Hopgood Hall 5 by E.V. Hunter

Author:E.V. Hunter [Hunter, E.V.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

12

Alexi again bore Cosmo’s weight on her lap as Jack drove them towards the Royal Oak. Neither of them spoke. Alexi guessed that Jack would be mulling over their wild speculations, as was she, aware that it was important not to get distracted by the possibility of fraudulent horse deals. At the same time, given that Gerry and Alton were involved with drumming up syndicates, perhaps their hypothesis wasn’t that far-fetched. There was a lot of money to be had from fraudulent racing and if Gerry had reneged, or pissed someone off badly enough, then his being murdered wasn’t quite so implausible. It was another avenue to explore but as things stood, they didn’t have the first idea where to start looking.

‘If Gerry was killed over the syndicate business, wouldn’t Alton have been more uptight?’ she asked.

‘You’d think so, and yet he’s still hanging around.’

‘So we’re probably on the wrong track.’ Alexi sighed. ‘Bugger! I thought we were onto something.’

‘We still could be. Let’s see what we get at the Oak first.’

‘We didn’t ask if any syndicates have already been set up,’ Alexi said, jolting upright and almost dislodging Cosmo, who voiced a loud growl by way of protest. ‘It could be important,’ she insisted, wondering why she was so hung up on the horsy angle. ‘If it has already happened and the horse has disappointed, someone in the syndicate who’d been promised the moon might have taken the ultimate form of revenge.’

‘A good point,’ Jack agreed, ‘and plausible, or would be but for the location of Gerry’s death. There would be easier, less risky ways to get him alone and do the deed.’

‘But no better way to point the finger of suspicion towards Polly.’ Alexi closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to wander haphazardly. ‘Perhaps it’s nothing to do with horses and the murderer had a score to settle with Polly.’ Alexi wrinkled her brow. ‘If she treats anyone she takes a dislike to in the same cavalier manner that she harassed me, then it’s possible.’

Jack nodded as he paused at a red light. ‘Perhaps.’

‘You don’t sound very sure but if we’re running on the premise that Polly didn’t do it, then you have to admit that the guilty party went to a hell of a lot of trouble.’

‘I’m not discounting your theory. I’ve come across wilder situations in my time. If it did happen that way, then the killer was not only desperate enough to take the chance but, as you rightly point out, also bore a massive grudge against Polly. She can be a pain in the neck, but who would resort to such an elaborate murder just because she pissed them off?’

‘Not even I would have tried to frame her for murder.’ Alexi chuckled. ‘I might have considered murdering her myself, though. In fact, it was on my to-do list.’

Jack grinned. ‘We need to ask her if she’s got any ongoing disputes. Dissatisfied customers. Someone with a prior claim to Gerry’s affections which, given what we know about him, is entirely possible.

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