06 The Whitby Murders by J. R. Ellis

Author:J. R. Ellis
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781542017466
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2021-05-26T23:00:00+00:00

Vicar Lane and the streets near Kirkgate Market were bustling with people as Steph walked through Leeds city centre. A number of shops had window displays with witches, cobwebs, black cats and pumpkins, reflecting the nearness of Halloween. There seems to be no escape from the dark side, thought Steph, who had arrived back from gothic Whitby.

She made her way to a street behind Vicar Lane where there were a number of jewellers’ businesses and gold dealers. She reached one shop on the detective’s list, which was old and rather darkly lit with a fusty smell that reminded her of an old library. There was a dusty and faded window display, which looked as if it hadn’t been changed for some time. Inside, the shop seemed empty until an elderly, portly and bespectacled man appeared through a door that presumably led to a small workshop. His eye was still clutching a lens, but he removed it as he came to the counter. She presented her ID and explained her business.

The man’s lip curled when he heard Withington’s name. ‘Oh, that rogue! We were glad to see the back of him.’

‘Why?’

‘He gave us a bad name with his carrying on. A lot of the public are suspicious of us as it is; they think we’re out to cheat them, especially when it comes to buying and selling second-hand stuff.’

‘What did he do?’

‘He was devious. He told lies. He sold stuff that wasn’t genuine: rubies and emeralds; pretended there was more gold in something than there was. He was always one step ahead of the law. We knew what he was but it was difficult to prove it. If we’d had any hard evidence we would have gone to the police.’

Steph looked at the rings and other jewellery in the cabinet beneath the counter. On top of the counter was an eye glass and some old-fashioned brass jeweller’s scales. This was a long-standing and proud profession, which was reliant on trust. Cheating of the kind Withington indulged in was hugely damaging.

‘That son of his was no better,’ continued the jeweller.

‘I understand he was the one who might have procured the things his father sold.’

‘Probably. I also saw a woman there once or twice.’

‘A woman. Do you know who she was?’

‘Someone said it was his niece. She was a student, I think, but she came up here in the holidays. I don’t know whether she was involved in the dodgy dealings, but you know students; they’re always short of money, aren’t they?’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you after him for something? I’d like to see him get what he deserves.’

‘Not exactly. Unfortunately, his niece has been murdered over in Whitby and we’re investigating his connection with her.’

The old man’s jaw dropped. ‘Good Lord! Well, I never thought of him as someone who would be violent, though I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone had gone for him.’

‘No, but where money’s concerned things can turn nasty, can’t they?’

‘Oh yes. Is that where he is? In Whitby?’

‘Yes.’

‘He’ll be into that Whitby jet, I imagine.

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