14 Suspicion at Seven

by Ann Purser

  “Aurora! Are you okay? Take it slowly, and tell me what’s up.”

  “It’s Donald. He’s sitting in a chair staring into space and refusing to answer. His Farnden jewellery party is tomorrow, and he wouldn’t want me to cancel it. I don’t know why I’m bothering you, but I didn’t know who else to talk to.”

  “I’m glad you did. Now, when did this come on? Was he all right when you got up this morning? And did Milly manage a visit?”

  “No. Last-minute emergency. I think that may have upset Donald. You know how he adores her! Yes. He is a bit quiet normally, but nothing like he is now. Should I ring the doctor?”

  “Not unless you think he is in pain, or likely to do anything silly.”

  “Like committing suicide, do you mean? I hadn’t even thought of that. He’s usually such a jolly soul. Always makes the best of things, even when the business isn’t doing too well.”

  “How is it doing now? Do you think he might be depressed? In the clinical sense, I mean. One of my cleaning girls had a patch of that. It’s a real illness when it’s bad.”

  There was a sort of scuffling noise at the other end of the phone line, and then a cry from Aurora. Donald’s voice came on, nearly deafening Lois.

  “If that’s Lois Meade, you can mind your own business. Aurora has got herself in a bother for nothing. I shall be in Farnden as planned.”

  “But—” Lois began, but the call was cut off. She replaced the receiver and drew a deep breath. What on earth was all that about? She thought of ringing again to speak to Aurora, but decided not. It might make matters worse.

  She looked at her schedules, due to be discussed at the meeting at lunchtime, and put them to one side. She had had a ringround telling all the cleaners that, if possible, they should come in as usual after all, as one or two things had come up. The meeting shouldn’t take long, she had assured them, as they had already done the schedules and paperwork.

  Who among her circle of friends and colleagues would be likely to know more about Donald Black?

  Dot. Dot Nimmo, of course. She knew everybody, and might well have some useful background knowledge on Aurora’s husband. Why did he say she should mind her own business? What did he think she knew about him that was suspicious?

  Too many questions now. If he had wanted to keep her out of something, he had not been very clever. She went back to her papers for the Brooms meeting. Dot would be sure to be coming along, and she would keep her back for a chat.

  * * *

  Before they began, Lois thanked the girls and Andrew for the birthday card they had sent, and described her wonderful party.

  “It’s such a lovely setting, by the old millpond, with all the ducks and swans, and that huge weeping willow overhanging it. Have you been there, Dot?”

  “Not since the mill has been turned into a hotel. O’course, when it was working full blast, everywhere around it was dusted with white flour. All the blokes who worked there. Even the bosses went white before their time! But we used to take our dog and walk on the water meadows. Midsummer, they used to have a regatta on the river. That was a lovely day. My Handy was a good rower, and he used to win prizes.”

  The others listened, and smiled. They all knew that Dot’s husband, Handel, was a respectable crook. Nobody came to any harm from the Nimmo gang, but they amassed a good deal of illegally earned income over the years. Dot drove an expensive car, and bought designer clothes.

  “Are any of you coming to the jewellery party this evening? It’s at seven thirty in our village hall. Donald Black, from Brigham.”

  “Is that him whose wife runs a bakery opposite the hotel?”

  Hazel had come in late from the Tresham office, but now sat comfortably enjoying Dot’s reminiscences.

  “That’s the one,” said Lois. “I shall be going, to support Aurora. And Gran said she’d come. Not to buy anything, of course! Too old for jewellery, she says. There’ll be coffee and cake, so should be fun. It would be nice if some of you could come along, and don’t forget New Brooms secret motto: ‘Ears and eyes open.’”

  “I’ll be there,” said Dot loyally. “Though I must say I prefer the real thing.”

  “Lucky old you, to be able to afford it,” said Andrew. “I don’t think it’s quite the thing for chaps.”

  The meeting wound up, and the girls drifted away.

  “Oh Dot! Can you spare a couple of minutes?” called Lois.

  “Nothing wrong, I hope, Mrs. M?” said Dot.

  “No, it’s only that I wanted to pick your brains about Donald Black. I believe he’s from a local family?”

  “Ah,” said Dot. “So that’s it. I had a policeman round asking questions after that murder, but I told him I knew nothing.”

  “And is that true?”

  “Sort of. I don’t know much about Donald Black the chief executive of Brigham Jewellery, but plenty about Donald the likely lad with an eye for the ladies. I used to live next door to his Nan. That was his grandmother, and he called her Nan.”

  “So what was he like? I suppose he must be in his fifties now.”

  “Yeah. He was at school with me, but a bit of a duffer. Slow learner, I suppose you’d call him now. In them days, the slow ones got left out. Left to fend for themselves after they finished school. He was always good looking though, with his black hair and nice smiley face. He did a few jobs for my Handy’s organisation.”

  “What sort of jobs?” said Lois.

  “Oh, this and that. Sometimes valuable stuff, like jewellery an’ similar, used to pass through Nimmo hands, and he always liked being involved with that. I reckon that’s why he set up his own business, but with sparkly tat. He does pretty well now, so I’ve been told.”

  “Still involved with your Nimmo lot?”

  “Not my lot anymore, Mrs. M. I’d rather work for you. But I do still see one or two of them. I could ask around, if you like.”

  Lois knew she need not explain any more to Dot. She would know that it was a ferretin’ matter, and something useful might come up.

  TEN

  “We’re having early supper,” said Gran. “Me and Lois are going to the village hall to buy ourselves some of the crown jewels. Stolen goods, you know.”

  Derek laughed. “Not what I heard,” he said. “That Donald Black has quite a way with the women, so I’m told. You’d better be prepared to resist being offered more than you bargained for.”

  “Are you serious?” said Lois. “The poor man is only trying to earn a living. He goes all round the country with his parties. Aurora says he’s exhausted when he comes back.”

  “Very likely a girl in every port,” said Gran. “Could be very exhausting.”

  Lois was about to say that Donald and Aurora seemed to have a very happy marriage, but then remembered the telephone call. He had sounded angry, and Aurora scared. “Well, we’re not being invited on to the board of his business, so I expect we’ll be all right,” she said.

  * * *

  The village hall was crowded by the time Gran and Lois had collected Josie and made their way inside. They found chairs and sat down, acknowledging friends and contributing to the din of conversation.

  “Good evening, ladies,” said Donald. He sat at a long table, where he and Aurora had spread out the jewellery to show it at its best. “And one gentleman, I see. Welcome, sir.”

  He then gave a preliminary spiel, and suggested that they came out in fours to allow room for people to choose.

  “And then,” he continued, “we’ll break for coffee and have a little time for you to have another browse, in case you’ve remembered an auntie with a birthday coming up!”

  Then he introduced a good-looking redheaded model, who tried items on her creamy skin to show customers exactly how necklaces and earrings would look. The scheme worked well. Aurora helped out, wrapping purchases and advising doubters. When
all customers had had a chance to buy, Donald called for a coffee break. He and Aurora, and the model, whose name was Gloria, moved among the crowd as they were served, and chatted in a friendly way. They handed out advertising leaflets, and were well received.

  “They don’t push you to buy,” said Gran approvingly. “I’ll read this when I get home. Where’s the lone man that Donald Black welcomed? I should think he came in out of the rain and scarpered when he saw what he’d blundered into!”

  “It’s not raining,” said Lois. “He’s still around somewhere. I reckon he is some kind of stooge, meant to infiltrate the crowd and encourage them.”

  “Trust you to be suspicious!” said Gran. “Come on, Josie. Let’s go and have another look before we leave.”

  They walked off, leaving Lois to her coffee, and in a few seconds, Aurora came and sat beside her.

  “Are you enjoying yourself?” she said. “It’s a good crowd, and Donald is pleased.”

  “Who’s the single bloke? I see he’s still here. Is he with one of the women?”

  Aurora looked embarrassed. “No, he’s one of the business employees. Peter Fountain. Same family as Sylvia. A sort of security guard. We do get shoplifters sometimes. It’s quite easy for a skilled operator to slide a piece of jewellery into a waiting handbag!”

  “Has it happened this evening?”

  “Don’t know yet. I don’t think so. Would you like some more coffee?”

  “No thanks. We must be off soon. Gran has spotted a butterfly brooch and Josie fancies a bracelet, so when all that’s done, we’ll be on our way. An enjoyable evening, anyway, Aurora, and Donald seems quite better from his funny turn.”

  Aurora nodded. “Thanks for coming. Have you got a leaflet? You might like to have a go at what he suggests. Some of the women seem to be filling in the forms. See you later, Lois.”

  * * *

  Back home in Meade House, Gran showed Derek her brooch, and it was duly admired.

  “There’s this leaflet, Derek. You have a read of it and tell us what it says.” The print was quite small, and Gran was reluctant to admit that she needed new glasses.

  Derek took the leaflet and read it in silence. Then he frowned. “I reckon it’s one of them pyramid selling jobs,” he said. “This asks if you want to be a seller, like the Black bloke. You get lots of advice and help, and all you need to do is become a member, which means paying a membership fee, and buying a collection of jewellery and have parties, like him. And here’s the catch. They want you to enroll a couple of friends or interested customers into the scheme themselves.”

  “Oh Lord,” said Lois. “I don’t like the sound of that. I thought those kind of schemes were illegal. The man at the top gets off scot-free, with a sizeable loot, and by the time you get to the bottom of the pyramid, you can be deeply in debt. We shall have nothing to do with it, Mum.”

  Gran did not like being told what to do, and so said she would give it some careful thought. She quite fancied the idea, she said. “I’d be good at selling,” she said. “Remember Woolworths, Lois? You and me had our regular customers and did really well. You on confectionary and me on jewellery. I had the brains and you the beauty!”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Mother! There’s a lot of difference between weighing out a quarter of aniseed balls and dealing in expensive jewellery.”

  “Quite right,” said Derek. “And it’s not the jewellery that’s at the heart of it, though you’d have to buy it from Donald Black. It’s deceiving people into committing themselves to a scheme that gets to be impossible in the end, and you’d end up in debt.”

  Gran was not convinced. She took back the leaflet. “Well, it looks good to me. There’s pictures here of women who’ve made a small fortune for themselves and enjoyed it in the process. Look, Lois.”

  “I’ve looked. Give it to me, and I’ll put it in the bin.”

  Gran was having none of it, and retired to her bedroom, taking the leaflet with her.

  ELEVEN

  Next morning, as soon as Lois sat down in her office chair, the phone rang.

  “Mrs. M? It’s Dot here. Did you go to that jewellery knees-up last night?”

  “Yes, we did. Bought one or two things. They were really nice. Didn’t see you there.”

  “I went late. They were starting to pack up, but were very nice and helpful. Your friend Aurora is especially pleasant. I reckon he’d be lost without her. Anyway, when I’d bought a pair of earrings, they gave me this leaflet. Did you get one? I must say I’m tempted to have a go. Once you’ve paid your membership fee, it looks foolproof. I haven’t seen one of these things since I bought that plastic kitchen stuff that was all the go. What did you think?”

  “I think I’ve got enough to do, what with New Brooms and the family. Jamie’s home for four weeks, and we want to see as much as possible of him. We’re going to a recital he’s giving in Birmingham next week.”

  “I notice you don’t mention ferretin’. That’s why I’ve called you.”

  Lois’s voice changed. “Have you got something on Donald Black? You’ve hardly had time to talk to your Nimmos.”

  “Can I come and see you? I’m not happy about the phone. You never know when somebody’s listening in.”

  “Dot! The days are long past when the telephonist on the local switchboard put down her knitting to listen to calls! But yes, come over this afternoon. About three?”

  Dot agreed and ended the call. Lois picked up a letter of complaint that had come in from a man who said Floss had stolen all his savings when she was dusting his bedroom. She sighed. She had considered ending New Brooms contract with this customer. Every week he had a complaint. He was elderly and living alone, and she felt sorry for him. But accusing a cleaner of stealing money was not on, and she made a note to call in on him later. She knew that by the time she went, he would have forgotten all about it and deny it hotly. But still, the poor old sod was lonely, so she decided to tell Floss to ignore it and carry on as usual.

  She put the letter down and sat back in her chair. The jewellery party had obviously been a success, and the model had talked interestingly about her training for the catwalk. But how many more women had been tempted by the seller scheme? She thought of Aurora, a quiet, sensible and, she was sure, completely trustworthy friend. But she was also the wife of Donald Black, who was always jolly and charming . . . Or was he? What was that last phone call all about? He had sounded bullying and unpleasant. And Aurora was frightened. Maybe they had had a row about Milly not coming home? Possible.

  Lois sighed again. Did all this mean she had to have a serious conversation with Aurora, or should she mind her own business and let them get on with it? Never come between man and wife, Gran said often, and she was right, nine times out of ten. Was this the tenth? She shook her head. Dot was coming this afternoon, and perhaps she would have the answer.

  Lois stood up and went to the window to look down the street. Not much happening. A small group of children from the school was out on a nature ramble. A car drew up outside, and she watched the door open. It was Douglas, and then Jamie got out of the passenger side. He saw her at the window and waved. She cheered up at once. Her boys! It was so seldom they were together, and still getting on well.

  Jamie had become friendly with a girl reporter on the local newspaper, and their friendship had survived, although interrupted by one or two other girls and in spite of his constant travelling and her reluctance to give up her job and follow him. Derek had had a quiet word with his son and told him to get moving and hitch the girl up before someone else got there before him. Lois was amused, and wondered if Jamie had come home to pop the question.

  Lunch was a lively occasion, with Gran and her grandsons and Derek and Lois enjoying it all. After they’d finished and were sitting watching a match on the telly, Lois asked Douglas if he could spare a minute in her office.

  �
�What’s up, Mum?” he said, as she closed the office door. “All this hush-hush stuff?”

  * * *

  “So,” said Gran, when he emerged. “What has our own private investigator wanted from you, Douglas?”

  “A bit embarrassing, Gran. What used to be called ‘flies undone’ and me a chief executive of an important company! Good old Mum. Bless her. Whoever invented zips should be throttled.”

  TWELVE

  After Douglas and Jamie had gone, Lois said Dot would be coming for a quick talk at three, and after that she would be going over to Brigham to collect the bread. Would Gran like to come for a drive? Gran accepted with alacrity. She did not get many such invitations from Lois, but accepted that most of Lois’s expeditions were to do with New Brooms, or ferretin’.

  “I’ll change me shoes, and then I’ll be ready,” she said. “It’ll be nice to see your friend Aurora again. She was a great help at the jewellery party.”

  “One thing, Mother,” Lois said. “No mention of you being interested in becoming a seller. Steer well clear of that one.”

  Gran agreed meekly. She omitted to mention that she had the leaflet safe in her pocket.

  * * *

  Dot arrived promptly at three o’clock, and joined Lois in her study. She was unsmiling and not her usual bouncy self.

  “What’s up, then, Dot?” said Lois.

  “It’s that Donald Black. You know you asked me to see if my shady relations knew anything about him? Well, they did. Mostly because the chiropodist that he worked for a while is none other than my cousin-in-law, Elgar Windrush. Lovely name, ain’t it, Mrs. M?”

  Lois nodded, not sure where this was leading.

  “Well, Mister Sparkly Black was discovered with his hand in the till. Not as such, but he did the books for my cousin, and when the tax man requested an interview, they discovered Donald had adjusted the profits, siphoning off some for himself.”