Read Online Witch Is When Things Fell Apart by Adele Abbott - Free Book Online Page B

entered a speed knitting competition before, but I expect G will win. She wins everything.”
     
    As promised, the friendly concierge had called to let me know the young man and woman from floors one and two were back in residence. I was just about to go over there to see them when I heard someone come into the outer office. I didn’t have any appointments—maybe Luther had more questions? I lived in hope.
    “There’s a Detective Shay to see you,” Mrs V said.
    “Who’s he?”
    “ She works with Detective Maxwell apparently.”
    The floozy. “Send her in.”
    Detective Shay looked as though she’d just done sucking on a lemon.
    “Jill Gooder.” I forced a smile.
    “Detective Susan Shay.”
    I began to laugh, but then caught myself.
    “Something funny?” Detective Shay didn’t wait to be invited to take a seat.
    “Sorry, no nothing. Susan, did you say?”
    She nodded.
    “Sue Shay, Sushi?” I grinned. “Sorry, I imagine you get that a lot.”
    “What?” She looked puzzled.
    “Nothing. Sorry. What can I do for you today, Susan?”
    “Detective Shay.”
    So, that’s how you want to play it, eh? “How can I help, Detective Shay ?”
    “I’m working with Detective Maxwell.”
    “Yes, I noticed that you seemed to be hard at it the other day in the coffee shop.”
    “When you were hiding in the next booth?”
    Touché. “I wasn’t hiding, like I said to Jack—”
    “It doesn’t matter. I just want to get a few things straight.”
    She should have started with her hair. No one was going to take her seriously with those curls.
    “I worked with Detective Maxwell for six years in Camberley.”
    Worked? Just worked?
    “We made a great team until he requested a transfer.”
    “After the Camberley kidnap?”
    “You know about that?”
    I nodded.
    “Then you’ll understand why we don’t need an amateur P.I. interfering in our work. Stick to the things you’re good at: unfaithful partners, missing dogs.”
    Turning you into a toad? My natural instinct was to tell her where she could shove her blonde curls, but I didn’t want to give her ammunition to use against me with Maxwell.
    “I know what happened in Camberley,” I said. “Jack and I have discussed it. I would never do anything which would endanger someone’s life. Wherever possible, I’ll keep him posted of—”
    “From now on, you deal with me.”
    “Does that come from Jack?”
    “No, it comes from me.”
    I’d had quite enough of Sushi. “If that’s everything, I have an appointment.”
    She stood up. “What’s that ugly thing?”
    Winky had been fast asleep under my desk, and had only now decided to see what all the noise was about.
    “Winky isn’t ugly. He just has eye issues.”
    “You should put some kind of warning on the door. If someone had a dicky heart—”
    “Thank you for coming to see me today, Detective.”
    “Just remember what I said.”
    “Who does she think she’s calling ugly?” Winky said, after she’d left. “Did you see her hair?”
     
    I took the lift to the first floor. The papers had mentioned that Darcy James was a part time model. She didn’t look much like one today, with her oversize curlers, jogging bottoms and green face pack.
    “Who are you?” she said.
    “My name is Jill Gooder.” I flashed my card quickly in front of her face. “I’d like to ask you a few questions about the murder.”
    “I’ve already told your people everything I know.”
    Hey, if she thought I was the police, who was I to correct her?
    “I just have a couple of questions. It won’t take long.”
    “I suppose you’d better come in.” She sighed, and took a seat on the sofa.
    It’s okay, I’ll stand.
    “You were in the lift when the murder took place?”
    “Yeah, but I didn’t see anything. Not until he dropped down dead.”
    “Did you know the victim?”
    “I’d seen him around, but we’d never spoken.”
    “Not even a ‘good morning’?”
    “No.”
    Probably too busy checking her