The Marlow Murder Club

by Robert Thorogood

  Liz’s face fell as soon as she saw Judith.

  ‘Oh it’s you,’ she said.

  ‘Hello, Liz,’ Suzie said.

  Liz was even more dismayed to see Suzie standing next to Judith.

  ‘Hello, Suzie,’ Liz said, turning her back on the women and heading over to a metal samovar that was on a trestle table next to some tea things. ‘Are you looking to make a booking?’

  ‘Not on this occasion,’ Judith said, glancing at Suzie. Both women could see how guiltily Liz was acting.

  ‘You see,’ Suzie said, ‘my friend here wants to know why you keep running away from her.’

  ‘What’s that?’ Liz said as she poured herself a cup of tea, still keeping her back to the women.

  ‘Are you saying you didn’t run away from me in the field?’ Judith asked.

  Liz didn’t reply immediately. But once she’d stirred her tea and put her teaspoon down, she finally turned around.

  ‘What’s that?’ she said, as if she’d not heard.

  ‘I saw you in Stefan’s garden two days after he died,’ Judith said. ‘And in a field the day after that. Both times you ran away from me. I want to know why.’

  Liz took a gulp of her tea and then headed over to the reception desk. It was obvious she was trying to buy herself time.

  ‘No, I’m sorry but I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said.

  ‘But we saw each other—’

  ‘I said I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Liz said again, and Judith and Suzie could see that she was trying to hide her panic.

  ‘Oh,’ Judith said. ‘Are you saying you didn’t go to Stefan Dunwoody’s house after he died?’

  ‘That’s right. I don’t even know who Stefan Dunwoody is,’ Liz said. ‘I’ve never heard that name before. Now do you want to make a booking, or do I have to ask you to leave?’

  ‘What about Iqbal Kassam?’ Suzie asked.

  Liz took a moment before answering the question.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Iqbal Kassam. The taxi driver who was murdered the other day.’

  ‘Yes, I read about that in the papers. It’s horrible. But why are you asking me?’

  ‘We want to know if you know him.’

  Liz’s eyes widened in surprise as she guessed why Suzie had asked the question.

  ‘What on earth are you suggesting?’

  ‘We’re not suggesting anything, we’re just asking if you know him.’

  ‘Of course I don’t. Why would I take a taxi when I’ve got a perfectly good car of my own? I have to say that I resent you coming in here and making insinuations.’

  ‘I’m sorry?’ Suzie said.

  ‘I don’t know why you’re asking me all these questions about those dead men.’

  ‘I think you know well enough.’

  ‘I don’t.’

  ‘Then let me say one word to you. Crumble.’

  Liz looked like she’d been slapped in the face.

  ‘Because we both know what you did to that poor dog,’ Suzie added.

  ‘I didn’t do anything to him.’

  ‘You killed him.’

  ‘You can’t say that!’ Liz yelped, tears forming in her eyes as a combination of fear, guilt and confusion seemed to overwhelm her all at once.

  ‘You killed him because you never wanted him. Because he was too expensive!’

  ‘You’ve got to believe me, you’re right I never wanted him when Dad died. I knew a dog wouldn’t fit with our lives. And he was expensive, it’s true. But that’s because we’ve got no money. I loved Crumble. Surely you know that? I was distraught when he went missing. We made posters, stuck them to lampposts, it was about the worst time of my life. How on earth can you say I killed him? I’m sorry, you’re not doing this to me. Not today. Not now.’

  Before Judith or Suzie could say anything more, Liz turned and scurried out of the Portakabin.

  ‘Guilty as charged,’ Suzie said to her friend.

  ‘You know what,’ Judith said, ‘I think I agree with you.’

  The two women emerged into the sunshine just in time to see Liz getting into a battered vehicle. It was the same maroon-coloured car that Judith had seen Liz driving when they’d met in the field, once again confirming that it had indeed been Liz she’d encountered. They watched as she drove out onto the main road, and, with a squeal of wheels and a loud bang as her exhaust backfired, the car turned right and disappeared in the direction of Marlow town.

  ‘Now that’s what I call an exit,’ Suzie said.

  ‘Where do you think she’s going?’

  ‘She’s in a hurry, wherever it is.’

  ‘And why would she deny meeting me? That’s the car I saw her driving.’

  ‘Because she’s the killer.’

  ‘Yes, it’s how it looks, isn’t it? Although, if she were the killer, you’d have thought she’d have prepared her answers a bit better. I mean, I saw her twice. She and I both know I did. So why didn’t she come up with a story to explain her running away? Something like how she mistook me for someone else. Or how she was lost the first time I saw her at Stefan’s, and she was embarrassed and ran away the second time.’

  Judith looked around for further inspiration and saw a man in dark green overalls doing some work to a canoe down by the river’s edge.

  ‘You know who that is?’ she asked.

  ‘An employee?’

  ‘Then I suggest we have a quick word with him, don’t you? I think we should find out a bit more about our recently departed hostess.’

  As Judith approached the man, she could see that he was tall and rather plump, his midriff in particular seemed to strain against the cotton of his overalls. Something of a beer drinker, she thought to herself as she called out a hello.

  The man had been attending to a rack of old canoes, and he stood up from his work, a spanner in his hand.

  ‘Hi,’ he said.

  ‘Sorry to interrupt, but could we ask a few questions?’

  ‘Sure. What about?’

  ‘Do you work for Liz Curtis?’

  The man smiled.

  ‘You could say that. I’m her husband. Danny Curtis.’

  Danny offered his hand, and the women introduced themselves.

  ‘So how can I help you?’ he asked.

  ‘I wonder if you can. You see, I’m Stefan Dunwoody’s neighbour. I live on the other side of the river to him. And a bit downstream.’

  ‘Sure, I know you. You’ve got that pile just before Hurley Lock. I see you from time to time in your garden when I’m out on the river. He died recently, didn’t he? But the papers are now saying he was murdered, aren’t they? Which is kind of hard to believe. Here in Marlow.’

  ‘That’s right. Can I ask, did you or your wife know Stefan Dunwoody?’

  ‘Can’t say I did. But Liz knew him.’

  Judith and Suzie caught each other’s eyes.

  ‘She did?’

  ‘He ran the art gallery, didn’t he? Liz is always hanging out there.’

  ‘She knew him well?’

  ‘I don’t know I’d go that far. But she’d pop in for a chat with him when we were shopping in town.’

  ‘That’s interesting. Do you know if she ever visited his house?’

  ‘His home? No. I don’t suppose she knows where he lives.’

  ‘Was it possible she visited his house last Saturday?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. You’ll have to ask her. But I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea. Even if Liz was friendly with Stefan, it’s not like she ever bought anything from him. I mean, look at this place. We don’t have the cash for fine art.’

  As he said this, Danny nodded at the tired buildings of the rowing centre.

  ‘Yes, I was wondering about that,’ Judith said. ‘Where is everyone? With it being the summer holidays, I’d have thought you’d have kids galore out on the river in your canoes.’

  Danny sighed. ‘We’re still trying to get this place back on track after the fl
oods.’

  Judith knew the Thames had broken its banks a number of times through the winter. As her garden was sloped, her house hadn’t been threatened, but there’d been plenty of days when her boathouse and garden had flooded.

  ‘All of this was underwater,’ Danny said, indicating the buildings of the rowing centre. ‘And then the place was a mudbath once the waters receded. It was the toughest winter we’ve had in decades. We put out a call to the local community to help clear up. And people came, but there was only so much they could do. It’s been about as tough a time as we’ve ever had. And we’ve had tough times.’

  ‘You frequently get flooded?’

  ‘Liz’s dad used to say, when he first built this place, they weren’t flooded one year in ten. Now it seems to happen every year.’

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

  ‘Our facilities still aren’t back up to what they should be, so we’re limited to the number of people we can have on site on any given day. And there’s only Liz and me here. The plan was to fix things over the summer, hope we survive another winter, and then hit the ground running next spring.’

  ‘That sounds tough,’ Suzie said, and Judith could see that there was something of a bond between her and Danny. They both knew what it was like to have to work hard.

  ‘Liz is a good Christian. Goes to church every Sunday. Which is more than I do. But what we’ve had to put up with here has tested even her. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to get these canoes to Nottingham tonight for training.’

  ‘Training?’ Judith said, unable to stop herself from glancing at Danny’s portly frame.

  Danny laughed.

  ‘Not me. The Youth GB squad. I coach them. They’re based in Nottingham.’

  ‘You train the GB team?’ Suzie said, impressed.

  ‘It’s the youth team, and there are a few coaches, but yes, I’m involved.’

  ‘Then we’ll take up no more of your time,’ Judith said. ‘Thank you so much for talking to us.’

  Judith and Suzie turned to leave, but Judith stopped after a few paces as it occurred to her that if Liz had lied to them about knowing Stefan, then maybe there was something else she’d lied about as well.

  ‘One last thing,’ she said, turning back to Danny. ‘Did you or your wife know that taxi driver who was shot?’

  ‘What’s that?’ Danny asked.

  ‘Iqbal Kassam.’

  Danny was puzzled by the question, but he nodded his head.

  ‘I suppose so. I mean, I never met him, but we used him a couple of weeks ago. Our car was at the garage and we had to do our shopping, so we booked Iqbal to take us to the supermarket and back. He seemed like a nice guy when I spoke to him on the phone.’

  ‘He was, wasn’t he,’ Suzie agreed.

  ‘Oh, you knew him?’

  ‘I was his dog walker.’

  ‘And is it true what the papers are saying? That someone shot him as well?’

  ‘That’s what they’re saying,’ Judith said, not wishing to reveal how close to the case she and Suzie were.

  ‘Christ,’ Danny said. ‘It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?’

  ‘You don’t by any chance have any idea who might have wanted him dead?’

  ‘Me? No, I never met him. But you should ask Liz. She was the one who took the taxi.’

  ‘It was your wife who used Iqbal?’

  ‘It’s Liz who does the shopping.’

  ‘How many times has she used him?’

  ‘I don’t know, just that once I think. Why are you asking?’

  ‘And how long was she with him?’

  ‘A couple of hours. It’s like I said. He took her up to the Handy Cross Asda. Waited while she went shopping. Drove her back. But I don’t understand. Why are you so interested?’

  ‘We’re trying to work out what happened,’ Judith said, deciding, as ever, that honesty was the best policy.

  Danny frowned as he considered this. ‘Isn’t that a job that’s better left to the police?’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry,’ Judith said with a smile, ‘the police know full well what we’re doing.’

  ‘They do?’ Danny looked sceptical, and then shrugged. ‘If you want to know more about your taxi driver or your neighbour, go and have a word with my wife. She’ll be somewhere around here.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Judith said. ‘If we see her, we will.’

  Judith thanked Danny again for his help, wished him all the best with his coaching in Nottingham that night, and she and Suzie left.

  Once they were out of earshot, Suzie said to Judith, ‘Liz lied to us.’

  ‘She did, didn’t she?’ Judith agreed.

  ‘She knew both Stefan and Iqbal.’

  ‘And yet she told us she knew neither man. Just like she denied being in Stefan’s garden. Or running away from me. She’s involved in this up to her neck, isn’t she?’

  ‘What made you think of asking Danny about Iqbal?’

  Judith paused, trying to work it out for herself.

  ‘I don’t know. I think it’s all my years of setting crosswords. You get used to making connections. And once Danny had confirmed that she’d lied to us about knowing Stefan … Now, I think we need to find out a bit more about Liz Curtis, don’t you?’

  ‘And how can we do that?’

  ‘Well, I couldn’t help noticing that Danny told us that Liz was a regular churchgoer, in which case, there’s one person I can think of …’

  ‘Of course!’ Suzie said, realising. ‘Becks.’

  Chapter 18

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Becks blurted as soon as she opened her front door and found Judith and Suzie outside.

  ‘Pleased to see you as well,’ Suzie said.

  ‘You can’t come here,’ Becks tried again, desperation in her eyes.

  ‘You don’t know why we’re here!’

  ‘I’ve got a very good idea, and you can’t bring your murders to the vicarage, what would Colin say?’

  ‘Firstly,’ Judith said, drawing herself up to her full but diminutive height, ‘these aren’t “our” murders. And secondly, if we can’t bring them to the vicarage, where can we bring them?’

  ‘Well, I’m sorry, but I can’t be seen talking about murder.’

  ‘Why not?’

  Becks was affronted, but for reasons she couldn’t quite specify.

  ‘Why not?’ Judith asked again.

  ‘Who is it, darling?’ a male voice called out from inside the house.

  ‘No one,’ Becks called. ‘They’re just going.’

  ‘We want to know about Liz Curtis,’ Suzie said.

  This caught Becks by surprise.

  ‘What do you want to know about Liz?’

  ‘Do you know her?’

  ‘Enough to say hello to after church on a Sunday. Why are you asking?’

  ‘Because as far as I can see, she could be our killer.’

  Becks’ eyes widened in amazement.

  ‘That’s not possible, she does yoga!’

  Judith wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly.

  ‘Are you saying people who do yoga can’t commit murder?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘Then maybe,’ Judith said, deciding to go in for the kill, ‘you could tell us all about Liz Curtis over a nice cup of tea?’

  Becks’ smile froze. As a true-born Englishwoman, she knew there were no circumstances under which she could ever refuse the request of a cup of tea.

  ‘What a lovely idea,’ she lied, and then invited the women in.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ Suzie said as she stepped into the house, ‘it’s like an advert!’

  Suzie was referring to the tasteful wallpaper, pictures and furniture in the hallway.

  ‘An advert?’ Becks asked, confused.

  ‘You know, like you get in magazines. But it’s not real. No one actually lives like this.’

  Becks smiled at what she mistook to be a compliment.

  ‘Thank you, that’s very kind of you. W
hy don’t you come through? Sorry about the mess,’ she said as she led the two women into a kitchen that didn’t contain a single mote of dust.

  ‘Wow,’ Suzie said in wonder.

  ‘It really is very clean,’ Judith agreed.

  ‘Do you clean your sink?’ Suzie said, going over to look at the sparkling metal sink.

  ‘Only when I’ve finished washing, I’m not obsessive.’

  Suzie turned to Judith and said, ‘She washes her sink.’

  Becks took up a bottle of spray cleaner, squirted it at an imaginary smear on the countertop and then wiped it away with a clean J-cloth.

  ‘Now who’d like tea? I’ve got caffeinated or decaffeinated?’

  ‘Normal tea’s good for me,’ Suzie said.

  ‘Black, green or Oolong?’

  ‘Oolong? What’s Oolong when it’s at home? Normal will do fine, thanks.’

  ‘Or how about herbal? We’ve got Rooibos or Chai?’

  ‘Just a cup of normal tea, milk, one sugar.’

  Becks dithered, knowing she still didn’t have enough information to proceed.

  ‘What is it?’ Suzie asked.

  ‘Cow’s milk?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Would you like cow’s milk in your tea or would you rather have soya? Or almond? Oat or coconut?’

  ‘Cow’s milk! Just an ordinary cup of tea with ordinary milk.’

  ‘Oh,’ Becks said, almost affronted, but also intrigued by the novelty of Suzie’s wishes. Ordinary tea with normal milk? It clearly hadn’t been heard of in the vicarage for a long time.

  As Becks got down the polka dot Emma Bridgewater teapot which matched the polka dot Emma Bridgewater cups, polka dot Emma Bridgewater saucers and polka dot Emma Bridgewater milk jug, Judith explained how they’d discovered that it had been Liz Curtis who’d visited Stefan’s property after he died, and who ran away from Judith after Iqbal was killed.

  ‘And the thing is,’ Suzie said, ‘when we asked her, she said she didn’t know Stefan or Iqbal, even though her husband Danny said that Liz knew Stefan to say hello to at least, and she’d also travelled in Iqbal’s taxi a couple of weeks ago.’

  ‘She lied to you?’ Becks said, not quite believing the other women.