might want Mr Livermore dead?'
Michelle took a deep breath.
'Inspector Heaton, I've really tried hard not to say this but there is no other way I can get around it anymore. I hated Jeff Livermore. He hurt my dear friend very badly when he cheated on her. Then he manipulated his finances to ensure she didn't get her rightful share of the matrimonial property. He's also tried to make a move on me. That's why I have avoided any contact with him over the years. But I didn't kill him. And to be perfectly honest, it doesn’t surprise me to learn someone hated him enough to kill him. But I don't have any idea who it might have been.'
Katie nodded to herself. Michelle’s confession explained so much of her behaviour.
'Yet, you agreed to meet with him.'
'In a public place. I hoped there would still be some people milling around. I panicked when I saw it was dark and empty, which is why I was late to the meeting. I didn't want to leave the car. I was hoping that someone would arrive, so I wouldn’t be alone with him.'
Jack ruffled his short black hair.
'Okay,' he said slowly. 'Thank you for your candour. I need to ask you for the details of your friend in the States, Mr Livermore's ex-wife...'
Michelle shrugged. 'I don't think she would do it. It's been five years since their divorce and she's moved on. I'll happily give you her details, but I think you need to look elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if Jeff had made some serious enemies.'
Jack sat in silence for a while, nodding.
'Thank you very much, Michelle and you too, Katie. I really appreciate your time. This has been very helpful. We will check with your friend in the states and with Mr and Mrs Gibson. But if you remember anything please let me know.'
Michelle and Katie agreed and left.
5
'What do you think will happen with the fete now?' Katie asked Michelle when they were out of the station. She really wanted to ask questions about Jeff Livermore but she didn't feel comfortable doing so.
Michelle shrugged again, apparently still not in a very talkative mood.
'Do you mind if we swing by the church hall?'
Michelle didn't.
They pulled onto the street opposite the church hall. There were already a few cars parked around. They exited the car and Katie took in the view.
'Look, it's the vicar and some of the parish council members,' Katie pointed at the group of people by the entrance to the church hall. 'Let's go and talk to them. I can see Linda McKay.' She tugged at the sleeve of Michelle's coat. Michelle mumbled something but followed Katie, albeit reluctantly.
'Katherine Redford, is this again of your making?' Linda called out and climbed down the stairs to greet them, her voice clipped and frosty.
Katie cringed. Sometimes conversations with Linda reminded her of her high school days and getting in trouble with the headmistress. It wasn't helped by the fact that Linda was a retired teacher and there was still a lot of teacher in her.
'What do you mean?' Katie decided to play innocent. On the other hand, she didn't have a clue what Linda had meant by her comment.
'You found another body, I hear. It makes me wonder if you've brought a curse on Sunnyvale. We seem to be getting rid of good people at a breath-taking rate.'
Katie shook off the sense of guilt growing in her stomach. Instead she decided to probe her fellow paper crafter for some more information. Linda often knew more things than she let on.
'As far as I know, the most recent body was an unsavoury character, and a visitor rather than a local.'
Linda waved her hand impatiently. 'And an unwanted one, to be fair. Gatecrashers they call them, right? I saw him wandering around the community centre earlier in the day. He looked suspicious, I can tell you. While everyone was in the church hall, enjoying the celebration, this individual... Oh, well... anyway. Don't worry, I told the police all about it,' she added before Katie opened her mouth to ask her to do it
.
'Who was it this time?' Linda added.
Michelle groaned. Katie glanced at her.
'Sorry, need a coffee. Any chance of grabbing a cuppa?' Michelle said quickly.
Katie couldn’t tell whether it was a real desire or simply a ploy to change the subject?
'The police has identified him,' Katie opted for a safe option. 'What's happening with the fete today?'
Linda put up the collar off her coat and wrapped her scarf tighter around her scrawny neck.
'We are about to have an urgent council meeting to discuss it, but I understand your inspector has strongly suggested we cancel the fete.'
Linda pronounced "your" in such a way Katie wanted to protest saying he was not hers, but didn’t want to appear over sensitive. 'I see you've talked to him already. I wonder who else he has interviewed?' Katie said as lightly as she could. Would Linda take the bait?
'As far as I know, there is a long queue of people waiting to be interviewed this morning. Your police friends will be very busy. Half the town is heading there.'
'Do they have a suspect yet?'
'I thought you were the one well-informed.'
Katie bridled at the remark.
'Sorry not this time.'
Linda turned on her heel. 'I've got to go. The meeting is about to start.'
Katie watched Linda march towards the church hall side entrance.
'We’re not getting much information this time round,' Katie said.
Michelle shuddered.
'Sorry,' she said distractedly. 'I wasn't listening. I'm a bit tired and overwhelmed by the whole situation.'
Katie studied her friend's face, but apart from dark circles under her eyes, there was nothing unusual about it.
'Have you talked to Sarah yet?'
'I sent her a message about Jeff's death and the investigation last night and received a reply this morning. We are going to talk on Skype later today. The police want to talk to her as well.'
Katie considered her next move. A heavy sensation just below her stomach - no doubt, a gut feeling – tugged at her.
'Michelle,' Katie ventured. 'You don't seem to be yourself. I'm sorry to say it again, but there’s something not quite right with you. What's wrong?'
'This whole business with Jeff... it's really nasty. He wasn't a nice person. Having to talk about him yesterday brought things to the surface for me.'
'Do you mean his past behaviour towards you? The comments he made?'
Michelle heaved a sigh.
'And more. I lent him some money a while ago, and he still hasn't repaid me. I suppose I’ll never get it back now. Every time I asked for my money, he would have some unpleasant comments to make.'
'You lent him money? I thought he was well off?'
'He had money and then he didn't. Always investing in something and losing it, or just pretending so. That was how he wiggled his way out of the post-divorce estate split. I was stupid enough to lend him money.'
'When was that? After the divorce?'
'No, later. A couple of years ago. He lost his job at the business consulting company and he wanted to establish himself as an independent contractor.'
'How much did you lend him?'
Michelle hunched.
'Two and a half thousand pounds.'
Katie's jaw dropped.
'That's a lot of money,' she said.
'He still owes me over a thousand quid. And don't ask me why I decided to lend him the money. He was really good at manipulating people into doing what he wanted them to do.'
'He sounds like a person who could have a lot of enemies. I wonder who he's rubbed up the wrong way this time. '
'Don't try that question with me,' a hint of annoyance crept into Michelle's voice. 'I have no idea who could have murdered him. Can we please change the subject?'
Katie shrugged. Even though Michelle seemed to have some knowledge of the victim, for whatever reason she didn't want to share it. Although Katie was angry with her friend’s reticence, given how traumatic talking about Jeff must've been for Michelle, Katie couldn't blame her.
She would have to find another source of information on Jeffrey Livermore if she was to solve this mystery.
Hang on, did she just say to solve this mystery?
Oh, well that was way too late. She had already mentally committed to it.
6
The moment Linda disappeared inside the church hall, a familiar yellow Vauxhall Corsa appeared and parked by the square. Dorothy Ravencroft, another Paper Crafts Club member shuffled out of the car. Katie was happy to see her friend driving after weeks of being stuck in the house on crutches following a hip replacement operation.
'Hello, girls,' Dorothy called out slamming the car door. 'Where is everybody?'
'Dorothy, you're not up-to-date?' Katie replied.
Dorothy limped towards Katie and Michelle.
'No, what's the news?'
Katie gave a brief summary of the previous night's events and the subsequent enquiry.
'It looks like the fete is cancelled,' she added.
Deeper lines appeared on Dorothy's forehead.
'That's a shame. I mean, I feel sorry for the family of the victim and all that, but cancelling the fete... We've been planning it for so long. It went so well yesterday... The parish really needs the money.'
'I know,' Katie said. 'We sold out almost all our greetings cards.'
'I saw it. Your cards for boys disappeared immediately. That was a brilliant idea you had. And your new business project, Michelle - I saw you had a lot of interest from women at your station.'
'That's right,' Michelle said reluctantly.
'Now, tell me more about it. I wanted to have my colours and face shape analysed. I was hoping for some advice on how to improve my look. But the queue was so long I gave up.'
'Uhm, it was,' Michelle replied.
Dorothy glanced at Katie, with a puzzled look in her round, brown eyes. She tugged at the end of her short-cropped red-copper hair.
'You must be very happy about it,' Dorothy pushed on. 'You and Olivia. What is she thinking? Do you think she's someone you could work with? I've heard she’s a really good counsellor.'
'Yes, she's pretty good.'
'She seemed quite confident about the financial success of your idea last night,' Katie joined in. She made a mental note to try to talk to Olivia Gibson. What was that commotion around the envelope about?
'I've heard she's worked with women with poor self-esteem in the past,' Katie said.
'Yes, indeed!' Dorothy exclaimed. 'I saw the poster of her group in my physio clinic. Many patients have issues with self-esteem and self-confidence following accidents and strokes. I thought your business proposal was a brilliant idea.'
'I liked it too,' Katie said.
Strangely, Michelle was looking away.
'Michelle,' Katie nudged her again.
'Sorry,' Michelle said slowly. 'Yes, Olivia is great. Actually,' she added and winced. 'If the fete is not happening today, I’ll need to get my laptop from her. I need it for work. She was going to install the face shape and colour analysing software, so I could learn how to use it. I'd better go see her.'
What a great opportunity!
'I'll give you a lift, Michelle,' Katie offered. 'The new estate is quite a long walk and there is more rain on the way.'
Katie drove Michelle to the new estate. Normally it would be an enjoyable drive, but with a heavy grey morning sky, everything looked lacklustre and grim. The trees along the stream, usually lush and green, had lost their leaves in preparation for winter, and the bank was covered in brown rotting leaves. November - Katie didn't like it.
Katie parked her green Nissan Micra in front of one of the houses. The directions to the Gibson's house were the only things Michelle had said during the trip.
The women headed for the house, still in silence.
It was one of those modern semi-detached houses with a strip of a lawn, typically described as the
front garden, separating the pavement from the property.
They climbed the few steps leading to the main door. Michelle rang the bell. The door opened and Olivia appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a white bathrobe and fluffy cream slippers. Her eyes were puffy and red. Her brown hair, so perfectly coiffed last night, hung in lank strands around her face.
'I saw it was you, so I opened. I wouldn't have otherwise. Did you want your laptop, Michelle?' Olivia said before Katie or Michelle had a chance to open their mouths. Her voice sounded hollow and wooden.
'If you don't mind,' Michelle replied.
'Come in,' Olivia said and gestured them to follow her. Katie and Michelle entered the hallway. 'Sorry, the house is a mess. I'll see if I can find the laptop,' Olivia added and disappeared into one of the rooms, her fluffy slippers shuffling on the carpeted floor. Katie, curious, looked around. She would love to have a closer look at the house. She had been dreaming of buying or renting a house like this one for a while now. It would be a perfect little place for her and Julia.
Katie and Michelle stood in the middle of the hallway, patiently waiting in silence among pictures of pretty places with waterfalls and mountains neatly arranged on perfectly white walls.
After what felt like an hour, Olivia emerged from the room.
'Sorry Michelle, I can't find it,' she said. 'Do you have to have it today?'
Michelle looked extremely put out. 'Yeah. Maybe you left it in your car? Check your car.'
Olivia's face flinched.
'Oh...' she said, her lips parted and trembled. 'I can't...' she croaked. 'It’s disappeared.'
'Has someone stolen your car?' Katie exclaimed.
Olivia's eyes filled with tears. Her shoulders shook.
'No,' she replied, her voice breaking into a sob. 'I don't think so...' She lent on the doorframe and covered her face with her hands.
'Olivia, if you've lost your car, you need to call the police,' Katie added.
Olivia peeled her back from the doorframe and walked into the kitchen, beckoning them to follow her. They did. Olivia sat at the table.
'I may as well tell you about it. Have a seat,' she said heavily. Katie sat by her side. Michelle leant on the counter.