“What do you mean?”
Dad picked up a slice of heavily buttered toast. “Lesley returned to work on Wednesday, despite everyone insisting that she stay at home. Your mum said that Lesley looked terrible, pale and tired. She got worse throughout the week, not eating her food, and having dizzy spells. Your mum is worried sick about her. She’s even more worried since I told her about Lesley’s hospital trip.” He bit into the toast.
Julia pulled her cup closer and frowned. “I wonder what’s wrong with her.” She stared into her tea and Dad munched on his toast. He jumped as Julia suddenly let out a yell of distress. “Lesley! She could have been the intended victim, not Deborah!”
Dad picked up the toast that he had just dropped. “What do you mean? And use your inside voice.”
Julia said, “Both Deborah and Lesley were poisoned in Deborah’s office. Maybe the poison was meant for Lesley only. The killer might have known that Lesley was taking the wine home to get it ready for the tombola. They might have thought Lesley would be tempted to drink it.”
Dad waved his toast at her. “That sounds like a flimsy reason, hoping that someone would drink some non-alcoholic wine.”
Julia wrinkled her nose. “You’re right. Hang on. What if Deborah was the intended victim but Lesley knew who the killer was? She might have seen something before she drank the wine. Maybe the killer knows that Lesley has information and …” she hesitated.
Dad finished for her. “And the killer is now slowly poisoning Lesley.”
Julia’s eyes watered and she nodded.
Dad wiped his fingers on a napkin and picked up his phone. “It sounds far-fetched but I’ll let your mum know. She can keep a closer eye on Lesley, find out why she went to the hospital yesterday.”
Julia cupped her hands around the cup, hoping that the warmth would remove the cold fear that was sweeping through her body. If someone was slowly poisoning Lesley then that person would be a cold-hearted person, it couldn’t be Barney, Seth or Imogen, it just couldn’t! Julia felt overwhelmed by this new knowledge and decided to phone DI Clarke. Her despair grew as she got his answer service.
Dad was grim-faced as he ended the call to Mum. “We’re going to have a talk with Seth Maddocks, see what he knows. I don’t like all this poisoning business, Julia, I don’t like it at all.”
Dad paid the bill and they left the café behind. Neither of them spoke as they headed further into the countryside.
They followed the directions that Dad had been given by one of the men at the fishing lake.
“This must be it,” Dad said as they pulled up outside a cosy-looking log cabin. The door opened and Seth Maddocks stepped out. He waited for Julia and Dad to walk up the steps to the log cabin before he spoke. His voice was calm as he said, “I presume you are here to talk about the murder of Deborah Paignton. And I’m also presuming that you think I had something to do with it.” Seth’s normally friendly face was stony.
Julia opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Dad gave Seth a direct look and said, “That’s exactly why we’re here. Can we go inside?”
Seth opened the door wider and said, “Of course. I’m glad you two are here. I need to talk to someone.”
Julia tried not to be swayed by the inside of the cabin, it really was beautiful. It would make the perfect holiday retreat. She’d have to ask Seth how to hire it. Once she finished accusing him of murder.
Seth invited them to sit down in the main living area. He offered them both tea and coffee but they refused. Julia felt bad for being ungracious but this wasn’t a social visit.
Once Seth was sitting down Dad began the difficult conversation. “Seth, the police have been looking for you, did you know that?”
Seth nodded.
Dad continued, “According to the signing-in book at school you were there at 12.20 last Saturday. Deborah Paignton was found dead shortly afterwards.”
Seth rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “I know, I heard about it on the news. But I’m telling you the truth when I say Deborah’s death had nothing to do with me.”
Julia said, “Seth, why don’t you tell us everything, including why you walked out on your job a few days before Deborah was killed.”
Seth leant back in his chair. “I suppose it is time to tell you everything.” He shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know what I was thinking by running away. As if I could run away from this mess!” He sighed again. “Have you met my wife?”
Julia nodded. “I called round to your house last week.”
Seth gave a short laugh. “She’s terrifying, isn’t she? She wasn’t like that when we first met. She’s changed over the years. I blame her family, they’re from the Clover Estate. Most of them still live there now. Bessie wanted to better herself, and at first she did all that she could to make a better life for us. But her family wouldn’t leave her alone. They saw how well she was doing, how well we were doing, and they wanted part of it.”
Julia swallowed a lump of fear. She didn’t like where this conversation was going, she didn’t like the fact that Seth had mentioned the Clover Estate.
Seth carried on, “They’re like parasites, her family. They’d rather live off someone else than work for themselves. They soon got Bessie involved in their schemes. They’d steal all sorts of goods from all sorts of places and then get Bessie to sell them on. It’s easier for a woman to sell stolen goods, they’re more trustworthy, apparently. I tried to talk her out of it so many times but she wouldn’t listen. She liked having the approval of her family, she liked being the centre of attention in the pub when she was selling stolen things, and she liked the extra money.”
“I know this is a silly question, but did you ever tell the police?” Julia asked.
“Have you seen the size of that woman? Her family are even bigger. They wouldn’t think twice about beating me up. No, I tried to spend as much time away from Bessie as I could.” He waved his hand around the cabin. “I stay here often, I use the excuse of going to see my brother. I haven’t got a brother, I know that Bessie is too lazy to check up on me. I also spend lots of time at school. I get there early, and I’m the last one to leave. I have stayed there a few nights too. Anything is better than being at home. And before you ask, I have tried to leave Bessie but her family have told me it would be better for my health if I stayed with her. Bessie has more authority as a married woman.” He looked down at his knees.
Julia felt a pang of sympathy for him. But they didn’t have the full story yet. “Tell us why you left the school job.”
Seth looked up. “I left before I was fired. When the other head teacher was there he used to let me take home half-empty bottles of cleaning liquids. I think he felt sorry for me living with Bessie and that was the only thing he could offer me. Bessie filled the containers up with water and then sold them on. They were big industrial size ones, worth a lot. You can probably guess what happened next. Bessie forced me to steal more and more items, not just the cleaning stuff, anything I could get my hands on. The head must have known what was going on but he never said anything. It wouldn’t surprise me if Bessie or a member of her family had threatened the poor man.”
“Did Deborah find out what you were doing?” Julia asked.
“She certainly did. She threatened to sack me. I walked out before she could, I couldn’t bear the thought of everyone knowing what I’d done. I went in on Saturday to collect some belongings from my room. I signed in out of habit. I put my tea and coffee canisters in Deborah’s office, I didn’t want her to think I was stealing anything else. I made a bit of a mess in my office, I should have cleaned it up but I was in a rush. I left straight after that. I did see you and Lesley in the hall but you didn’t see me.”
Dad gave Julia a look as if to ask whether she believed Seth.
Julia had another question. “When the police spoke to Bessie, she said she didn’t know about you losing your job. Is that true?”
Seth shook his head.
“She knew alright. She’d found out at the pub on Friday night. I don’t know who told her. She came home drunk that night and threatened to let me ‘have it’ in the morning. That’s why I ran away. She doesn’t know about this cabin. You must think I’m a coward.”
Dad said, “I think I’d do the same, no offence to your wife.”
Julia said carefully, “Seth, do you think Bessie or her family is capable of murder?”
“Oh, aye,” his reply was swift.
Julia told Seth about Cain’s attack. “Is it possible that someone in Bessie’s family attacked him? Maybe they thought we were getting too involved in Deborah’s murder investigation.”
Seth nodded. “I wouldn’t put that past them.” He paused and gave Julia a direct look. “They might be after you next.”
Chapter 23
Dad and Julia left Seth’s cabin a short while later. Seth promised them that he’d phone DI Clarke and make an appointment to see him.
As they walked to the car Dad said, “Julia, you don’t need to be looking left and right like that. I don’t think anyone’s hiding in the trees ready to jump out.”
Julia looked over her shoulder. “I can’t help it. The back of my neck is tingling, like someone is watching me. Should I be worried?”
Dad unlocked the car and looked over his shoulder too. “We should all be worried. You’re staying with me and Mum tonight. I don’t like what’s going on at all. Phone that inspector chap, tell him everything.”
Julia got in the car and took her phone out. Once again, she got DI Clarke’s answering service. She wasn’t sure if the inspector was avoiding her on purpose, or whether he really was too busy to phone her back.
Dad’s face was grim as they drove to Julia’s house. He barely said a word on the journey back, Julia had never seen him like that before.
He came into her house while she collected some belongings. He kept watch by the window, turning his head left and right as he looked at people walking past.
When they reached her parents’ house Dad explained everything to Mum. Mum’s face became as grim as Dad’s.
Julia felt safer at her parents’ house despite Dad checking every ten minutes that the doors were locked. Mum was just as bad, she continually peeped out of the drawn curtains. They were all nervous wrecks by the time they headed to bed.
Julia slept restlessly and was up earlier than either Mum or Dad. She made them a cooked breakfast.
Mum nibbled at her scrambled egg. “Thanks, Julia, but I don’t have much of an appetite.”
Dad pulled Mum’s plate over to his side of the table. “Give it here, Kathleen. I need to build my strength up. Julia, I’m going to see Cain at the hospital soon, do you want to come with me?”
Julia was looking at her phone. “Yes. DI Clarke still hasn’t got back to me.”
Mum stood up and took Julia’s empty plate away. “He’ll phone when he has time. I’m going over to Lesley’s house today. I’m concerned about her, she doesn’t look at all well. I feel like she’s hiding something from me.”
Julia thought again that Lesley might have been the intended victim, not Deborah. Or that Lesley knew who the murderer was and was now being secretly poisoned She kept her thoughts to herself. She needed to speak to DI Clarke. If he didn’t return her call today then she’d call in at the police station.
As it was, Julia didn’t need to call in at the police station. DI Clarke was standing at the side of Cain’s hospital bed when she and Dad turned up an hour later.
The inspector gave them both a nod and stood to one side.
Julia said to him, “I need to speak to you.”
“Yes, I know. You’ve left me sixteen messages. You’re very persistent, Ms Blake. I take it you need to discuss a matter of great importance.”
“Yes.” Julia looked over at Cain. He did look better despite the purple bruises that decorated his face. “Cain, how are you?”
He smiled with a slight grimace. “Feeling better, thank you. How are you?”
Dad stepped forward. “She’s fine but she’s itching to talk to the inspector, look at her hopping from one foot to the other!”
Julia placed her feet firmly on the ground. “I can speak to DI Clarke later, Cain’s the one I came to see.”
Dad laughed and put his hand on her elbow. He turned her in the inspector’s direction and said, “You go and have a word with DI Clarke, I’ll keep Cain company.” His smile now looked forced as he gave Julia a direct look. “I’m sure Cain doesn’t want to know what you’re going to talk to the inspector about.”
Julia got the implied message. Cain didn’t need any more worry, he needed to concentrate on getting better.
DI Clarke took an exaggerated look at his watch. “Ms Blake, I can give you ten minutes. There is something that I need to discuss with you. There’s a hospital café on the next floor, we’ll go there.” He turned on his heel and walked away. Julia followed obediently.
Julia was surprised when the inspector bought her a cup of tea. She was even more surprised when he smiled at her. It was only a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. What was he up to?
DI Clarke sat opposite Julia and took a sip of his own drink. “That’s a disgusting cup of tea, almost criminal.”
Julia gave a weak laugh and said, “Ha! Are you going to arrest it?”
DI Clarke fixed her with his piercing stare and said nothing for a moment. “Now then, what shall we discuss first? The fact that I asked you not to get involved in a police investigation? Or the fact that you sought out a potential suspect yesterday with your father?”
Julia shrugged and looked down at the pale coloured tea. She jumped as a funny noise came from the inspector. Did he just laugh? She looked up, he was definitely smiling again. Was he on drugs? Or drunk?
DI Clarke said, “I’m only having a little joke with you. I’m glad you found Seth Maddocks. He phoned me after you left his log cabin, he explained everything. Big Bessie is well known to us at the station, so is her family. We’ve never been able to pin anything on them. I mentioned to Mr Maddocks about testifying against his wife but he seems scared. Quite understandably, you’ve met her, she scares everyone. Anyway, we can discuss that with Mr Maddocks another time.”
Julia butted in. “But you have to talk to Bessie and her family now! They might have attacked Cain! They might be after me!”
DI Clarke held a hand up. “Please don’t shout, Ms Blake, I’m sitting across the table from you not in another county. Bessie Maddocks and her family had nothing to do with Cain’s attack. He knows who attacked him, and now, so do I. Of course, Cain wouldn’t give me the full details, I found out from other sources.”
Julia’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of sources?”
“None of your business. We have contacts on the Clover Estate, that’s all you need to know. I’m going to share some information with you but I don’t want you to let Cain know you are aware of these facts. Why are you smiling?”
“You called him Cain, you normally call him Mr Andrews.”
“I have a great deal of respect for that young man, you’ll soon see why. Cain went in a car with his brother, Gary, on Thursday afternoon. They went back to Cain’s former home on the Clover Estate. Witnesses soon overheard shouting coming from the Andrews’ home. My sources tell me that Cain’s family wanted him to do some work for them, work that involved you. They’d been following his movements since he got out of prison, they’ve been following you too.”
Julia shivered.
“They told Cain that he had to steal things from your clients’ houses. And not only that, they told him he had to let them know the burglar alarm codes for the bigger houses and to inform them when your clients would be on holiday.”
Julia gasped. “I can’t believe it! What horrible people!”
“I have other names for people like that, Ms Blake, but I won’t offend your delicate ears. Cain refused to have any part in it. The arguments got louder but Cain refused to give in.”
DI Clarke looked away for a moment and frowned as if not sure to go on. He turned back to Julia and lowered his voice. “Screams were then heard, Cain’s screams.”
Julia blinked away a sudden tear. “Why didn’t these witnesses do anything?”
“People stick together on the Clover Estate. The screams went on for a while, and then there was silence. I’m presuming that’s when Cain’s brothers took him out of the family home and left him on the outskirts of the Clover Estate.”
“They left him for dead,” Julia said quietly. “It’s all my fault. If he wasn’t working for me then his brothers wouldn’t have attacked him.”
“They would have attacked him anyway, they’re a nasty bunch. You giving Cain a job has been the best thing for him, in my opinion. I spoke to Cain before you arrived. I told him what I knew. I told him he could press charges but he refuses. I also told him that I would be having a professional word with his brothers about their criminal activities, I’ll let them know that we’re keeping a close eye on them. He got agitated at that point but I told him I wouldn’t mention his name at any point. I’ll let them think that Cain hasn’t told me anything about his attackers.” He waved a hand at Julia. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear what our plans are for the Andrews family.”
“I do. Are you going to follow them? Bug them? Pay private detectives to spy on them?”
This last part was met with a piercing stare from the inspector. “Ms Blake, you’ve got an overactive imagination. Which reminds me.” He looked away from her and sighed. An irritated look crossed his face. Julia shifted in her seat. What was he going to say to her?
DI Clarke focused his attention on her again. He placed his clasped hands on the table. “You haven’t met my wife, have you?”
Julia shook her head. She wasn’t convinced that the inspector was actually married.
DI Clarke smiled. “She’s a wonderful woman. Always interested in my cases. When the cases have ended, of course, it’s against police procedure to discuss ongoing cases with civilians.”
A Fair Murder (Julia Blake Cozy Mystery Book 6) Page 9