The Stratford Murder by Mike Hollow (best thriller novels of all time .TXT) 📗

are pretty obvious – there are signs up.’

‘What about the manager’s office?’

‘That’s different – there’s no sign on his door, but then I suppose he likes his privacy. So would I, I think, if I had to deal with all the customers’ gripes. Martin took a dislike to something and wanted to complain to the manager, so I told him where to go, although I don’t know whether he went or what it was exactly he wanted to complain about. But I can’t think of anyone else wanting to know.’

‘This would be your boyfriend, Martin Sullivan.’

‘That’s right.’

‘I see. Has anyone ever asked you to supply them with a key to the cinema?’

‘Certainly not, and I wouldn’t have one to give them anyway.’

‘Has anyone asked you to do anything that might’ve helped them to break into the cinema?’

‘No, of course not.’

‘And do you know whether anyone approached your sister Joan with the same intention in mind?’

‘No. What are you trying to suggest?’

‘We’re just examining possibilities, Miss Hayes. There’s a chance that the thieves might’ve tried to gain information from someone who worked here, so we’re just checking.’

‘Well, no one’s asked me, and I wouldn’t have told them if they had. And the same goes for my poor sister, I’m sure. She needed that job. She’d moved out of Audrey’s house and had to pay her rent, and find money for her lessons. They weren’t cheap, from what I gathered.’

‘Lessons?’

‘Singing lessons. She had a good voice, always used to sing around the house when I was a kid. When she got married she didn’t seem to sing so much, but lately she got interested in it again, even joined the local dramatic society so she could be in one of those romantic Ivor Novello musicals. Careless Rapture, I think it was. Silly, maybe, but I think she’d seen that girl from East Ham singing everywhere, making records and on the wireless. What’s her name?’

‘Vera Lynn?’

‘That’s the one. I think Joan reckoned if a girl from East Ham could do that, a girl with the right voice from West Ham could too. I think she felt trapped, you see, and she was desperate to do something about it. She felt like a prisoner in Audrey’s house, and when Richard was reported missing she grabbed her chance to move out.’

‘And did she feel trapped in her marriage too?’

‘That’s not for me to say, but I got the feeling she was beginning to think that way. Whether she’d had enough of Richard or not, I think she wanted to escape, and becoming rich and famous was about the only chance she’d have of doing that. Like I said, it was probably a silly idea, but she’d started having singing lessons, and they didn’t come cheap.’

‘Do you know who was teaching her?’

‘No, she didn’t say.’

‘Do you think she might’ve been tempted to disclose information about the cinema if someone had offered her money?’

‘Never. She might’ve been silly and romantic, but she was an honest girl.’

‘Thank you, Miss Hayes. You’ve been most helpful.’

‘You don’t think Joan had anything to do with those safe robbers, do you?’ said Beryl, looking anxious.

Jago gave her a brief smile. ‘That will be all, thank you. You can get back to your duties now.’

Beryl waited for a moment, as if expecting Jago to go on, but when he didn’t she turned on her heel and left the room.

As soon as she’d gone, Conway scurried back into the office and closed the door.

‘So did she have anything to do with it?’ he asked, his eyes probing Jago’s face for signs of a reaction.

‘It’s too early to say,’ Jago replied. ‘But thank you for your cooperation. It’s much appreciated.’

Jago led Cradock out of the office, leaving Conway staring silently at their backs.

CHAPTER FORTY

The sun had come out while they were in Conway’s windowless office, and when the cinema’s front doors swung shut behind them it was for a moment dazzling. Jago stood still, shading his eyes with his right hand. When they had adjusted to the light he glanced to one side, then nudged Cradock’s arm.

‘Hello,’ he said. ‘Look who we’ve got here.’

Cradock followed the direction in which Jago was looking and saw a man in the uniform of a Royal Navy seaman studying a poster displayed outside the cinema. From his side view of the man’s face he recognised him immediately, as had his boss.

‘Hello, Ernie,’ said Jago, walking up to the man.

Ernie Sullivan turned round to see who had greeted him.

‘Oh, hello, Inspector. I didn’t expect to see you here.’

‘Nor I you. Checking the programme, are you?’

‘That’s right. I’ve got to get back to my ship the day after tomorrow, and I fancied seeing a movie before I go, so I thought I’d see if there was anything good on here tonight or tomorrow. Looks like there isn’t, though.’

‘Shame. But since you’re here, I wonder if I might ask you a quick question.’

‘Be my guest.’

‘It’s about last Sunday. Could you possibly clarify a couple of small points for me about when you got home that night?’

‘Sure. Fire away.’

‘You said you went to bed soon after you got home, yes?’

‘That’s right.’

‘You didn’t mention whether that was in the house or in the shelter. Can you tell me which it was?’

‘Yes. It was, er … It was the shelter.’

‘And you said your father was at home when you got in, but you didn’t mention your brother. Was Martin at home too?’

‘Er, I’m not sure.’

‘Not sure? Those Anderson shelters aren’t exactly spacious, are they? Surely you’d remember whether there were three of you tucked up in there together or only two?’

‘Yes, but I, er … Look, that was Sunday and now it’s Thursday, and to be honest, I’ve been doing quite a lot of meeting up with old pals and having a few drinks, if you know what I mean, making the most of my leave, so I might’ve got a bit muddled up. But yes, now I remember – I know Martin was at