Death Between the Pages by Beth Byers

Author:Beth Byers [Byers, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-01T06:00:00+00:00

“Are we taking her in?” Constable Rogers asked a good hour later. They’d found only a large branch with blood on it. There was no sign of a weapon but there was no question Hobbs had been stabbed with something.

“Where did you find the branch?” Joseph asked instead of answering.

“A ways down that path,” Rogers replied. “Just because we didn’t find the weapon yet doesn’t mean we won’t.” No doubt the constable was wondering why Joseph hadn’t taken the girl in already.

“We need to talk to her,” Joseph replied, “before we come to any conclusions. Was there a blood trail from where you found it?”

Rogers nodded and then said, “Hard to believe that the quiet little thing could be responsible for a crime so vicious. I guess you never know what’s going on behind the eyes of the quiet ones.”

Joseph didn’t reply. He stared at the houses. The end of the lane had Thorland Farm on one side with their property rolling out behind them. On the other side was the trio of small cottages that were tucked into a clearing. There was a good stretch of trees before the next round of houses, but that didn’t mean that it was hard to travel from those houses to the little back garden where Warren Hobbs had been found.

“What’s over that way?” Joseph pointed towards the area behind the back garden.

Rogers shook his head and Charles said, “I could walk it out and see where it ends.”

“Would you?” Joseph asked and Charles nodded. “Be careful. If there’s a madman, that’s the most likely escape route. Fewer witnesses. Who knows where Thorland or his hands would be, so the farm would be too risky. Especially if Thorland has dogs.”

“He does,” Rogers said. “They’re mean too if they don’t know you. Thorland had problems with chicken thieves in the past. And probably not of the fox variety.”

Joseph nodded. If the farm was out, the back of the trio of houses seemed to be the best way to flee. Would someone know that?

“Go with Charles, Rogers. Look for a weapon, watch his back, and look for signs of someone fleeing. If there is anyone to speak to, make sure you ask if anyone was seen going that way.”

Rogers nodded and Charles told Joseph, “You have my auto.”

Joseph nodded and Charles followed Rogers towards the back of the property. Joseph headed for the Hobbs house. He sent Mrs. Hobbs with Jimmy to the doctor’s office with a well-placed guilty message and so took the chance to walk through her house.

Mrs. Hobbs’s bedroom was at the back of the house with a neatly made bed and little else other than a few dresses on pegs. He followed the stairs up and found two bedrooms, one of which was clearly Warren’s and disgusting. The other was filled with boxes and random things that looked to have been collected over a lifetime. There were signs that, perhaps, the late Mr. Hobbs had once used the room, but he had been dead for a while if Joseph remembered correctly.

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