THE MISSING HEIRLOOM MYSTERY an utterly addictive cozy murder mystery by RACHEL WARD

Author:RACHEL WARD [WARD, RACHEL]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and cozy mystery
Published: 2024-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

By the time Ant and Charles got to the allotments it was light and there was a growing crowd of locals and press. Whatever Ant had said, Charles couldn’t be dissuaded — he had been adamant that he had to go to the allotments. In the end, Ant had rung Bob, explained everything as quickly as he could, and asked for a lift. While they were waiting, Charles had got dressed and Ant had made some tea, nice and sweet, for both of them.

Now, as he and Bob tried to shepherd Charles through the crowd safely, Ant could feel adrenaline adding to the sugar surge in his bloodstream. Charles hadn’t told them why he wanted to speak to the police, but had been so agitated that he was sure it was something important.

‘’Scuse me—’ Ant lightly placed his hand on the shoulder of the man in front of him — ‘Can we just get through?’

The man looked round and smiled in recognition. It was Dan Knibbs, a reporter for the Bugle. ‘Oh, hi. Ant, isn’t it?’

‘Hi, can you let us through?’

‘Sure.’

Ant could see Dan’s curiosity had been piqued and he hoped that whatever Charles was going to do or say, he would be afforded a bit of privacy. He checked around. He couldn’t see any TV cameras, but his spirits slumped when he spotted Kevin, the Bugle’s photographer. He was snapping away, his long lens focused in on people in the crowd.

They reached the front of the crowd and came up against a line of police tape cordoning off the front half of the car park, which was occupied by a range of official-looking vehicles. Various people, some in uniform, others in plain clothes, were milling around. Charles was worryingly breathless.

Bob spoke to the uniformed officer guarding the tape. ‘My friend here would like to speak to someone. He has some information.’

The officer looked doubtfully at Charles, who looked every one of his eighty-three years. ‘We’re very busy securing the scene,’ he said. ‘It would be better to ring up. We can log your call and—’

‘I need to talk to someone now!’ Charles was trying to shout, but his voice was weak and husky.

The officer looked again. ‘It’s important to keep calm, sir. I’ll do what I—’

At that moment, Ant spotted Tom at the far side, near the gates. ‘Tom! Tom! Over here!’ he bellowed, causing the officer and everyone else within earshot to wince.

Tom looked round and Ant could swear he rolled his eyes. Having got his attention, though, Ant pressed his advantage. ‘Tom! I’ve got something for you!’

Tom made a great show of holding his hand up, as if he was stopping the traffic, and finishing talking to another man in plain clothes, before walking between a couple of vans and making his way over.

‘Morning, Ant,’ he said. ‘Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon.’ From his tone and expression, it was perfectly clear that it wasn’t a pleasant surprise.

‘Tom, Charles here has the plot next to Dylan’s that we help him look after.

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