A Body in the Village Hall by Dee MacDonald (best business books of all time .txt) 📗

‘All right,’ Kate agreed, ‘but confirm something for me: did my uninvited caller have large feet?’

‘Ah yes,’ he replied, ‘whoever climbed up to your window the other night left a distinct footprint. A large footprint.’ He hesitated. ‘A very large footprint! You really are becoming a super sleuth, aren’t you!’

Kate now knew that she’d spend the rest of the week studying everyone’s feet and then wondered what possible excuse she could have to visit the Paynes again.

‘That should narrow down your list of remaining suspects,’ Kate said.

‘Hmmm,’ said Woody. He was giving nothing away. ‘Just be careful, will you?’

Kate arrived home to find the window had finally been fixed and she could dispense with the string. Angie was back in the summerhouse with her art and her anti-attack spray, and Barney was desperate for a walk. Just as she was about to attach the lead to Barney’s collar, there was a knock on the door. Kate sighed; who was it now?

She opened the door to find Jess Davey standing there, looking agitated.

‘You said I could pop in anytime,’ Jess said, biting her lip.

‘Yes, of course – come in!’

‘I ain’t disturbin’ you?’

Kate shook her head. ‘I was only going to walk the dog. He can wait. Cup of tea?’

‘No thanks.’ Jess hesitated for a moment. ‘Oh well, go on then, why not?’

As she made the tea Kate could see that something was bothering the woman. She passed a cup to Jess and sat down opposite her at the kitchen table. ‘How’s things?’

Jess shrugged. ‘I’m a bit worried.’

‘About what?’

‘Didn’t know if I should tell anyone or not.’ With that Jess burst into tears.

Kate leaned across and squeezed Jess’s hand. ‘Tell what?’

Jess took several gulps of tea. ‘I’ve got this package.’

‘Don’t cry. You can tell me. What package?’

‘It’s at home,’ Jess said, wiping her eyes, ‘hidden away. Kevin gave it to me and told me to keep it safe and not give it to anyone.’

‘What sort of package? Large? Small? Hard? Soft?’

‘Not very big.’ Jess made a small round shape with her hands. ‘And it’s soft.’

‘Do you have any idea what’s in it?’

Jess shook her head. ‘I’m too scared to open it. And Kevin said to keep it safe.’

‘Kevin’s no longer with us,’ Kate said gently, ‘and this could be important.’

‘So do you think I should take it to the police? It’s not as if they was lookin’ for it, cos they was only after the phone. Would they be angry cos I didn’t tell them about the package before?’

‘Of course not; they’ll be very grateful.’ Kate hoped she was right. Nevertheless she had a gut feeling about this package. ‘Do you want me to come with you?’

‘No, I’ll be OK. You’ve been very kind. I just wanted your advice. I’ll go this evening.’ She stood up. ‘I’d better go now. Thanks for the tea.’

‘Good luck, Jess.’

As Jess cycled down the drive, Kate attached the lead to Barney’s collar and trotted down to the beach where there were a few other families with dogs. She found a stick and threw it around for Barney to retrieve, hoping he’d get sufficient exercise that way. She pondered what Jess had said; she had a feeling this package could be very relevant. Then, on the way home, she found herself staring at the feet of every male she met.

And the next morning, in the medical centre, she continued doing just that.

‘Have you heard that Billy Grey’s been released?’ Sue asked when Kate arrived for work.

‘Yes,’ Kate replied. ‘I heard.’ Sometime, when this case was finally over, she might tell Sue about her small part in it. She was fond of Sue, who had a heart of gold along with a big appetite for gossip.

‘Yes, apparently he’s back living with Maureen. Can you believe it? Would you take back a bloke who’d buggered off ten years ago and left you to it?’ She didn’t wait for a reply. ‘So there’s still a killer out there and I don’t think the police have a cat’s chance in hell of ever solving this. Pity really, because that Forrest bloke’s very fanciable, but he’s already had poor Kevin, Maureen and Billy Grey in custody and we’re no nearer knowing who’s done it. I tell you now, you won’t catch me wandering around on my own anymore when it begins to get dark.’

‘Very wise,’ Kate murmured.

‘And most of the women round here had only just started going out and about again thinking the killer was in prison, so they’ll be back barricading themselves indoors again now.’

Every patient had an opinion on this subject.

‘I still say it was them two Greys what done it,’ old Mrs Barrymore said in between fits of coughing.

‘I’ve always said it was just someone passin’ by,’ said Arthur Collins as Kate removed the stitches from above his left eye, the result of a recent brawl outside The Tinners. ‘No one round here’s likely to be killin’ like that.’

And so it went on throughout the morning and, as Kate got into her car later, she hoped no one saw her heading towards Higher Tinworthy. Because she had a visit to make.

There had been no further requests to visit Clare Payne so Kate knew she’d have to make some excuse to see Dickie, and his feet, again. What might she have left behind? Scissors, perhaps? Worth a try.

Kate knew the doctor drove a blue Audi, which was normally parked in their drive, but there was no blue car in the drive. Should she wait for a few minutes or come back some other time? No, she’d wait. Time was running out.

She decided to park a little further along the road, from where she’d be able to see him driving in – if and when he came back.

Minutes went by. It was very quiet up here. Then Kate heard a car advancing towards her from further along the road and prayed it was the doctor. Instead she saw