The Gentleman on Pennyfield Street (Dory Sparks Mysteries Book 3) by C.G Oster

Author:C.G Oster
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2018-01-14T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

DESPITE THE COLD, it was a clear, sunny day. It was a day where most people who could, wanted to spend the afternoon outside of their houses after a long, wet autumn. The weather lifted everyone’s spirits—particularly as most hoped there would be no visit from the Luftwaffe that night. Hopefully the clear weather held, although it would be a freezing cold night if it did.

A woman was darning socks on the stoop of her house, taking in the warming sun on her pale legs. New clothes couldn't be found for love or money these days, so even the most tattered socks had to be repaired. Dory smiled as the woman looked up and turned her attention down the road.

The street she was looking for was around the corner, where a Mr. Dellow lived. Sadly, Dory couldn't remember much about her initial visit here, but she had crossed him off her list. It wasn't until she turned the corner and saw the place when she recalled that he hadn't answered the door and a neighbor had told her he wasn't home.

Instead of going back to the house in question, she went straight to the corner shop and again walked past the queue, which was significantly shorter than the one she had tackled that morning. They must have run out of sugar.

This shopkeep was thin with a receding hairline. Dory pushed her way through the queue to quiet grumbles.

"I am looking for Mr. Dellow," she said. "Is he by chance registered here?"

"He is," the man said.

"Have you seen him the last few days?"

"People come and go all the time. I can't recall such things."

Dory smiled tightly. This wasn't very helpful. "When do you think you saw him last?"

"Couldn't tell you," the man said and Dory realized he was just an unhelpful type. Probably wouldn't help with a glass of water if she was on fire. She'd met the type before, the kind who did nothing more than they had to, and she was more than grateful that he wasn't responsible for catering to her ration book, because he would probably do all he could to cheat people out of what they were due simply because he could. Everyone knew that most shopkeepers had a stash under their counter for people who were willing to part with more than the official price.

With a sigh, Dory turned back to the line of people. "Anyone know Mr. Dellow?"

"Lives down the road, the house to the left. Green sashes on his window."

Dory tried to focus in on the man who'd spoken. "Seen him lately?"

"Couldn't tell you, just got back into town from up north."

"He usually spends some time in the library down towards the high street, I think."

"Thank you," Dory said. None of this was the confirmation she needed.

Exiting the shop, she walked back toward Mr. Dellow's house and opened the small gate to the tiny front yard. There was no sign of anyone inside and no one came as she knocked on the door.

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