Read Online The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine - Free Book Online Page B

Why exactly would a
jacket
cause trouble?’
    Mr Cooper interjected at this point, to Sophie’s relief: ‘We have rules here about appearances, Sergeant. Mr Sinclair is particularly keen that employees are always well turned out. It is an important principle of the business. There are small penalties – fines and so forth – imposed for untidiness.’ He turned to Sophie, ‘I believe I know who you’re talking about. One of our apprentices, gentlemen – a bright young lad, but unfortunately a little slapdash. I had cause to have a few words with him yesterday and no doubt he was nervous about this incident coming to my attention. Is that right, Sophie?’
    Sophie’s heart was beginning to thump apprehensively. ‘Yes . . .’ she said reluctantly, hating the thought that she might have got Billy into trouble.
    Gregson shook his head, as if the whole situation was quite incomprehensible to him. ‘Very well. Cooper, what is this boy’s name?’
    ‘Billy Parker.’
    ‘Any relation to Sidney Parker?’
    ‘Yes, indeed. His nephew.’
    Gregson nodded curtly and turned back to Sophie, fixing his gaze upon her once more. ‘So you went back to the store. How did you get in?’
    ‘The staff entrance was locked but the side door in the stable-yard was still open. I went in that way.’
    ‘And what time was this?’
    ‘I’m not sure exactly. I don’t have a watch. I should say around half past six, maybe a little later.’
    ‘Hmmm. And then what happened?’
    ‘I went in, got the jacket from upstairs in the Millinery Department and came straight down again. I saw Mr Cooper on my way out and then I left and went home.’
    Gregson leaned back in his chair and contemplated her coldly. ‘What do you know about the exhibition of Mr Sinclair’s jewels?’ he asked, suddenly.
    ‘Very little. I didn’t have anything to do with it. I’d only read what was in the newspaper. I didn’t have a chance to go and look at it. We were very busy getting everything ready for this morning.’
    ‘But Mr Cooper here tells us that you were in the Exhibition Hall last night.’
    ‘Yes, but only for a moment, on my way out of the shop.’
    ‘That’s not usually the way staff come in and out of the building, is it?’
    ‘No,’ Sophie said, keeping her head held high. Sergeant Gregson’s eyes seemed to bore into her. ‘The back stairs were rather dark. I was a little nervous, so I went the other way.’
    ‘But you weren’t too “nervous” to go and look at the exhibition?’
    ‘It caught my attention for a moment, that was all. It was the little bird – the clockwork sparrow. But then I saw Mr Cooper and I left.’
    ‘The sparrow, eh? That interested you?’
    Was he trying to trip her up? She shook her head vigorously. ‘Not especially. It just happened to catch my attention for a second or two. I thought it was pretty.’
    ‘I’m sure you did,’ said the Sergeant witheringly. ‘Now tell me, Miss Taylor: what exactly is your relationship with the injured man, Albert Jones? I understand you are, er . . .
romantically
involved. Is that the case?’
    ‘No!’ Sophie exclaimed, half rising in her seat. ‘That is not the case! I barely know him!’
    ‘Please, Miss Taylor. There is no need to upset yourself. I am simply repeating what I have been told. Several people have reported that you spoke with him earlier that day in the refectory.’
    ‘He spoke to me – yes. But before that, we had barely exchanged two words!’
    ‘And yet it was a conversation of a personal nature?’
    ‘He asked me to walk out with him,’ she said tightly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. ‘But I made it perfectly clear that I didn’t want to. That was all – and you can ask anyone who was there, and they will tell you that’s all that happened.’
    ‘And you mean to say that this was the only time you spoke to him?’
    ‘I suppose we might have spoken once or twice during our training; I don’t remember. And I did speak to