lawyer’s, but don’t mention the money. Tell him you don’t want anything from me. Get it!” So I went along with it.’
‘But you surely had a lawyer of your own.’
‘There was one in the same building.’
‘Who are these lawyers?’
‘Crumley, Fatch and Blinder.’
‘And where are they?’
‘They’re out in the industrial estate. Lot thirty-one.’
‘That’s a damned odd place for lawyers’ offices. But you produced the divorce papers when you went to register your marriage to Tom Richards.’
‘That’s the oddest thing. I couldn’t find them anywhere. I asked Gary and he said he gave them to me and I must have lost them. My passport was still in my maiden name and Bunchie said that and my birth certificate would be enough.’
‘Didn’t you go to the lawyer and ask for a copy?’
‘Bunchie said there was no need to bother.’
‘When Gary gave you the ten thousand, where did he get it from? Did he have a safe?’
‘Nothing like that. He just produced an envelope. He said he wanted the house for himself.’
‘And where did Bunchie really meet you?’
‘At the supermarket. I knew the money wouldn’t last all that long these days. I got a room at the Y.’
‘Amy, think carefully. Gary did not earn much as a copper. How could he be getting extra money?’
‘I dunno. He kept telling me he was doing a lot of overtime.’ Amy waved her slim arm and a heavy silver bracelet with several objects dangling from it flashed in the electric light.
‘Here’s an odd thing. May I see your bracelet?’
‘Okay. I had a friend make it up for me. She’s ever so clever. She just uses all little odd bits of silver.’
Agatha studied the bracelet carefully, turning it in her fingers. ‘There’s a key here,’ she said. ‘An odd-shaped key. It looks like my bank deposit key.’
‘Well, I never.’
‘Where did Gary bank?’
‘I think it was at the Mircester and General.’
‘Did Gary make a will?’
‘Yes, I’ve got a copy of it somewhere. It’s one of those wills you do yourself. He left everything to me, but under my maiden name, Amy Tubb. He said he made it out just before we got married.’
‘And your passport is still in your maiden name?’
‘Yes, I never got around to changing it.’
‘Right. Get your coat. We’ll try the bank first. Bring the will and the death certificate and your passport.’
Agatha waited impatiently while Amy teetered about on her high heels, opening and shutting drawers. Eventually she found everything in a file in the bottom drawer of her husband’s desk.
Chapter Five
Once in the office, relieved to find it deserted except for Mrs Freedman, Toni turned to the secretary. ‘Mrs Freedman, I’ve given Agatha a month’s notice. Should I type out a letter?’
‘Oh, dear. If she knows, then I don’t think you should bother. Where will you go?’
‘Probably to another detective agency or maybe to the police.’
Mrs Freedman peered over her spectacles at Toni. ‘There isn’t another agency around to match this one. If you join one of the lesser ones, it’ll be dogsbody work, you being so young. Then, there’s the police. Off to Hendon or somewhere for training. Maybe refused on the grounds of your colour.’
‘What?’
‘One of my nephews got turned down. Gloucester police have to take a quota of Asians and Jamaicans and so on. Ethnic diversity, it’s called. He’s with the transport police in London now. Even if you got a job here, don’t judge them by Bill Wong. Lot of chauvinist pigs, that’s what they are. If you keep them off, they’ll damn you as a lesbian and start putting nasty things in your locker.’
‘Mrs Freedman, I think your loyalty to Agatha is why you are making things up.’
‘Yes, loyalty’s a great thing,’ said Mrs Freedman. She put her glasses back on her small nose and began typing again.
Agatha rang Toni and told her that she was with Amy and that they would meet her in the square. Although she felt
‘But you surely had a lawyer of your own.’
‘There was one in the same building.’
‘Who are these lawyers?’
‘Crumley, Fatch and Blinder.’
‘And where are they?’
‘They’re out in the industrial estate. Lot thirty-one.’
‘That’s a damned odd place for lawyers’ offices. But you produced the divorce papers when you went to register your marriage to Tom Richards.’
‘That’s the oddest thing. I couldn’t find them anywhere. I asked Gary and he said he gave them to me and I must have lost them. My passport was still in my maiden name and Bunchie said that and my birth certificate would be enough.’
‘Didn’t you go to the lawyer and ask for a copy?’
‘Bunchie said there was no need to bother.’
‘When Gary gave you the ten thousand, where did he get it from? Did he have a safe?’
‘Nothing like that. He just produced an envelope. He said he wanted the house for himself.’
‘And where did Bunchie really meet you?’
‘At the supermarket. I knew the money wouldn’t last all that long these days. I got a room at the Y.’
‘Amy, think carefully. Gary did not earn much as a copper. How could he be getting extra money?’
‘I dunno. He kept telling me he was doing a lot of overtime.’ Amy waved her slim arm and a heavy silver bracelet with several objects dangling from it flashed in the electric light.
‘Here’s an odd thing. May I see your bracelet?’
‘Okay. I had a friend make it up for me. She’s ever so clever. She just uses all little odd bits of silver.’
Agatha studied the bracelet carefully, turning it in her fingers. ‘There’s a key here,’ she said. ‘An odd-shaped key. It looks like my bank deposit key.’
‘Well, I never.’
‘Where did Gary bank?’
‘I think it was at the Mircester and General.’
‘Did Gary make a will?’
‘Yes, I’ve got a copy of it somewhere. It’s one of those wills you do yourself. He left everything to me, but under my maiden name, Amy Tubb. He said he made it out just before we got married.’
‘And your passport is still in your maiden name?’
‘Yes, I never got around to changing it.’
‘Right. Get your coat. We’ll try the bank first. Bring the will and the death certificate and your passport.’
Agatha waited impatiently while Amy teetered about on her high heels, opening and shutting drawers. Eventually she found everything in a file in the bottom drawer of her husband’s desk.
Chapter Five
Once in the office, relieved to find it deserted except for Mrs Freedman, Toni turned to the secretary. ‘Mrs Freedman, I’ve given Agatha a month’s notice. Should I type out a letter?’
‘Oh, dear. If she knows, then I don’t think you should bother. Where will you go?’
‘Probably to another detective agency or maybe to the police.’
Mrs Freedman peered over her spectacles at Toni. ‘There isn’t another agency around to match this one. If you join one of the lesser ones, it’ll be dogsbody work, you being so young. Then, there’s the police. Off to Hendon or somewhere for training. Maybe refused on the grounds of your colour.’
‘What?’
‘One of my nephews got turned down. Gloucester police have to take a quota of Asians and Jamaicans and so on. Ethnic diversity, it’s called. He’s with the transport police in London now. Even if you got a job here, don’t judge them by Bill Wong. Lot of chauvinist pigs, that’s what they are. If you keep them off, they’ll damn you as a lesbian and start putting nasty things in your locker.’
‘Mrs Freedman, I think your loyalty to Agatha is why you are making things up.’
‘Yes, loyalty’s a great thing,’ said Mrs Freedman. She put her glasses back on her small nose and began typing again.
Agatha rang Toni and told her that she was with Amy and that they would meet her in the square. Although she felt
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