Hour is Come by Victoria Tait

Author:Victoria Tait [Tait, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A Kanga Press Production © 2021
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Inspector Evans sat back on the grey sofa in the reception area of Akemans auction house and watched Gilly Wimsey rush out of the office, into the antiques centre.

“I’d like to speak to Adrian Bearer next, I would. Can you find him?”

Dotty found Adrian in the main auction room, standing on the podium behind the auctioneer’s rostrum, erecting a projection screen.

“Adrian, Inspector Evans would like to speak to you.”

Adrian adjusted the height of the stand supporting the screen and replied, without looking round, “What does he want?”

“He’s questioning everyone who works here. He’s already spoken to Marion and Gilly.”

Adrian sighed and tightened a screw on the stand. He stepped back to check the screen’s position and remarked, “It doesn’t matter what height it is, George will say it’s wrong and make me change it.”

As they wound their way round displays of furniture, Adrian asked, “Was yesterday your first visit to The Axeman?”

Dotty blushed. “My husband didn’t usually take me to the pub, but I like The Axeman. It’s certainly full of character. I went back in the evening and it was very cosy sitting beside the log fire.”

She glanced across at Adrian and back towards the open office door, and asked, “Do you have a pub in your village?”

“I do, but I prefer The Axeman, and the Saturday night darts matches.”

They walked into the office.

“Ah, Mr Bearer, there you are. Take a seat.” Inspector Evans pointed to a grey tub chair opposite him.

A young man with long black hair was loitering by Dotty’s desk. Every so often, he glanced nervously at the inspector.

“Can I help?” asked Dotty.

“Oh, yeah. Can I have a catalogue for the auction?” Dotty walked around her desk and handed a brochure to the young man.

“Thanks. And can I take a look around?”

“I’m afraid you can’t at the moment, but we are open this evening from four until eight, if you’d like to come back and have a look then.”

“Cool,” replied the young man as he left the office, still giving the inspector nervous glances.

“So you didn’t see Gail Smith in The Axeman on Saturday night?” the inspector asked Adrian.

“No, I arrived just before nine and went straight into the games room.”

“What about Angela Sayers and her partner? See them, did you?”

“Angela left with the kids, just as I arrived, and I think I spotted Steve later in the evening, watching the match.”

The inspector drank his tea, which Dotty thought must be getting cold, but she didn’t offer to make him a fresh one in case he turned his penetrating gaze on her.

He examined Adrian and commented, in a conversational tone, “Gail Smith received a phone call at quarter to nine. The caller was in the village of Coln Akeman. Was that call from you?”

“No,” replied Adrian defensively. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and slid it across the elm coffee table. “You can look at my call log, if you want to check.”

“No need for that, we know it was from an unregistered mobile.

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