The Poison Bottle by L.M. Somerton

Author:L.M. Somerton [Somerton, L.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA Romance Fiction
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2022-05-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“How about you give me your full attention, Mr. Sweeting.” Gage glared. Sorrell hadn’t stopped staring at James Ellery since they’d arrived at Penton’s Antiquarium. “Or perhaps I should ask Mr. Ellery to step outside.”

“No! There’s no need for that. Sorry, I’ll concentrate, and call me Sorrell. I keep thinking you’re talking to my father.”

“It’s a nice name.” Ellery gave him a lazy, wolfish smile. Sorrell blushed and Gage shook his head.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Rupert Penry Jones? He’s one of my favorite actors.” Sorrell could have been an anime cartoon character his eyes were that wide.

“I’m told the resemblance is uncanny,” Ellery drawled.

“Not helping,” Gage growled. “Sorrell, this is a murder investigation, and you need to take it seriously.”

“Sorry.” Sorrell ducked his head, but Gage could see he was still eyeing Ellery through his lashes. Gage moved to block his view. Sorrell was sitting on the edge of the sales desk at the back of the store, legs swinging. Gage angled himself so that he was standing slightly to one side, blocking sight of Ellery who was lounging against the wall. Sorrell’s lower lip jutted a little though he hadn’t quite made it to a full-blown pout.

“First things first.” Gage was impatient to get down to business. “After my last visit, did either of your colleagues leave the premises?”

“Uh, yeah. They both did. They left me here by myself. Chet said he needed some air, which translates as wanting a smoke. He came back later but I can’t say how long he was gone because I was upstairs. I didn’t see him for at least two hours, but he could have come back into the store before that. Marla went home about ten minutes after your visit. Said she wasn’t feeling well, which wasn’t surprising considering the amount she’d drunk. She called a cab and left her car here.”

“And what about you, Sorrell, did you go anywhere?”

“No. I stayed here and mainlined coffee until I sobered up then I met a friend at Oakley’s bookstore. They have a great coffee shop and an amazing second-hand section. Andrea and I meet there about once a month to catch up and buy too many books. She’s an old friend from college and works at a bank not too far from here. I can give her your number if you want to check.”

“Ellery, go get Chet’s story. He’s working upstairs.” Ellery didn’t argue and Gage turned back to Sorrell. “Anything else you’d like to tell me about that day?”

“Only that I heard you ran into some trouble at the storage facility. I hope you weren’t hurt.”

“Nothing serious. I’m more interested in why someone was in your storage unit in the first place and what they were looking for. What can you tell me about an overseas shipment from the UK that would have arrived about a month ago?”

“What do you need to know? I put the relevant information into a folder after I spoke to Landry.”

“I’m sorry, after you spoke to who?” Gage narrowed his eyes and Sorrell gulped.

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