The Carnforth Double by Allan Jones

Author:Allan Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allan Jones

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It was two days later in the early evening. Catrin looked at the number that had just appeared on her work mobile as it rang. She was running, on a route that took her into and across Weavers Field, a park area near her home. After her surveillance training, she now deliberately varied the times and routes for her exercise, but wasn’t going to stop running because of Nam Wu; she enjoyed it too much.

She moved a little further into the park. The mobile had been by her side continuously since the visit to the Houghton Bank.

“Detective Sergeant Sayer,” she said, trying to control her breathing.

“Good evening, Sergeant Sayer, this is Ryland Cronin, a director at the Houghton Bank. Mrs. Woodley passed on a photograph and a query to assist, if I could. You went to see her, I gather. I am sorry to bother you in the evening but I have been rather busy and this has only just surfaced. Is it convenient now? I don’t know the hours you work but mine are all over the place, these days.

“But you sound a little breathless. Are you able to talk now?”

Catrin said, with enthusiasm, “Certainly Mr. Cronin. I appreciate you getting back to me. I am out for a run at present but would be happy to talk now, take a breather. It was something of a stab in the dark to approach the bank, but it seemed so similar, the painting we now hold and the one that was stolen.”

His voice came over the line. “I quite understand and I am glad that you did, but it creates a puzzle for me. I can confirm it is not our painting; that is clear. But I hate to leave it there, to be honest. I know I can’t really pry about any case you are on, however there are some very interesting questions raised by your painting.”

Catrin said, “Well, we did ask for help, so I would be happy to be as open as I could; not about the investigation, of course, but about the painting, what we know - which is not a lot, to be honest. What questions?”

Cronin said, “It’s hard to be specific without seeing the painting myself, although I am no art expert, you understand. I was just quite taken with the Hamlet Winstanley work. It seemed strange to me that there are two paintings of the same woman by him.”

Catrin smiled to herself.

All she said was, “Would you like to see the painting, perhaps, if you think it might help us? If you have time, that is. Life must be busy as a bank director.”

He laughed, “The Houghton Bank directorship is not a big time consumer compared with my main role at Medway Analytics. Actually, your offer is much appreciated; that is exactly what I would like to do. And I could then tell you about the problem, as I see it.”

Catrin said, “It would need to be at New Scotland Yard, though; I can’t let it out, you see.

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