The Killing Place by Kate Ellis

Author:Kate Ellis [Ellis, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780349433134
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2023-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

26

They now had more information about the wrecked car and its owner. It was indeed registered to Benedict Graves, who dealt in antiques and rare books from his premises in Bury St Edmunds. His clients were from the upper end of the market – mainly wealthy collectors. He was unmarried and lived alone in a flat above his exclusive shop. When Wesley rang the number on the business card they’d found, a woman answered. She had the voice of a 1950s BBC announcer – Wesley didn’t think they made them like that any more – and said that her name was Julia West.

‘Mr Graves is away on business,’ she told him with the hauteur of a duchess addressing an undergardener. ‘I’m not sure when he’ll be back.’

There was an email address on the business card, Wesley asked if he could send over a photograph? He’d taken one of Geoff’s guest, careful not to make what he was doing too obvious. Now he emailed the dishevelled image to Suffolk. As soon as she received it, a shocked Julia gave her verdict. ‘Yes, that’s Mr Graves. But what on earth has happened to him?’

Wesley broke the news that Benedict Graves had been involved in a car accident. ‘He’ll probably be indisposed for a while,’ he said. ‘And I’m afraid he’s having problems with his memory, possibly due to concussion sustained in the accident. A local farmer found him a few days ago wandering and confused. He’s being taken care of.’

Julia sounded relieved to hear that her employer wasn’t in hospital, but when she asked when he’d be returning to Bury St Edmunds, Wesley had to tell her he wasn’t sure.

‘Do you know who Mr Graves was visiting in Devon?’ he asked.

‘I’m afraid not,’ was the reply. ‘I was on holiday when he left – three weeks in Sicily. He wasn’t here when I returned, and he’d simply left a note saying he was going to the West Country and that he’d call to tell me when he’d be back. It’s a bit of a mystery really.’

Wesley asked her whether she had access to his diary, but the answer was no; nor did she have the keys to his flat or the storage facility where he kept his stock. Her job was to deal with customers and answer email enquiries.

‘Are any of Mr Graves’s customers based in Devon?’

‘He has business contacts all over the country – and even abroad. But I’ll check for you.’

After a couple of minutes, she returned with an answer.

‘There are a couple of customers in North Devon – Lynmouth and Bideford.’

‘Nobody in the south of the county?’

‘I’m afraid not.’

‘What about Silas Smithson?’

There was another pause while she consulted her records.

‘Yes, Mr Graves has sourced a number of valuable books for Mr Smithson’s collection. But I have a London address for him, not Devon.’

‘Was Mr Graves worried about anything before you left to go on holiday? Did he say anything that might help us?’

There was a lengthy silence. ‘I know he’d been having trouble with some late payments, but .

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