Santa and the Secret: STEALING GIFTS IS NOT FESTIVE (DI Bethany Smith Book 7) by Emmy Ellis

Author:Emmy Ellis [Ellis, Emmy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Bethany plugged Dolly’s address into the satnav.

“That’s where the taxi driver took her,” Mike said, pointing at it.

“Did you speak to him or the person on the control desk?” She set off, turning out of the driveway.

“Control first, who confirmed the pickup, then him to get the particulars.”

Fab, they had some info. “What did he have to say?”

“She was in a Santa suit, plus high heels. He remembers those because she lifted her leg and showed him a shoe. Said she had really skinny ankles and he wondered if she needed a good dinner. She’s about the age of his daughter, so he got worried she wasn’t taking care of herself properly. Never said anything to her, obviously. That’d be a bit rude.”

“She did what? Why show him a shoe?”

“Dolly had twisted her ankle on the way across the car park, and Martha wouldn’t wait for her. She drove off, and Dolly had to call a taxi.”

“Charming. Why leave your mate if she’s hurt herself? I can’t imagine you doing that to me.”

“They might not be mate-mates. And anyway, you’d rip me a new one.”

She laughed. “Maybe. Okay, that story matches what Roger said about the taxi, but not Martha driving off. Dolly told him she’d missed the bus—or perhaps she went to get the bus after Martha left. But then that doesn’t work out either. The bus goes by at five-forty, and it was past that, so it was pointless waiting for it. Do we go with the theory that someone took Martha’s car back?”

“Seems that’s what happened.”

“What else did he tell you?”

“He chatted about what he’d got his wife for Christmas, then he dropped her off outside her house. Told her to get in and put her feet up.”

“Did he mention the blood on the cuff?”

“No. I asked if she had any on her, and he said she paid using her left hand, stretching across to hand him the money. To him it meant she’s left-handed, and because his wife is, the action stood out.”

Bethany peered ahead. The tent stood in the distance.

“We’ll see if Presley’s still there. He’ll be able to confirm that one for us.” She drew closer and flashed her lights to let Glen know it was her and opened the window to speak to him. “Can you nip into the tent and ask Pres whether the killer was right or left-handed, please? Tell him I want to know.”

“Will do.” Glen walked off.

“So if they’re right-handed?” Mike asked.

“Then why pass money over with your left unless you’re hiding blood on your sleeve, or even a cut from the knife?”

“Hmm.”

Glen came back and bent over to speak, his nose red on the end from the cold. “He said they would have stood behind the victim but to her left to have done the stab to the back. The angle was consistent with a right-hander who inserted the knife in a straight line from back to front, no sideways deviation.”

“Thanks. Can you move the cordon, please? We need to get to Shadwell.

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