by Adele Abbott
I could sense that what she really wanted to do was to turn him and the other two officers into something hideous. But, even she wouldn’t be able to get away with something as blatant as that in Washbridge.
“Very well.” She sighed. “Come on, young man. Let’s get this over with.”
“Shall I come with you?” I offered.
“No, you stay there.” Grandma fixed me with her gaze. “I don’t need you to hold my hand.”
It seemed like forever, but it can’t have been more than fifteen minutes later that Tom re-emerged; he looked decidedly the worse for wear.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Your grandmother is a real piece of work.”
“No arguments from me there. Did you get what you needed?”
“Not exactly. She told me I was wasting my time, and that she had nothing to say to me.”
“Why are you talking to her anyway? What possible good can it do?”
“Like I said before. It’s just routine. We have to consider motive, and the fact is that there are too many coffee shops and tea rooms in this area. One or two of them have been struggling recently. They’re bound to benefit from Coffee Triangle’s closure, if only temporarily.”
“You can’t seriously be suggesting that the motive for that man’s murder was to close down Coffee Triangle?”
“I’m not suggesting anything, but there’s no denying that this shop, along with others, has obviously benefited from the closure. See for yourself.” He pointed to the tea room which was packed with customers.
“Look, Tom, Grandma may be a little difficult.”
“That’s the understatement of the year.”
“But she wouldn’t resort to murder just to get a few more customers through the door.”
“I’m sure you’re right, Jill. Anyway, we have several more shops to visit. Hopefully, your grandmother will calm down soon because I may need to speak to her again.”
After the police had left, I thought I should check if Grandma was okay.
She wasn’t. She was fuming.
“How dare he come in here and question me? How dare he throw around such accusations?”
“I’m sure he didn’t actually accuse you of anything.”
“Of course he did! He more or less accused me of murder.”
“Do you think you might be overreacting? Just a little?”
“Overreacting?” Her face turned a shade of red I’d never seen before.
“Sorry, but I’m sure it’ll all be cleared up soon.”
“I doubt that. I could tell by the way he was talking that he’s already decided I’m guilty. He won’t rest until he’s thrown me in jail.”
“I’m sure that isn’t going to happen.”
“You’re dead right it’s not. Because you’re going to sort this out for me.”
“Me? What can I do?”
“You’re a private investigator, aren’t you?”
“Err, yeah.”
“Right. Well, the sooner you find out who did murder that poor man, the sooner you get the police off my back. It is now your top priority to discover the identity of the murderer.”
“Hold on! I’m not a police officer; I’m a private investigator. I only investigate things if someone’s paying.”
“Then I will pay you!”
“Huh?” I was well and truly gobsmacked. Had I heard right? Had Grandma just offered to pay me? “You mean you want to hire me?”
“Yes! Unless of course you’ve got too much work on already. I need someone who can give it their full attention.”
“Err—well, I am rather busy,” I lied. “But, you are family, so of course you will get top priority.”
“I assume I’ll also get a family discount.”
“I suppose I could give you five percent.”
“Thirty percent? That’s very kind of you. I expect this to be resolved within the next few days. Understood?”
“Understood.”
Much to my relief, the knitting class had disbanded by the time I got back to the office.
“I’m sorry about the upset just now, Mrs V.”
“It was as much my fault as yours, dear. I was positive it was Armitage.”
“Not much we can do about it now. Anyway, on a brighter note, I have a new case.”
“That’s nice, dear. What is it this time?”
“I’ve been hired by my grandmother.”
“Oh dear. That sounds like bad news. She’ll probably expect you to work for nothing.”
“Amazingly, she’s actually promised to pay me; less a family discount, obviously.”
“And what exactly is it she’s hired you to do?”
“She wants me to find out who murdered the man in Coffee Triangle.”
“Why would she care?”
“When I was in Ever just now, the police were there. They’re talking to all the local coffee shop and tea room owners who have benefited from Coffee Triangle’s closure. Grandma did not take kindly to what she considered to be an interrogation. She feels that the police are looking to pin the murder on her, so she wants someone to find the real murderer, and clear her name.”
“And she thought of you?”
“You don’t have to sound quite so surprised. I am a private investigator, and I am her granddaughter. Surely I’m the logical choice.”
“Of course you are. It’s just that I didn’t think you’d want to work for your grandmother. I can’t imagine she’s going to be the easiest client you’ve ever had.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But any case is better than no case at all, and at least she’s going to pay me. So, I guess I’d better make a start.”
I’d done P.I. work for Aunt Lucy in the past, and I hadn’t charged her. But Grandma was different. With all the money she was making, why shouldn’t I bill her? In fact, I might just stretch out the case, and add in a few expenses here and there. Yeah, I could make quite a killing with this case.
Okay, okay. It was a poor pun under the circumstances. Sheesh!
***
“There’s a young woman to see you,” Mrs V had her knitting with her when she walked into my office. “Sorry about this dear, I’m at a critical point. I didn’t want to put it down.”
“Name?”
“I haven’t given it a name yet. Perhaps green glow scarf?”
“I meant the name of the young woman who wants to see me.”
“Oh yes. Silly me. Dorothy Babs, I think she said.”
“I think you’ll find it’s Dorothy. Babs is her dog. Send her through, would you?”
I’d first met Dorothy in the park when Barry and her dog, Babs, had become friends. She’d mentioned she wanted to move to the human world, and I’d managed to get her an interview for a job in Washbridge. I’d also given her a contact for a flat share.
I could tell by the look on her face that things were going well.
“Sorry to turn up out of the blue like this, Jill. I just wanted to come by and thank you for your help. I’m not sure I could have made the move without you. I landed that job in the fancy dress shop that you put me on to.”
“You did? That’s great.”
“Yeah, I’ve only been there a while, but I’m slowly learning the ropes. It’s a strange set-up because the humans who come into the shop have no idea that the people running it are actually sups. It’s weird to hear them say things like: ‘That’s not something a vampire would wear’, when it quite obviously is. They all want glitzy, cutesy costumes which no self-respecting vampire would be seen dead in. Still, it’s lots of fun, and the people I work with are fantastic.”
“Did you move into the apartment as well?”
“Yeah, I did. It all worked out great. They’re a nice bunch. We get on really well, and the apartment’s lovely. It’s much better than I thought I’d be able to afford, but sharing with two others just about makes it doable.”
“How are you finding life in the human world?”
; “I’m enjoying it. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but most of the humans I’ve come across are really friendly. It’s not that much different to living in Candlefield.”
“That’s what I thought you’d find.”
“Except for one thing.” She picked nervously at a fingernail.
“What’s that?”
“That’s the other reason I came to see you today. I hope you don’t mind, but I don’t really have anyone else to talk to.”
“No problem.”
“I’m not sure what I expect you to do. It’s silly really.”
“Go on, spit it out.”
“You’re probably already aware that in Candlefield vampires drink synthetic blood. There are factories which produce it, so there’s a ready supply.”
“Yes, my cousin’s fiancé, Alan, mentioned it. Is that the problem? Can’t you get it here in Washbridge?”
“No, that’s not it. It’s easy enough to get synthetic blood here. There are several outlets which cater for vampires living in the human world.”
“So what is the problem, then?”
“As you know, there aren’t any humans in Candlefield, so there’s no temptation to drink human blood. In fact, between you and me, I’ve never drunk it. But, here in Washbridge, there are lots of humans, obviously. So the temptation is much greater.”
“But if you’ve never drunk it—”
“I know. It never occurred to me for one moment that there would be a problem. I thought I might not get on with humans, or that I might miss Candlefield. It never entered my head that I’d feel the urge to drink human blood.”
“But you do?”
“Yes, something rotten. Every time a human comes into the shop, or even when I’m just walking down the street, I can almost taste their blood. I just want to bury my fangs into their neck, and drink. It’s terrible.”
“I hope you haven’t acted on that impulse.”
“No, of course not. I would never do that. At least, I hope I wouldn’t, but the urge is so strong. The vampire who used to work in the shop before me was found drinking human blood, and taken back to Candlefield by a Rogue Retriever.”
“I know. I was the one who reported her.”
“You’re not going to report me, are you?” She looked terrified.
“Of course not. You haven’t done anything wrong, have you?”
“No. I’m just scared that I might. I don’t know what to do. If only there was somebody I could talk to—somebody who could help.”
“Look, why don’t I ask around. I know a few vampires. I’ll see what I can find out, and hopefully I’ll come up with something.”
“Would you, Jill? I’d be so grateful.”
“Are you sure that you’re going to be able to resist in the meantime?”
“I won’t do anything stupid, I promise. I carry a small bottle of synthetic blood in my bag at all times. If I do feel the urge, I just have a quick drink from that, and it seems to get me through—for now at least.”
“Leave it with me, Dorothy. I’ll see what I can do, and I’ll get back to you. How’s Babs, by the way?”
“She’s fine. I’m sure she’s missing me, but she’s staying with my mother, Dolly. She’ll be spoiling her to bits. She gives her way too many treats. What about Barry? Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he’s as daft as ever.”
“Okay. Well, I’d better get back to the shop. I’m on my lunch break.”
Poor Dorothy. It must have been horrible to be surrounded by tasty meals, and not be able to take a bite. I had the same problem with blueberry muffins.
Chapter 14
The next morning, the police tape had been removed from outside Coffee triangle. There was still a ‘Closed’ sign on the door, but I tried it anyway. To my surprise, it wasn’t locked.
“Hello! Is anyone here?”
“We’re closed,” said a voice from the back. “We’ll be open in a few days’ time.”
“Actually, I just wanted a word with someone.”
“We’ve got nothing to say to the press, sorry.”
“I’m not the press.”
A man appeared from behind the counter.
“Who are you?” He eyed me suspiciously. “Are you sure, you’re not the press?”
“I promise. My name is Jill Gooder. I’m a private investigator.”
“What do you want?”
“My grandmother owns the wool shop just up the road.”
“You mean Ever A Wool Moment?”
“You know it?”
“My gran is into knitting big time. She loves that shop and especially the Everlasting Wool.”
“It was my grandmother who invented it. Look, the reason I’m here is that the police came to question her yesterday. Apparently, they’re talking to all the local coffee shop and tea room owners. They have this crazy notion that the motive for the murder was to get Coffee Triangle closed down, and steal its customers.”
He laughed. “You can’t be serious. Surely, no one’s going to commit murder just to put a rival out of business.”
“I know. It’s laughable. Anyway, it made her so angry that she’s asked me to see what I can find out.”
“Isn’t that a job for the police?”
“You’re right, but if my grandmother wants to pay me for trying to help, who am I to say no?”
“You’re surely not taking money off your own flesh and blood?”
“Normally, I wouldn’t. But this is Grandma. If you knew her, you’d understand.”
“Fair enough, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to help.”
“Are you the manager?”
“Me? No. Tony’s the manager. Tony Tuck. I’m the assistant manager. I’m Andy Tunow.”
“Pleased to meet you, Andy. Is Tony around?”
“No, he’s having a short break in Las Vegas.”
“Really? Is he getting married?”
“No. Between you and me, Tony’s a bit of a gambler. He likes to play the cards and have a bet on the horses. He reckons he’s on a winning streak, so he’s treated himself to a trip to the home of gambling.”
“In that case, can you spare me a couple of minutes to answer a few questions?”
“Sure. Why not? There isn’t much happening here until we open again. Come through to the back, and I’ll make you a coffee.”
The back office was quite large, but then it needed to be because it also acted as a store room for all the instruments.
“Wow! I didn’t realise you had so many.”
“Thirty tambourines, thirty triangles, thirty gongs, thirty drums. You name it, we’ve got thirty of them.”
“It must have cost a pretty penny to set up.”
“I’m sure it did, but it seems to have paid off. The place is busy most of the time. Drum day is our most popular day.”
“I know. The last time I came here on drum day was with my young nephew. It was so busy that I only just managed to find a seat.”
“Is he a drummer, your nephew?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Can you talk me through exactly what happened on the day of the murder?”
“There’s not a lot to tell. It had been a normal day—much like any other. Then the woman who was sitting next to the murdered man realised he was dead, and screamed. It was pandemonium after that.”
“Did anyone actually witness the murder?”
“No. At least not as far as I’m aware.”
“What about the manager? Where was he while all this was going on?”
“I’m not sure. He’d been on the shop floor, playing a drum, for most of the shift.”
“Playing a drum?”
“Yeah. He often leaves me to do the real work while he bangs a drum or shakes a tambourine.”
“Did he call the police?”
“No—that was me. I don’t actually know where Tony was—in the back having a crafty cigarette, probably. When the woman screamed, I dashed straight over to her, but I didn’t see anything of Tony until
after the police arrived.”
“When does he get back from Vegas?”
“The day after tomorrow—just in time for when we reopen.”
“Okay, well thanks for your time. I’ll maybe pop in again then.”
***
When I arrived at Cuppy C, I was quite surprised to find Amber sitting at a corner table with William. Neither of the twins seem to spend much time with their respective fiancés. Maybe the Sebastian incident had brought the twins to their senses?
“Hi, Jill.” Amber spotted me.
“Hello, you two. Nice to see you again, William. I was beginning to think you were a figment of Amber’s imagination.”
He laughed. “I’ve been working all hours. I’m getting in as much overtime as I can.”
“To keep Amber in dresses and shoes?”
“Don’t say that, Jill.” Amber protested, but she knew it was true. We both did.
“Where’s Pearl?”
“Out shopping. It’s fairly quiet in here today, so I said I’d watch the shop. And besides, William and I have important things to discuss.”
“Oh, sorry. If you’d like me to leave you alone—”
“No, I didn’t mean that. Come and sit with us. We’ve got something exciting to tell you.”
‘Exciting’ could mean anything when it came to the twins. Still, I was curious enough to join them.
“You have to promise to keep it a secret,” Amber said.
“You know me. I can keep a secret.”
“Hmm?” Amber looked doubtful.
“I can. I won’t tell anyone, I promise. Is it some juicy gossip?”
“Nothing like that. One of the reasons William has been doing so much overtime is because we’ve been saving up.”
“You have?” I hadn’t seen much evidence of Amber saving. In fact, from what I’d seen, she’d been spending more money than ever on clothes, handbags, shoes, and jewellery.
“Yes, I’ve managed to save a little, but William has saved most of the money, haven’t you, darling?”
William gave me a knowing look. I just bet he had. Ninety-nine percent of it, probably.
“Go on, then, Amber. Tell me what you’ve been saving up for.”
“Shall we?” She looked at her fiancé.