The Inspector Walter Darriteau Murder Mysteries - Books 1-4 by David Carter (microsoft ebook reader TXT) 📗

bed,’ he said confidently. ‘Why?’

‘Could anyone confirm that?’ asked Walter.

‘Yes, of course, my wife, Grizzy.’

‘That’s good,’ said Karen. ‘Is she at home now?’

‘Yes, she should be, why?’

‘What’s your address, Mr Rekatic,’ said Walter, pen poised.

‘I live in Rossett.’

‘Address?’ said Karen.

‘But I don’t want Grizzy dragged into this.’

‘I’ll bet,’ whispered Karen.

‘Why are you asking me about that time?’

‘Because, Mr Rekatic, a woman in Chester was murdered in her own home at that particular time. It’s just to eliminate you from our inquiry. It’s in your best interests to do that, isn’t it?’

‘What woman?’

‘Her name is, or was, Belinda Cooper. Did you know Belinda?’

‘Not that I know of.’

‘Are you sure about that?’ said Walter. ‘Because we have a description of the kind of men Belinda Cooper was attracted to, and guess what, that description fits you to a T.’

Miro shook his head violently.

‘This has gone far enough.’

‘What’s your address, Mr Rekatic?’ asked Karen.

‘You can fuck off!’

‘Charming,’ said Karen.

Walter made a note in his notebook; spoke it aloud as he wrote. ‘Suspect now being most uncooperative.’

‘Just a minute,’ said Karen, and she jumped up and left the office. She hurried down the corridor and out into the reception area. No new customers at the counter. Went to the shiny desk and smiled at the girl. Flashed her ID again for gravitas and said, ‘I need Mr Rekatic’s home address, can you give me that now please?’

‘I’m really not sure....’

‘You have two choices, you can either help the police in a murder inquiry, or I will arrest you right now for wasting police time, and obstructing the police in their duty. I really don’t mind which.’

The girl gazed into Karen’s steady blue eyes and saw she meant every word. She took a small piece of paper from her pad and scribbled an address.

‘You’ll get me sacked.’

‘Doubt that, but if I were you, and just between you and I, I wouldn’t work for a piece of dirt like that.’

‘Eh?’

Karen leant over the counter and whispered, ‘Have you ever been alone with him?’

‘What, outside of work?’

Karen remembered the incapacitator that formerly slept in the cupboard just along the corridor. ‘Inside work or outside work, you know what I mean, have you ever been alone with him?’

‘No, course not. I’m engaged to Jason. But....’

‘But what?’

‘I’ve heard rumours.’

‘What kind of rumours?’

‘The girl who worked here before me....’

‘What about her?’

‘She left, said she’d been approached.’

‘By Miro?’

The girl nodded.

‘To do what?’

‘Don’t know, but it wasn’t good. Not good at all.’

‘What was her name?’

‘Marilyn Webb.’

‘Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.’

‘I’ll get into big trouble now.’

‘No you won’t. I’ll see to that,’ and Karen turned tail and returned to the office.

Not much seemed to have changed in there, almost as if they had been waiting for her return.

‘12 Sunflowers Close, Rossett,’ she said, grinning. ‘That wasn’t so difficult, was it?’

‘Look, I really don’t want you bothering Grizzy.’

‘That’s as maybe,’ said Walter. ‘But we need to check on your alibi. If we can do that, you are in the clear, at least so far as Belinda Cooper is concerned. You must see that.’

‘I’d rather you didn’t mention anything about Ellie.’

‘Can’t make any promises,’ said Walter. ‘Of course if you could help us some more....’

‘How can I help you? I’ve done nothing wrong.’

‘Tell me about Marilyn Webb?’ said Karen.

Walter sat up and paid attention.

‘Who’s been talking?’

‘Never mind that. Marilyn Webb left here under a cloud in a bit of a hurry. Why was that?’

‘She said she’d been suffering from sexual harassment.’

‘By you?’ asked Walter.

‘No, course not!’

‘Did you ever use the incapacitator on her?’ asked Karen.

‘No! Definitely not.’

‘Would we find her blood on it too?’

‘No, I told you.’

‘We could ask her,’ said Walter.

‘Please do!’

‘I think that’s all for today,’ said Walter. ‘Thank you for your assistance.’

Miro didn’t reply, as Karen said, ‘And don’t you dare put any pressure on the young woman on reception, or I will have your guts for garters.’

Miro pulled a face and said, ‘Are you going to see Grizzy?’

‘Oh yes,’ said Walter, ‘and no doubt you will ring her first to prime her with answers.’

‘I won’t.’

‘That’s the most sensible thing you have said all day,’ said Walter. ‘Good morning.’

Twenty-Five

During the short journey south to Rossett Karen said, ‘It’s amazing, isn’t it?’

‘What is?’

‘We are investigating murder, and looking into another suspicious death, and we end up uncovering all kinds of creepy nonsense.’

‘Like sexual harassment at work, you mean?’

‘Yeah, among other things. Adultery, deceit, lies, you name it. It all comes tumbling out.’

‘The human condition, Karen.’

‘Yeah, but it doesn’t always look great does it, Guv?’

‘Too true.’

THREE AND A HALF THOUSAND souls live in Rossett, a small border town, or large village if you prefer, just over the Welsh border, 7.5 miles south of Chester, 6.5 miles north of Wrexham. It’s a smart little place standing on the banks of the River Alyn, a tributary of the big River Dee a couple of miles away. It’s a pretty place too with a cute watermill, and a couple of quaint country pubs that are always packed out at the weekends, with city people paying a visit to the country, and country people eager and willing to meet the city folks. Pretty girls in short skirts, and handsome hunky farm guys looking for company, and maybe more.

Karen knew the pubs well; she’d frequented them many times herself, but then so had Walter, though not for a little while. It was a pleasant place to be, and a pleasant place to live.

Sunflowers Close consisted of not more than twenty executive style detached houses, precisely the kind of place one would expect a locally based banker to live. Number 12 looked like most of the others, large gable to the right side, red brick, white windows, red tiles, white people, three large windows to the left, and a double garage with white up-and-over doors to the left of that. Reasonable sized gardens that still housed a few flowering roses, chrysanths, and dahlias, despite it being November, the very last ones hanging on for dear