Read Online Chosen by Bill Kitson - Free Book Online Page B

got short of money, I reckon she wouldn’t have minded charging for it. She never touted it in the pub, though.’
    â€˜Naturally, because you’d have to tell her it was against the licensing laws and you’d have to ban her, wouldn’t you?’
    â€˜Of course I would, Inspector,’ Rawlings replied solemnly, acknowledging Nash’s sarcasm.
    â€˜Did you ever—?’ Nash let the question hang in the air.
    Rawlings smiled. ‘If I admit that, am I a suspect?’
    â€˜You’ve just as good as admitted it. You’re already a suspect, but by the sound of it you’ll not be short of company.’
    Rawlings said resignedly, ‘We did slip upstairs to my flat some
afternoons. Lizzie was good in bed and enjoyed it too. A genuine enthusiast.’
    â€˜Presumably only when there was no racing on telly?’
    There was a touch of pride in Rawlings’s voice when he replied. ‘Exactly; business before pleasure. I let everyone in the pub think I lose a lot, but in fact I make more money from gambling than I do from running this place. Last year I cleared £70,000 after tax.’
    â€˜So you’d be in a position to pay Lizzie, if she charged for it?’
    â€˜Lizzie, and a few more besides. I may not be good looking but that doesn’t stop me wanting it, Mr Nash, and if there are women prepared to go to bed with me, why not?’ He shrugged. ‘And if they need money, again, why not? We’ve all got to make our way in this life the best we can.’
    â€˜Was Lizzie in the pub at lunchtime?’
    â€˜If she was, I didn’t see her, and I didn’t go upstairs until about two o’clock. The first race was at 2.15 and I’d a fair amount riding on it.’
    â€˜How did it go?’
    â€˜I backed the favourite. It won in a canter at 6/4. I cleared three thousand pounds.’
    â€˜So Lizzie might have been on her way here and got waylaid?’
    â€˜Could be,’ the landlord looked down at the dead woman. ‘Lizzie didn’t deserve this, I reckon.’
    â€˜Was the pub busy at lunchtime?’
    â€˜On a Tuesday, you must be joking. Just those you saw and half a dozen more. It’s hardly worth opening.’
    â€˜Then you’ll have no trouble remembering the names of the others then, the ones who scarpered before we arrived.’
    Rawlings shifted uneasily. ‘My regulars wouldn’t be happy me giving their names to the … police.’
    â€˜Perhaps they’d be happier having a couple of my officers sitting at the bar every night for a week or two, until I’m sure we’ve interviewed everyone?’ Nash suggested mildly.
    Rawlings looked horrified. ‘You drive a hard bargain.’ He raised his hands in mock surrender.
    â€˜Did Lizzie have any enemies you knew of?’
    â€˜If she did, she never told me. She was popular in the pub. Mind you, she’d been through most of the blokes at one time or another,
but it wasn’t serious with Lizzie, just recreational. I don’t think any of them bore her a grudge or would harm her.’
    â€˜What about their wives or girlfriends? Had she made anyone in particular jealous enough to want to hurt her?’
    Rawlings hesitated. ‘I couldn’t say for sure.’
    He was lying, Nash was sure of it. What was more, Rawlings knew he was aware of the fact. Nash detailed the officer to remain with the body and led Rawlings back inside. There, he found Pearce had joined Mironova and the two of them were taking details from the customers. ‘I’ll need you to come into the station and make a formal statement, but that can wait. You can go back to your racing if you want.’
    Rawlings glanced at his watch. ‘It’s okay; the last televized race is over.’
    â€˜We’re going to have to close the pub until the forensics people have finished,’ Nash warned him.
    Rawlings nodded resignedly. ‘I