A Burning Question by Rachel Amphlett

Author:Rachel Amphlett [Amphlett, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781915231499
Publisher: Saxon Publishing

NINE

Kay parked the pool car beside a pockmarked blue steel gate held open with a piece of thick rope, and shrugged her coat around her shoulders as she walked into the chandler’s yard.

To her right, closest to the river and taking up most of the space on the expansive concrete hardstanding were eight small- to medium-sized cabin cruisers and motorboats. Each had a printed sign fixed to its prow displaying the prices, and she realised that they were all secondhand rather than the new boats that jostled for space at the larger marina in Tonbridge.

On her left was a clutch of shipping containers in various colours, well worn with rust and chipped paint hanging off their sides, and it was next to the farthest one that she spotted a man in dark blue overalls, head bowed while he applied an angle grinder to a chunky metal rod.

Not wishing to be blinded by the sparks, she waited off to the side until the man moved and caught sight of her.

Immediately, the rod flickered out, and he raised his protective faceguard. ‘Help you?’

Kay raised her warrant card. ‘DC Hunter, Kent Police. Are you Morris Dagenham?’

‘I am.’ He paused to wipe grease-smeared hands with an even greasier rag and dropped the faceguard onto the workbench beside him. ‘This about the fires?’

‘And the vandalism before those.’

‘Terrible business.’ He gave a slight shake of his head, then beckoned to her. ‘Come on in. It’s warmer in the office – Louise, my wife, is here doing the book-keeping this morning so she’ll have the heater going full blast knowing her.’

He wasn’t wrong.

When Kay followed him into the cavernous workshop, eyeing the enormous fibreglass hull that took up most of the space, and then through to a box-like office sequestered at the back of the building, she was hit by a blast of hot air that was reminiscent of the heat emanating from the welding torch.

Morris slammed shut the door as soon as she entered. ‘Best to keep it in, otherwise the costs’ll go through the roof. Lou, this is Detective Hunter. She wanted to talk to us about the fires and all that.’

Kay turned her attention to the woman behind a chipped Formica table that served as the single desk in the cramped space while he moved towards an electric heater in the corner, turning down the dial before straightening.

The woman twisted her hair into a top knot, stuck a pencil through it and held out her hand. ‘Louise Dagenham. Do you want a cuppa?’

‘I wouldn’t normally accept, but…’

‘It’s bloody cold, and we’re having one, so don’t worry about formalities for goodness sakes.’ Louise was already moving towards a kettle, made small talk while it boiled, and then handed Kay a steaming mug of strong tea. ‘I’ve put a splash of cold in it so you can drink it straight away.’

‘Thanks.’ Kay warmed her hands around it, her watch catching the light from a large window that took up one side of the office and looked out over the River Medway below.

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