A Murder for Christmas by David W Robinson

Author:David W Robinson [Robinson, David W]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction & Literature
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books
Published: 2012-10-26T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Leaving Quinton, Joe crossed the room to stand before Kirkland.

“Mr Murray. I wondered how long it would take you to get to me.” The voice was softer, quieter than Quinton’s, less forceful than Wright’s.

Putting his beer on the table, Joe sat down. “You’re a management consultant. I’m just wondering if you managed to make George look guilty after killing Jennifer Hardy.”

Kirkland smiled, his fine, white teeth showing through the black surround of his beard and moustache. “An entertaining, if idiotic idea.”

“You think so? You can prove where you were at three thirty this morning?”

“No. No more so than any of a dozen other people in this hotel. You included.” Kirkland’s face took on a smug set. “I saw that little tête-à-tête in Debenhams yesterday, and I noticed your exchange in the bar last night.” He settled himself into his seat. “So tell me, Murray, did you kill her?”

Joe chuckled. “Nice try, but it won’t get you anywhere. Quinton already accused me, so did Wright, and so did Tom Patterson, if my guess is correct. I have an alibi, see. My prints are nowhere to be found in her room.”

“Neither are mine,” Kirkland countered, “but you’re the criminologist. You could have worn gloves.”

“So could you, so let’s stop fannying around. You were in Debenhams yesterday. I saw you there and you’ve just admitted it. I saw something else, too. When Jennifer stormed out of the place, you followed her. Why?”

Kirkland sat forward again. “I just saw you speaking with Quinton. And now you have to ask me that? Are your powers of deduction slipping, Murray?”

“I know about the Middleton Penny,” Joe retorted, “and I know you’re in hot competition with Quinton to get your greedy little hands on it. That doesn’t tell me why you followed Jennifer out of the café yesterday. See, if she was in possession of the penny, you’d have hassled her here, yesterday morning when you first arrived.”

Kirkland’s eyebrows rose.

“But you didn’t,” Joe went on. “Instead, you followed her round Leeds and sat a few tables away in Debenhams. And before you start, let me warn you. Don’t pretend it was coincidence. I know coincidences happen all the time in real life, but when two or three people all have the same thing on their minds, it’s not coincidence. You must have followed her round the city.”

Kirkland did not answer for a long moment. He toyed with his glass of beer, drank some, then toyed with it some more before finally concentrating a candid stare on Joe.

“I take it back, Murray,” he said. “I’ve heard about you. They say you’re a wizard detective. When I first saw you and then learned who you were, I thought it was all a joke. You look like a joke.” He paused to see if his observation would provoke comment. When it did not, he went on, “I’m a management consultant. I show people how best to manage their businesses, and it’s not all about efficiency. I teach them assertiveness, too.

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