Beware This Boy by Maureen Jennings

Author:Maureen Jennings [Jennings, Maureen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780771043130
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Published: 2012-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Joe Abbott was grey-haired, tall, and on the thin side. He had innate presence – a quality Tyler had seen in some NCOS in the army. It had nothing to do with education or social status and more to do with character. Tyler noticed that he walked with a limp.

When they shook hands, Abbott’s was cool and firm.

“Please sit down, sir.”

Abbott took the chair Mr. Cudmore had offered. “You’ve got a gammy leg, I see,” said Tyler.

“Legacy of the last war. Gas ulcer,” said Abbott. His gaze was wary.

“Right. Let’s start then, shall we? Mr. Cudmore is taking notes for me. Hope you don’t mind – my handwriting is terrible. By the way, I assume the nurse here at the clinic is a relative?”

“She’s my daughter.”

“Thought so. There’s a strong family resemblance.”

“She’s better-looking.”

Tyler chuckled. “Aren’t they always. Thank goodness my daughter inherited her mother’s hair, not mine.”

Abbott smiled politely but seemed to relax a little.

“Your counterpart, Mr. Smith, has described the nature of the job, but I wonder if you wouldn’t just run through what you did on Sunday afternoon. I’m particularly interested in whether there was anything out of the usual routine.”

Abbott tightened his lips. “To tell you the truth, I hadn’t even started. Management feels there’s no point in us dillie men being here before quarter to three. First shift leaves at two thirty, but we have the fifteen-minute changeover break and there isn’t any work for me to pick up right away. I was just coming up the road when I heard the explosion.”

“Mr. Abbott, I tell you frankly I am treating this incident as a tragic accident, but in the unlikely event that it was not … that is, if some kind of sabotage was involved, do you have any idea how that could have occurred?”

“No, I do not.”

“I asked Mr. Smith this question, Mr. Abbott – were the fuses always within your sight? Nobody could have tampered with them, for instance?”

Abbott stiffened. “No, Inspector.”

Tyler tapped ash off his cigarette. “I understand there are two places on your route where you are essentially on your own and out of sight of any other worker.”

Abbott frowned. “Not sure what – oh, the corridors between the magazine shed and the doors to the two sections. Is that where you mean?”

“That’s what Mr. Smith said.”

“Technically he’s right, but they’re only a few feet long and the operatives do come back and forth sometimes. If they have to go to the toilets, for instance. We can’t be assured of privacy, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Right. I have one last question. Is there anybody in the factory that might be capable of an act of sabotage? Anybody at all? Take your time to answer.”

Abbott hadn’t been in the canteen when suspicion was directed at Mary Ringwald-Brown. Tyler was curious as to what he would say.

In fact, Abbott looked angry. “I don’t need to take my time, begging your pardon, Inspector. I don’t know anybody who would intentionally cause the death of four blameless young women.

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