One Way Ticket

by Evie Evans

  I have been brought up to be polite to my elders but Elsie Meadows would have been a challenge for Gandhi himself. Hair set like a helmet, and a long, flowery apron were Elsie’s battle armour.

  “Don’t stand there, I’ve just mopped that,” she shouted at us, coming round the back of her ground floor apartment in a surprise attack manoeuvre as we stood like lambs at her front door.

  “Sorry,” Addi muttered and shuffled along in a cowed manner.

  It seemed domineering older women could be a problem for him. I decided I would have to take charge.

  “Elsie Meadows?” I asked.

  “I expect you’ve gotten finger marks on the front door as well,” she complained, pushing past me and wiping the door over with a cloth, seemingly pulled out of thin air.

  “What would you rather we rang your doorbell with?” I asked.

  “Dirtying people’s front doors,” she chastised us. “What do you want?”

  “Police. We’d like to talk to you about Tina Lloyd,” I told her crisply. Addi pulled his badge from his pocket and showed it to her.

  “Didn’t know her.”

  “We have information to the contrary,” I told her, the years of detective show watching finally paying off. “Shall we go inside?”

  “I didn’t know her,” Elsie repeated a little louder.

  “And yet, you sent her a birthday card a few months ago.” (Okay, I wasn’t 100 per cent certain about that, Aunt June hadn’t been sure she was the right ‘Elsie’ from the card, but I decided not to let someone’s potential innocence stand in the way, I was working for the police after all.)

  Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. She looked like she was trying hard to think of a way out.

  “I didn’t know her well.”

  “Shall we go in and discuss how well you knew her? Or do you want your neighbours to hear?”

  She pursed her lips for a few moments. “Alright, but you’ll have to come round the back. I’m not cleaning the front again.”

  “I’m meant to be asking the questions,” Addi hissed at me as we followed her round the corner.

  “So ask them.”

  “Take your shoes off,” Elsie ordered us, the moment we stepped in the backdoor.

  We spent a few minutes struggling with our shoes before being led to a small, sparse, but immaculate, living room.

  “I’m not making tea,” was Elsie’s next declaration as we sat down. “I’ve got a lot to do today, so get on with it. It’s about time you tried to find her killer, how you think anyone can sleep at night knowing there’s a murderer around, I don’t know.”

  I didn’t look around for any family photos this time. Part of me couldn’t believe anyone could be married to this person, part of me dreaded finding a photo of him and having to look at the poor sod’s face. And as to the idea of her having children, I had to suppress a shudder at the mere thought.

  “Well? What’s this about?” she demanded sharply.

  “Well−” Addi and I both started together. Ever the well mannered person, I motioned for him to continue.

  “What was your relationship with Tina Lloyd?” he asked.

  “Relationship?” she practically barked. “I didn’t have a relationship with her. I knew her from…” she waved her hands a bit, “roundabout, that’s all.”

  “What roundabout? Which road?” Addi asked, confused.

  “No, she means she knew her from the general community,” I explained as Elsie Meadows rolled her eyes. “How long did you know her?”

  “A few years.” Her voice became mocking. “I’m sure most people knew Tina.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Well, she got about a bit. She was no stranger to the men round here, that’s for sure.”

  “Any one in particular?”

  “Oh, I don’t think she limited herself to one.”

  “You sound like you didn’t approve.”

  “I didn’t, is that a crime?”

  “If you didn’t like her much, why did you send her a birthday card?” I asked.

  “As a joke.”

  “Why?” Addi asked.

  “I guess you’d have to have a sense of humour to understand. Is that all? I have to get on.”

  Addi shot me a look as Elsie got out of her chair. We hadn’t learnt very much.

  “We haven’t quite finished yet, Miss Meadows,” I told her. “You don’t know if Tina had fallen out with anyone?”

  She remained standing. “Of course not, I’ve told you I didn’t know her very well. I can’t tell you anything about someone I didn’t know, can I? Now, I’ve answered your questions, you’ll have to go.”

  Defeated, we went to the backdoor and put our shoes back on.

  “I don’t know why you’re bothering innocent people like me when you should be out talking to the men she used to run around with. And their wives,” Elsie Meadows moaned to us.

  I looked up from a fight to get my heel in the back of my still strapped shoe. “Any names in particular?”

  “Why don’t you start with that Roger Bale? I saw the two of them in the White Hart more than once. Very friendly they looked too.”

  “Anyone called Paul?”

  “Why should I know anyone called Paul? And you can go out the back way, thank you,” she insisted as soon as we stood up, ready to leave, shepherding us back out through a patio door and across the small back yard.

  “Thank you for−” was as far as Addi got before the back gate slammed shut on us.

  “What a nice lady,” I told him. “Amazing that no one’s decided to kill her.” You had to wonder what could have happened in her life to turn her into such a horrible human being?

  We worked our way past an overgrown bush I was surprised Elsie Meadows hadn’t chopped down and made our way back to the car. Addi was surprisingly quiet.

  “It’s not Roger Bale’s week, is it?” I said.

  Nothing.

  “Shall we go and interview him?” I asked.

  Still nothing. Perhaps coming across Elsie Meadows had upset him.

  “What’s the matter with you?”

  “It’s not your place to ask the questions.”

  “You asked for my help,” I flared up. After I’d given up so much of my work time too. How ungrateful.

  “It doesn’t look good for the admin staff to question people.”

  “You’ll have to get over it. How am I meant to help you otherwise?”

  He gave me an unhappy look and we drove to our next destination in silence.

  13 My Heart Will Go On

  Roger Bale wasn’t at home. One of his neighbours came out and told us it was Mr Bale’s afternoon for helping at the animal shelter.

  “That’s the kind of neighbour Tina needed,” I pointed out as we got back in the car. “One of those and she could even have still been alive today. Better than a burglar alarm, they are.”

  Addi ignored me until we pulled up at a large field. Or it would have been a field if there had been any grass in it. The recent rainfall hadn’t allayed the drought much here and the ground still looked parched and mostly bare.

  Can I just say, I hadn’t realised I was going to fall in love that day? Perhaps it was a result of Susan Robinson’s son starting my poor abused heart all a-fluttering again, jumpstarting it back to life, because, up until then, I hadn’t realised it was even capable of love any more. Perhaps it was being on this island, in the bright sunshine (some days anyway) and holiday atmosphere. I only wish cupid could give some warning when he’s about to strike. I guess that’s just the way it happens sometimes - suddenly, at first sight.

  One look was all it took for me, one glimpse of that rich, shiny brown hair falling into deep brown eyes, hypnotic almost in their gaze, and I was hopelessly lost. I stood transfixed as he gave me the once over. I must have passed because he took a step closer. I did the same. An overwhelming urge to touch him came over me and I was delighted when he let me put my arms around him and rest my head a
gainst his neck.

  “Ew, Jennifer, they’re full of fleas,” Addi warned.

  I didn’t care, this was the most beautiful donkey I’d ever seen. I snuggled into his downy fur. What were a few fleas in comparison with this bliss?

  “Frankie likes you,” a man’s voice came from behind us.

  “It’s mutual,” I told the small, sprightly looking, sixty-something man who’d appeared. Frankie nuzzled my pockets, presumably hunting for food, as I continued to stroke his neck.

  “We’re looking for Roger Bale,” Addi told him.

  The man smiled. “Well, you’re in luck, ‘cos that’s me. What can I do for you?”

  I took in his open, cheerful face before he started rubbing Frankie’s muzzle and a wave of jealousy ran over me.

  Addi flashed his badge and started the questions again. It was a lot more pleasant with Frankie to help pass the time, and Roger was a lot more likable than the other people we’d questioned so far.

  “I met Tina here, she used to help out sometimes. She was a nice woman, kind. We were only friends though, I don’t think I was her type, she certainly wasn’t mine.”

  “What was her type?” I asked, not moving my attention from Frankie.

  “Rough and ready chaps. They were more her thing I think. Have you spoken to Simon Richards?”

  “Simon Richards?”

  “Yes, she mentioned him a couple of times. He’s got a bit of a temper.”

  “Haven’t had a bit of a falling out with him, have you, by any chance?” I asked.

  Roger turned to me in surprise. “He spread a load of gossip about me. How did you know?”

  “Just a lucky guess.”

  “We heard you were more than good friends with Tina,” Addi told him. “You went out a lot together?”

  “Oh no, there was nothing like that. Who’s told you this?”

  “So you’re saying there was nothing between you and Tina?”

  “We were friends, that’s all. Never anything more than that.”

  “Do you know a Paul that Tina was friends with?”

  Roger was still caressing Frankie’s nose. I had to stop myself from telling him to leave my donkey alone.

  “No, doesn’t ring a bell. Sorry.”

  A few of the other donkeys came up to see what the fuss was about. None of them were as cute as Frankie, although a few came close. When they saw we hadn’t got any food, most of them turned away, unimpressed. A couple of them distracted Roger though I was glad to see.

  “If you think of anything useful, give me a call,” Addi told Roger and handed him a card with his number. Then he turned to me. “Ready?”

  “What now?” Leave Frankie? Was he mad? I’d only just gotten him away from Roger.

  I clutched Frankie’s neck for a few moments with Addi staring at me like I was insane, before letting go. I could always come back and see him again. I gave him a farewell pat and promised to be back soon.

  “I don’t believe him,” Addi said, getting in the car and pulling viciously at his seatbelt. “There was more to it than ‘just friends’”.

  “It’s not Roger,” I told him as we drove away.

  “Why not?”

  “Someone who cares for animals like that is hardly going to strangle an old woman. Besides, I like him.”

  Addi slowly shook his head. “I’ll see if I can find any more information on him when we get back,” he said.

  “We didn’t ask if he was married,” I said.

  “No, we didn’t. I’ll look that up as well. Could be interesting if there is a wife.”

  “A wife would be a better suspect, I can’t believe it’s him.”

  Addi gave me a sour look. “Criminals can often be very…what’s the word? Charming. That’s how they con people.”

  “Well, I still don’t believe it’s him.”

  As soon as we got back, Addi went off to look up Roger Bale and I went off to look up the weather report again back home.

  I was still chuckling when Addi arrived back at my desk.

  “I’ve found some information on Bale. He was interviewed by the police once in England on suspicion of assault. They couldn’t prove it so he was never charged. I’m going to bring him in for questioning.”

  “Oh no, really? I think your making a mistake.”

  “He’s already lied about how well he knew Tina.”

  “We don’t know that for certain, that’s just according to Elsie Meadows and she’s an evil old hag.”

  “I’m going to get him anyway.”

  “Alright, but I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” I told him as I stood up and moved to pull my jacket off the back of the chair.

  “No Jennifer, you stay here, I’ll take one of the boys with me, just in case Bale gets violent.”

  “Violent? Him?”

  Addi held up his piece of paper. “He was suspected of assault before.” I watched him walk away with disbelief.

  When he came back, twenty minutes later, he had a very subdued Roger Bale with him. Roger still managed to smile at me as he was led into an interview room.

  I waited with a bad feeling.

  After forty long minutes, Addi emerged.

  “Well?” I asked, intercepting him in the corridor.

  “I’ve put him under arrest. I’m going to keep him in overnight.”

  “What? Has he admitted something?”

  “No. But it’s only a matter of time, isn’t it?”

  “Does he know Louise Allen?”

  “He says not, but they always lie.”

  He sauntered off looking happier than he had in a while. I walked slowly back to my desk, picked up my things and left.

  “Do you know Roger Bale?” I asked Aunt June after I’d taken my shoes off and collapsed on the sofa at home.

  “Roger Bale? Doesn’t ring a bell. Don’t look at me like that, I don’t know everyone that lives here, especially since the town expanded.”

  Aunt June went back to her trashy magazine. “Does he work at the animal sanctuary?” she asked a few seconds later.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I don’t know him really, I’ve met him once, maybe twice, that’s all.”

  “What did you think of him?”

  “Seemed harmless enough.” She looked up from her magazine. “Why?”

  “Oh, his name just cropped up.”

  “Cropped up how?”

  “Oh, you know. By the way, about your offer of going out with me sometimes.”

  “Yes?”

  “How about tonight?”

  Aunt June’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s a bit late notice.”

  “Are you doing anything?”

  “Well. No. I suppose it will be alright. Where d’you want to go?”

  “There’s somewhere I heard about. Just a drink.”

  Later, in the car, we were almost there when my aunt started protesting.

  “Oh no, Jennifer, we’re not going to the White Hart pub? That place is horrible.”

  “I’m sure it’s fine, I’ve heard a lot about it.”

  “You’ve heard a lot about it because it’s notorious. Let’s go to the Clover Leaf instead, that’s not far.”

  “Trust me, Aunt June. This’ll be fine.”

  “Just one drink. One drink and we leave,” my aunt said, clutching the handbag on her lap. “I don’t want people to think I frequent places like this.”

  “What’s so wrong with it?”

  “You get a bad crowd there.”

  My directions led us to a grubby looking, low building with a large neon sign. I parked the car on the piece of rough land next door and we went in.

  The inside décor wasn’t much to crow about, unless you rate wood panelling and plastic fish. “See what I mean,” my aunt said. The place was surprisingly busy for 7 o’clock on a Wednesday night.

  “Yes?” the middle aged man with an impressive beer belly behind the bar asked us rather sourly as we approached.

  I ordered Aunt Ju
ne a gin and tonic and got a coke for myself. “Busy this evening,” I commented, trying to get a conversation going.

  “The boxing’s on,” the man told me, nodding at a large tv screen on the far wall, and barely looking at me. A group of men were standing around it transfixed. Aunt June was already inveigling herself amongst them.

  I took our drinks over and tried to look like I belonged there.

  “Good match, is it?” I asked an elderly man at the back of the group.

  “Alright,” he muttered, not taking his eyes off the screen. I was beginning to see my aunt’s point, they weren’t exactly a friendly lot here.

  I pushed my way through the group to join Aunt June who was already talking to a couple of men.

  “Oh Jennifer, these are two friends of mine, I haven’t seen them in ages.

  I needed something friendly yet innocuous to get the conversational ball rolling. “Come here often?” I heard myself asking.

  “I help out behind the bar sometimes,” one of them answered.

  We managed some more small talk whilst watching two men try to mash the hell out of each other on screen, me trying not to wince with each blow, Aunt June cheering them on.

  After what I felt was a suitable interval, I went for a big money question. “Roger Bale in tonight?” I congratulated myself on achieving the right air of innocence as I pretended to look around, knowing he couldn’t be here.

  “Roger? Nah, haven’t seen him in here since Tina died,” the man who’d introduced himself as Stig told me.

  “Used to come in with Tina, didn’t he?”

  “A fair bit.”

  “I know Aunt June didn’t approve of them,” I lied, dropping my voice, “but they were just friends really, weren’t they?”

  Stig smirked at me. “If that’s Roger’s story.”

  This wasn’t helping Roger at all. “Tina hung around with Simon Richards as well, didn’t she?” I asked.

  “Who?”

  Oh dear. “Welsh bloke. Big. Arsenal fan.”

  “Big Arsenal fan?” Stig asked, one eye still on the fight.

  “That as well. Do you know him?”

  “Nope.”

  Aunt June waved her empty glass at me. “Alright, I know I promised we’d go now.”

  “No, I’m asking you if you want another drink,” she said.