by Adele Abbott
I was about to ask him about the drum when I remembered he couldn’t hear me, so I scribbled on the notepad again, ‘Do you have any drums to spare?’
He went into the back room, and returned with one. Mikey was thrilled when he saw it.
I handed him the coke.
“Can I have the drum, Auntie Jill?”
“There you go.”
He grabbed the drumsticks, and started beating the thing with all of his might. I was beginning to have serious doubts about my plan. I’d assumed that when the barrage of noise hit him, he’d beg me to take him home, but he seemed as happy as a lark.
Forty-five minutes later, he was still hammering away on the drum. My head was about to explode.
“Come on Mikey, it’s time to go home now.”
“Aww, Auntie Jill, I’m having fun.”
“Sorry, but you’re only allowed to stay for forty-five minutes. Other people want to have a go.”
“I’m sure some of these people have been here longer than that,” he said.
“Those are the rules. I’m sorry.”
Before he could argue, I snatched the drum away from him.
He sulked all the way back to the car. Just as we were about to set off he shouted, “Auntie Jill! Stop!”
“What is it Mikey?”
“Look there!” He pointed to a shop a few doors down from Coffee Triangle.
“You mean the music shop?”
“Yes. Can I look in there please, Auntie Jill?”
“I promised your mum we’d be back soon.”
“Please. Just for five minutes. Please.”
“Okay, but no longer.”
He couldn’t get out of the car quickly enough.
“Hi,” the man behind the counter said. “Can I help?”
“My nephew would like to have a look around.”
“Sure—help yourself.”
Mikey made a beeline for the drums. He found a kit, sat down and started bashing away. My headache was getting worse by the minute. Over the next hour, he tried out every drum kit in the shop. I had to practically drag him out of there, kicking and screaming.
“Just ten more minutes, Auntie Jill. Just ten more minutes. Please!”
“No, I’m sorry. I have to get you home.” I practically threw him into the car.
Kathy opened the door, and cringed when she saw that Mikey was still playing his drum.
“Did you have a good time Mikey?”
“It was great, Mum! Coffee Triangle is brilliant. Can I go there again?”
Kathy gave me a look.
“Maybe—one day,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“And guess where else Auntie Jill took me?”
“I’ve no idea.”
“To the music shop. They sell drum kits—lots of them. I played on them all. I’ve seen the drum kit I want for my birthday—or Christmas. Can I have it Mum? Can I?”
“We’ll see, Mikey. Go through and tell your dad all about it.”
“Maybe I’ll skip dinner, Kathy.” I started for the door.
“Whoa there, Missy. You’re not going anywhere.” Kathy grabbed me by the shoulder. “I thought your cunning plan was meant to wean him off the drum? Now, not only is he still playing the drum, but he wants me to take him to Coffee Triangle to play one there, and he’s picked out the drum kit he wants for his birthday or Christmas.”
“Yeah, things didn’t quite go according to plan.”
“You think?”
Chapter 9
“Remind me again why I’m making you dinner?” Kathy said. “Oh, yes. I remember now. It’s for getting Mikey to stop playing the drum.”
“I did my best.”
“And on a scale of nought to epic fail, you hit the jackpot.”
“Give her a break.” Peter grinned.
“Thanks, Peter.” It was time to change the subject. “How’s the new business going?”
“I’m getting there; it’s nice to be my own boss. I do miss the colonel though.”
“Me too.” Little did he know that I was about to play matchmaker to the colonel. “What’s for dinner, Kathy?” I was starving.
“Chicken,” she shouted from the kitchen. “Not that you deserve it.”
I did love a nice piece of chicken.
“It’s Wilma, actually.” Kathy came through carrying a huge plate.
“Wilma?”
“You know: the chicken that got out when the kids went next door. The one that you chased around.”
“No! Please tell me you haven’t killed one of the chickens from next door.”
“Of course not.” She grinned. “The neighbours killed it for us.”
“Take it away. I don’t want it. Give me baked beans on toast. I can’t eat Wilma.”
Kathy burst into laughter. “I’m only joking. It’s from the supermarket.”
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
“Follow me.” She led me through to the kitchen and showed me the packaging.
“Do you believe me now?”
“I guess so.”
“So, let me get this right. You don’t mind eating this chicken, because you didn’t know it personally. But if it had been Wilma—”
“Just serve me the chicken.”
“I was just telling Jill,” Peter said. “I’m enjoying working for myself, but I miss the colonel.”
“He was a lovely old man.” Kathy had joined us at the table. “It was a terrible way to go, such a tragedy. I’m surprised you aren’t more upset about it, Jill. You were quite close to him.”
“I miss him too.”
It was hard to be upset about losing someone when you were still in regular contact with them, but of course I couldn’t tell Kathy that.
The meal, as always, was delicious. Wilma or not, the chicken was very tasty, and the dessert, strawberry cheesecake, was absolutely to die for.
“Thanks, Kathy. That was delicious.”
“When are you going to invite me and Pete over to your place for dinner?”
“Err—I don’t know. Soon.”
“Well, let me think. How many times have you invited us for dinner to-date? Oh yeah—that would be none.”
“You know me, I’m not very good in the kitchen. Whereas you’re brilliant.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.”
“It’s done okay so far.”
“Anyway, there’s something I wanted to tell you,” Kathy said.
“What now?”
“Don’t panic; it’s nothing bad. It’s called fun.”
“Your idea of fun and mine are very different. What have you signed me up for this time?”
“There’s a fancy dress party—”
“I hate fancy dress.”
“You hate everything. You, me, and Pete are going to the party.”
“But Kathy—”
“You’re going, and that’s all there is to it. As your older sister, it’s my responsibility to see that you have fun whether you want to or not. Anyway, it sounds really good. The theme is ‘things that go bump in the night’.”
“What does that even mean?”
“You know: ghosts and vampires and witches. Spooky things like that.”
Oh no.
“Anyway, we’ve decided: Peter’s going to go as a werewolf, I’m going to go as a vampire, and we thought you could go as a witch.”
“I’d make a terrible witch.”
“I think you’d be a great witch. You have the nose for it.”
“What do you mean I have the nose for it? There’s nothing wrong with my nose. I have a cute nose.”
“Hmm? Looks a bit witch-like to me.” Kathy laughed.
***
I’d phoned Tony Bow a thousand times, but he obviously had no intention of answering or returning my calls. If I wanted to speak to him, I’d just have to confront him at his house. So, bright and early the next morning, I went straight over there, but when I knocked on the door, it was a woman who answered.
<
br /> “Is Tony in?”
“If you’re another one of his fancy women, you’re out of luck.”
“No, nothing like that. My name is Jill Gooder. I’m a private investigator.”
“Well, whoever you are—he isn’t here.”
“Do you know when he’ll be back?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. Never, probably.”
“I’m investigating the murder of Carly Baxter.”
“Terrible business. But what does it have to do with Tony?”
“Maybe nothing, but I need to speak to him.”
“Well, like I said. He doesn’t live here. I’ve thrown him out. Good riddance.”
“Can I ask why?”
“I don’t see why not. Everyone will know sooner or later. He’s been having yet another affair. I found this.” She put her hand in her pocket, and pulled out a gold necklace with a single red stone. “It was in his car. Of course, the lying rat denied any knowledge of it. He said he didn’t know how it got there. Yeah, right! I’ve had enough of his cheating. This isn’t the first time. I told him to get out and never come back.”
“Do you know where he might have gone?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care.”
“Please! Is there anywhere you can think of where I might find him?”
“He’s probably gone to his brother’s. That’s where he usually goes when we have an argument. Only this time, he won’t be coming back.”
It took me a while, but eventually, I managed to persuade her to let me have Tony Bow’s brother’s address.
Before I went in search of Tony Bow, I decided to speak with Gerry Baxter. Unsurprisingly, he was a mess. He looked as though he hadn’t shaved in days, and he smelled of the previous night’s booze.
“Mr Baxter. Could I have a few words?”
“Who are you? Press? I’ve nothing to say to you.”
“I’m not the press.”
“Police? Why didn’t you do something while she was still alive instead of wasting time questioning me? She might still be here if you had.”
I saw no reason to correct him. If he thought I was the police, that might work in my favour.
“I know this is difficult for you, Mr Baxter, but we’re just trying to find the person who murdered your wife.”
“If I get my hands on the scumbag, I’ll kill him.”
“Do you have any idea what might have happened to her after she disappeared?”
“No. It doesn’t make any sense. She was meant to lie low just long enough for me to get the story into the papers, and then we were going to meet up again.”
“Where were you supposed to meet?”
“I’ve already told your people all of this.”
“If you wouldn’t mind going over it one more time, I’d be grateful.”
“We’d arranged to meet in Black Woods, but she didn’t show up.”
“Is there anyone you can think of who might have wanted to harm Carly?”
He laughed, but it was a hollow laugh. “No one. Everyone loved her. This is all my fault. I came up with the stupid publicity stunt idea. If I hadn’t, then none of this would have happened.”
“What about Tony Bow?”
“What about him?” he snapped.
“Didn’t you suspect that he and Carly were having an affair?”
“Carly and Tony Bow? Are you serious? Of course she wasn’t having an affair with him. She couldn’t stand the man. Neither of us could. We were in love. There’s no way Carly would have had an affair with anyone. And certainly not with Tony Bow. Not if he was the last man on earth.”
I took the necklace out of my pocket. “Do you recognise this?”
“It’s Carly’s.” He snatched it from me, and held it to his heart. “It was her lucky charm.” He broke down in tears. “Wasn’t so lucky, was it?”
“When was the last time you saw her wearing it?”
“She wore it every day.”
“Was she wearing it on the day that she jumped from the bridge?”
“Yes. Like I said, it was her lucky charm.”
Before I left, I managed to persuade him to let me hold onto the necklace; I promised to return it as soon as I could.
***
If Carly Baxter had been wearing the necklace when she jumped off the bridge, then the only way it could have been in Tony Bow’s car was if he’d seen her after she’d left the site of the bungee jump.
On my way over to Tony Bow’s brother’s house, I gave Jack Maxwell a call.
“Jack. I’m fairly sure that Tony Bow murdered Carly Baxter.”
“You mean the guy who owns ‘Jump To It’?”
“Yeah, that’s the guy.”
“Why do you think that?”
“His wife found a necklace in the back seat of his car. I’ve just spoken to Gerry Baxter who’s confirmed that it was Carly’s. She wore it every day; she called it her lucky charm. And what’s more, he’s absolutely certain that she was wearing it on the day she jumped off the bridge.”
“How does Tony Bow come to have it, then?”
“I don’t know. But I intend to find out. I’m on my way over to his brother’s place now.”
“Give me the address, and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t do anything stupid in the meantime, Jill.”
“Do I ever?”
It was Tony Bow who answered the door at his brother’s house.
“What do you want? I’ve got nothing else to say to you. I’ve got enough problems without you coming around here.”
I held up the necklace. “Do you recognise this?”
“I should do. It got me thrown out of my own home.”
“So you don’t deny that you had it?”
“Belle said she found it in the back seat of my car, but I don’t know how it got there.”
“You know it belonged to Carly Baxter, I assume?”
The expression on his face told me that he didn’t.
“Carly? Are you sure?” He was clearly taken aback.
“Absolutely. I’ve just been speaking to Gerry. He said that she was wearing it on the day she jumped off the bridge.”
“I don’t understand. I’d never seen it until Belle found it in the car. I didn’t put it there, and Carly has never been in my car.”
“So are you denying that you’ve seen Carly since the day she disappeared?”
“I haven’t seen her for ages. And I certainly haven’t seen her since she went missing. What are you accusing me of?”
I didn’t get a chance to answer because Jack Maxwell and three other police officers turned up, and took Tony Bow into custody.
Job done. So, why did I still have a nagging doubt about this case?
Chapter 10
My phone rang.
“Jill, it’s Amber. We’re over at Mum’s. Can you come over now? It’s important.”
“What’s happened? Amber?”
She’d already hung up.
You could never be sure with the twins. Their idea of an emergency and mine were miles apart. But what if something serious had happened? I daren’t risk it, so I magicked myself over to Aunt Lucy’s. When I arrived, Aunt Lucy and the twins were sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of tea and my custard creams.
“I’m sorry, Jill. I just ran out,” Aunt Lucy said. “I’d go and fetch you some from the shop, but my knees are playing up. I do have a few digestives, though.”
“It’s okay. Anyway, I thought there was some sort of emergency over here. It doesn’t look much like an emergency to me.”
“It most certainly is,” Amber said. “Sit down.”
Pearl took a deep breath. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Jill, but Jethro has been signed up by a male modelling agency.”
“Sorry? What?”
“I said—Jethro has been signed up by a male modelling agency.”
“And that’s your idea of an emergency?”
“He won’t be doing Mum’s garden an
ymore,” Amber said, obviously exasperated by my indifference. “There’ll be no more Jethro time.”
“And that’s why you dragged me over here?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy Jethro time,” Pearl said. “You know you did.”
“He is a good looking man, and I can understand why a model agency would sign him up, but I would hardly class this as an emergency.”
“So what would you call it?” Pearl demanded.
“A tad disappointing, maybe. Certainly nothing to trouble the emergency services with. So who’s going to do your garden, Aunt Lucy?”
“Jethro said he wouldn’t leave me in the lurch, and that he’d already passed my name on to someone called Sebastian.”
“Who cares about Sebastian?” Amber pouted. “We want Jethro time.”
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Pearl was closest, so she went to see who it was. Amber still looked depressed; even Aunt Lucy looked a bit downhearted. When Pearl came back, she was wide-eyed, and appeared to have been rendered speechless.
“What is it, Pearl?” Aunt Lucy said.
Pearl opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
“Pearl? What’s going on?” Amber said.
“It’s—err—it’s Sebastian. He’s at the front door.”
“Well, don’t just leave him standing there,” Aunt Lucy said. “Show him in.”
“Err—yeah. Okay.” Moments later, she returned with the most handsome hunk I had ever seen.
“I just wanted to check if it’s okay to start on the garden today,” he said, in the sexiest voice I had ever heard. “Jethro said that he’d cleared it with you, but I didn’t want to make a start until I’d checked, personally. Is that okay?” He looked at the four drooling women in front of him. “So—is it okay for me to start?”
Aunt Lucy was the first to shake herself out of the stupor. “Yes, absolutely. You can start straight away. Would you like a drink? A piece of cake? Or some custard creams? I could go and fetch you some from the shop.”
Charming! Whatever happened to her iffy knees?
***
I’d promised to meet Kathy and Peter outside Coffee Triangle. We were going to pick out our fancy dress costumes.