A Death in the Loch by Caroline Dunford

Author:Caroline Dunford [Dunford, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Retail
ISBN: 178375527X
Publisher: Accent Press
Published: 2014-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

[9] Which, given his socks were red and orange, was not very much.

Chapter Thirteen:

The police come and go – and are not liked very much

It was a house at odds that went to bed that night. One of the men had decided the police should be called. Given the secrecy of this meeting, I had half expected the mysterious Mr Edward, the largely British-based counterpart to Fitzroy to turn up, but the only man summoned was the local bobby. He arrived on a wobbly bicycle very late after dinner.

The constable who appeared could not have been more than nineteen. He had unfortunate carrotty red hair, an extremely freckled complexion, and buck teeth. He did not inspire confidence. First of all he spoke to ‘them upstairs’ as he was later to refer to Bertram and his guests. By the way he descended on the kitchen, he had formed the strong impression from whatever had been said to him that those below stairs were responsible for the missing Miss Flowers.

He gathered Merry, Rory, Jock, Susan, and me in the kitchen. The bootboy with remarkable sense had retreated to one of his secret hiding places.

‘All I am saying is that it will go easier on yous if you ’fess up now.’ The constable planted his feet wide apart, held his notebook open, licked his pencil, and waited confidently for one of us to confess.

I could practically feel Rory beside me straightening his spine and looking down in astonishment at this creature before him.

Merry, candid as ever, said, ‘You’ve got to be bleedin’ kidding! None of us have done nuffink!’

Susan put her hands on her hips and said, ‘If you don’t start behaving with a bit more respect I’ll be having words with your mother, young Derek McClintock.’ Then she added her master stroke. ‘Why, I remember you when you were only a wee bairn in smelly nappies. Come to think of it, I probably changed a few for your Ma.’ She gave him a look that suggested she remembered those days all too well.

But ‘wee’ McClintock was made of stern stuff. He licked his pencil again and flicked through his notebook. ‘From what I’ve been informed by them upstairs, you,’ he jabbed his pencil suddenly at Merry, ‘the lady in question had demanded your dismissal after your abysmal service.’

‘It were an accident,’ exclaimed Merry hotly. ‘And who the ʼell said I was abysmal!’

But young Derek had not finished. ‘You are her best friend,’ he said turning his pointy pencil at me next, and gesturing at Merry. ‘Thick as thieves by all accounts. Always have each other’s backs.’

‘This is preposterous,’ began Rory.

‘Now, I’m not saying it might not have started out as a prank. I understand the lady in question was young, pretty, and doing extremely well for herself despite her lower-class beginnings. It would be easy to see how someone who’d had a much harder life … you, for instance, Mrs Simpson!’ And he swung his pencil at Susan.

Jock growled loudly. ‘If you’re thinking of swinging your wee pencil in my direction, laddie, think again.

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