Who Killed Anne-Marie? by CM Thompson

Author:CM Thompson [Thompson, CM]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781916410329
Publisher: Bookline & Thinker
Published: 2018-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The corner shop is a shop of last resorts. A barely surviving relic, kept alive only by convenience. As they open the door a curious stale odour of dust and old sweets is released. One of the most miserable-looking females that Colvin has ever seen greets them with a nervous but friendly, “Hello.” She quickly drops the smile as they come close to the counter, one glance at their badges and she turns miserably to the floor for guidance. She knows they are not here to buy any pick and mix.

“I am Officer Grimm, Grimm by name but not by nature,” Grimm says with a wink, trying to reassure the slightly shaking mass that she is not in trouble. This is his best joke, it usually gets a couple of nervous laughs but from her, nothing, just the sense that she is about to secrete a tear or five.

She closes her eyes, swallows hard and through gritted teeth, introduces herself as Margie. She flinches as Grimm reaches his hand into his folder, pulling out one of the better photos of Anne-Marie Mills.

“Margie, do you know this lady, Mrs Anne-Marie Mills?” he asks gently. This is a test. They know she does, that’s why they are here. She hesitates, trying to decide whether to tell the truth or lie. It will do the shop no good either way.

“Yes,” she eventually squeaks.

“When did you last see Mrs Mills?”

“Yest’day.”

“Do you remember what time yesterday?” Grimm couldn’t help himself with the automatic correction. This is what having children has done to him. Margie, who looks like she wishes the floor would swallow either her or them, didn’t notice.

It isn’t Margie’s fault. She and her husband had tried to ban Anne-Marie Mills after several thefts, attempted thefts and verbal abuse, but the ban didn’t help. It only made the verbal abuse worse. The un-ban came when Daniel finally visited, paying for the bottles they knew she had stolen, apologising repeatedly and slipped them quite a few extra notes for damages. Daniel had all but begged on his knees for the ban to be lifted, promised that if they noticed her stealing anything else, he would pay for it.

“She is not well,” he had said. “We are getting her help. Please don’t call the police on her, she is not well,” he repeated between apologies. Luckily for him, Margie hates confrontation as much as Daniel does, and her husband is too busy screwing the barber to really care. Truth be told, Anne-Marie Mills is one of her best customers, money-wise. Margie couldn’t really afford to ban her again.

“Three o clock.” Ah shit, that just made everything a little more complicated, Colvin thinks, if Anne-Marie was still alive at three o clock then that rules out a few theories.

Margie remembers the time well. Anne-Marie had stormed in just as Margie had been about to close for a quick break. The smell of Anne-Marie and her stained pyjamas had made Margie feel sick. At the time she

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