Christmas Killing (10 page)

‘Thought you’d like to know, the poor young man down in goods inwards is practically buried under boxes of stuff coming in. He’s simply not managing at all. Haven’t you got someone else who could help him?’

Miss Pringle put down her pen. She was sitting in a peaceful environment, so different from the rest of the store.

‘I suppose I’d better see who is available,’ she sighed. ‘When will I ever finish the job I started first thing this morning?’

‘Sorry to disturb your peace. But I thought you should know. We’re off to find Bert now. He lives at seventy-three South Street by the way. Perhaps you could correct his entry in your files.’

‘Right. I’ll do it immediately.’

‘Miss Pringle. What were you going to say yesterday? You started off with
Besides
,
Pringle
and then refused to say any more. Call it my copper’s nose but you’re hiding something.’

The woman looked away from him, refusing to meet his gaze. She looked somewhat upset and almost burst into tears. He really was interested now.

‘I don’t want to talk about it. In fact, I refuse to talk about it. Now, if you’ll excuse me ...’

‘Very well. But believe me, I shall be back. I need to know everyone’s secrets and misdeeds. Everything. You understand?’

She nodded and looked even more unhappy.

They swept out of her office and went out of the building, leaving her to sort her problems.

‘What do you think she’s hiding?

Outside they discovered it was snowing again. It was now beginning to get quite thick and they had to clear it from their car before they set off.

‘Bloody awful weather,’ Ray moaned.

‘It is nearly Christmas. What do you expect?’

‘I suppose you’re right. Let’s go round to see if our friend’s at home.’ He settled into the driving seat and started his car. Its wheel spun on the ground and they made no progress whatsoever. ‘Come on, blast you,’ he yelled, bouncing up and down to make it grip.

‘There’s some salt or something over there,’ Ted told him. ‘I’ll go and stick some in front of the wheels.’

‘Thanks. There’s a mac in the back. Put it over yourself.’ Soon, the car had managed to move forwards and Ted got back inside.

‘You’re right. Bloody awful weather, Christmas or not.’

They drove round to South Street again and stopped outside number seventy-three. They knocked at the door and it seemed there was no-one in. Ray thumped even louder and actually yelled out but nobody came to open the door.

‘Let’s go round the back. There must be someone around. If Bert isn’t at work, where is he?’

‘I think there’s an alleyway a couple of doors along.’

‘Okay. Go for it.’

The two men went along and looked at the backs of the houses. They worked out which one they wanted and banged on the back door.

‘Ere, what you doin’?’ asked an irate neighbour.

‘Is this Bert Pryce’s house?’

‘So what if it is?’

‘Do you know where he is?

‘At work I suppose.’

‘He isn’t. We thought he might be here.’

‘I don’t know. They keeps themselves to themselves. I’m going in now. Letting all the cold in, I am.’ She disappeared and slammed the door.

‘Typical,’ moaned Ted. ‘At least she might have asked us in and made a cuppa for us.’

‘You should be so lucky. Come on then. He’s obviously not here.’

‘So where to now?’

‘Don’t know about you but I’m ready for something to eat. I suppose it’s the canteen next stop.’

After they had both eaten, they went back to the office. Ray settled down with his various folders and Ted looked back through the interviews. He frowned and turned the pages rather rapidly.

‘We really do need to interview Bert again. In his earlier interview, he said absolutely nothing of any value. I suppose we were a bit lax in pressing him. Now I know a bit more about him, there are many unanswered questions. Especially knowing he has a brother who’s a bad lot.’

‘If we can actually find him. He must have a wife too. I wonder where she is?’

‘I suppose we could ask the daughter. Matti isn’t it?’

‘Yep. I somehow don’t think she’ll be particularly helpful though, do you?’

‘Probably not. She does seem to be a cheeky little thing. Maybe we should get her over here. Interview her more formally.’

‘Can’t really do that if they’re working as a pair. Don’t want to take any risks now do we?’

‘I’m sure they’ll be fine. With our officer wandering round the department, no-one could commit any more murders.’

‘And we also need to see Marie again. Bearing in mind that Daphne might just be having an off day.’

‘This case does not get any easier does it?’

Chapter Eleven

The two detectives decided to go to the store in the end. They went to see Miss Pringle and to organise another room for interviews.

‘Oh dear me, whenever will all this upset end?’ she moaned.

‘When we find the guilty person who committed these dreadful murders.’

‘Oh yes of course. I know that but it is most inconvenient.’

‘You’re telling us,’ Ray commented. ‘Now, which room can we use? Otherwise, we’ll have to conduct the interviews down at the station when they become much more formal and more upsetting for the people.’

‘Yes, of course. Informality. That must be less scary for everyone.’ Miss Pringle was looking slightly green. ‘I’ll see where is free, right away.’

‘Thank you.’

She bustled off in a great hurry and returned a moment later.

‘You can go into the room next door. It isn’t needed for a while. I assume you won’t be there all day.’

‘Possibly for the rest of today. Is that all right?’ It was almost half-past three.

‘I suppose so. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.’

They went into the next door room and Ray settled down at the table.

‘Can you fetch Matti up here now? I’ll make a start with her and see if I can find out anything about her father.’ Ted left him and went to fetch Matti. She came back with him, protesting strongly that he hadn’t given her chance to change and she was leaving her friend alone and they’d promised she’d be working with her as a pair.

‘Yeah, yeah. I know all that. But please, just shut up and answer our questions.’

‘As long as you’ve noted my objections.’

‘Your objections are noted, Miss Pryce,’ Ray said formally.

‘So what’s this about? I haven’t done anything. Why am I here?’

‘We need some answers about your father. Where is he?’

‘I dunno. If he ain’t here, he must be at home.’

‘He’s not at home nor is he here. I believe you have an uncle? Dickie isn’t it?’

‘Uncle Dickie? What do you want with him?’

‘He’s now out of jail isn’t he?’

‘I s’pose.’

‘So where does he live?’

‘How am I s’posed to know?’

‘Does he share your house?’ A flicker of something crossed her face.

‘No. Me Mum won’t have him near her. Why do you want him? He’s a real bad lot.’

‘So I understand. Where can I get in touch with him?’ She shrugged and looked away.

‘I can be very patient Matti but it is starting to wear thin. Where is your uncle Dickie?’

‘I’ve told you. I don’t know. Don’t you get it? I-do-not-know.’ She spoke very emphatically, stressing the words carefully.

‘Where does your mother work?’ He changed his questioning.

‘She don’t. She stays at home.’

‘There was no-one in when we called at the house this morning.’

‘You sure you got the right place?’

‘Oh yes. A neighbour confirmed it. So where might she have been this morning?’

‘Maybe she was shopping. Not very likely but she might have been.’

‘I see. And do you think she might have returned home now?’

‘Dunno. Maybe.’

‘And your father?’

‘Maybe.’

‘If he really is sick, why wasn’t he at home today?’

‘Look here, I don’t know. Can’t you understand that? I don’t know what my parents or my uncle do with their time. I’m here and I’m supposed to be working. I can’t help you any more.’ She got up and left them sitting behind their table and ran out of the room.

‘I said she probably wouldn’t be very helpful,’ Ted remarked.

‘Yes, I know. It hasn’t got us any further forward. I suppose we’ll just have to go round to the house in the evening.’

‘Sounds like a plan. Who else do you want to see?’

‘Marie. I think we need to sort out exactly where she was when the elf was killed.’

When the girl arrived, she looked somewhat puzzled and seemed very defensive.

‘I don’t know what else you think I can tell you. I’ve said all I can.’

‘We’re just checking on everyone’s timings. It was Wednesday afternoon when Julie was murdered. At least, that was the time she was last seen. So, that makes it just after four o’clock. Do you know exactly where you were at that time?’

‘Not really.’ Her eyes darted round and she didn’t look at either of the detectives. ‘I suppose I was selling in the handbag department.’

‘You didn’t leave the department? Say to go to the loo or just have a break?’

‘Can’t really remember. Perhaps I did. Ask Daphne. She’d probably know.’

‘I’d like you to think carefully and perhaps tell me yourself.’

‘How on earth do you think I’d know something like that? Do you know what you were doing? Unless it was something out of the ordinary, the days just merge into each other.’

‘All right then. How about Saturday morning? We put the time down to nine-forty five. That was when Santa was stabbed.’

‘Same thing applies. I’ve no idea what I was doing. I must have been at my post at that time on a Saturday. It’s always a busy time on Saturdays.’

‘I see. Well thank you Marie. I expect we’ll speak to you again.’

‘You can’t suspect me? Surely not? I mean to say, we shared a flat. Not with Santa but we did with Julie.’

‘We’ll be in touch when we need to see you again. Thank you for your time. Perhaps you can ask Daphne to come and see us?’

‘All right. But she couldn’t have done it. Not Daphne. She’s not the type.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘Dunno really. She did seem pretty upset by the whole thing.’

‘Yes, well some folks are like that aren’t they?’

‘I’ll go and send her to you.’ She shut the door quietly behind her and Ted looked at his boss.

‘What did you think?’

‘I doubt she’s guilty but I’m keeping an open mind. Perhaps Daphne was just stirring things.’

‘What about our Miss Pringle? I wonder what she’s hiding. Obviously there’s something she doesn’t want us to know about. Perhaps Geoffrey Foredyce might know something?’

‘Seems a bit like going behind her back. It may give something away that might get her the sack. It’s a thought though. See if he’s around. We haven’t actually interviewed him at all. Not that I suspect him in any way. I mean, why should he be involved.’

Ted left him and went to find the boss of the company. He asked Miss Pringle to see if it was possible to speak to him. She made a phone call and told him that they could go to his office, which they did. They knocked at his door.

‘Come,’ he called. ‘Ah, detective inspector. How can I help?’

‘Thank you for seeing us. We just wanted to give you a quick update.’

‘I see.’

‘The Chief Detective Inspector,’ said Ted, emphasising his role, ‘also wanted to ask you a few questions regarding your staff.’

‘How involved are you with your staff?’ asked Ray.

‘Oh very. Well, I suppose not exactly very involved. I know when we have new people in senior roles but I leave most hiring and firing to our head of HR. Human Resources.’

‘Ah yes. Miss Pringle. Has she been with you for long?’

‘About ten years I suppose.’

‘And her background?’

‘Graduate from ... oh somewhere. Not sure where. She’ll tell you.’

‘She did seem a bit reluctant to tell us very much.’

‘Really? I’ve never had a problem with her.’

They chatted on for a while and he asked various questions about staff members.

‘I understand you had a Dickie Pryce working here? You had to fire him.’

‘I’m sorry, but I know nothing about him.’

‘His brother works here too. Bert Pryce. Works down in goods reception. Seems to have been absent for a couple of days.’

‘Speak to our Miss Pringle. She’ll help you, I’m sure. Now, if there’s nothing else, I do have a meeting.’

‘Very well. Thank you sir. We’ll go and talk to Miss Pringle.’

‘Not at all. Only too pleased to help.’

They left his rather grand office and went back to see Miss Pringle. She seemed somewhat flustered and looked very perturbed as they both sat down in her office.

‘I understand you are the authority on just about everyone. What made you suspect Dickie Pryce? Why did you sack him.’

‘He was consistently thieving things from the store. Terrible man, as I said before. We suspected his brother might have been associated with him but it turned out he was innocent. Not that I can really believe that. But your lot couldn’t find anything against him so he’s still here.’

‘And what about you Miss Pringle?’ She started.

‘What on earth do you mean?
What
about
you
Miss
Pringle
?’

‘How long have you been here?’

‘About ten years. I came here after I graduated. I took a degree rather late. A mature student.’

‘Really. Why was that?’ asked Ted.

‘I chose to do it. Why do you want to know about that?’

‘Why did you do a degree later in your life?’

‘It suited me, that’s why.’

‘And what did you do before your degree? Between school and going to university.’

‘I don’t know why you’re asking me all this. What does it have to do with your investigation?’

‘Background Miss Pringle. Background information.’

‘There were some family problems. I was kept busy with them. Now, please may I get on with my work? I have a lot to do before I can go home.’

‘Live alone do you?’

‘I have a cat. A lovely Persian. But no people. I do live alone apart from my cat.’

‘May I ask what your family problems were?’ asked Ray, as politely as possible.

‘I don’t see why that is relevant.’

‘As I said before. Background.’

‘My mother. She had a sort of breakdown.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that. Did she get over it?’

The woman looked away. She did look rather tearful and for a moment, Ray thought she was about to cry.

‘She went away. That was it. I never saw her again. I went to university and then came here.’

‘And you father?’

‘I never knew him. Now, I really must get on with my work.’

‘Thank you very much for your time, Miss Pringle. And I’m sorry if we upset you.’ They left her office and decided to return to the police headquarters. As they were leaving, they heard the tannoy telling customers the store would be closing in ten minutes.

‘The end of another glorious day at Foredyce’s,’ Ted remarked.

‘Not the end of the day for us, though. We still have to go to the Pryce household, once I’ve done some research at the office.’

‘What sort of research?’

‘I want to look into Miss Pringle’s past. There’s something she’s not telling us.’

An hour later, the Detective Chief Inspector stretched and yawned. He had found nothing. He puzzled over the database and typed in Pringle but nothing came up. He made a mental note to ask Sam Smythe in archives the next day. If anyone knew anything, it would be him. If he didn’t know it already, he would know where to search. Meantime, it was Bert who was next on his list.

He’d sent Ted home to his family a while back, thinking he’d make this visit on his own. He drove to South Street and stopped outside number seventy-three. There were lights on in the house so he felt encouraged. He knocked at the door and Matti answered.

‘Oh, it’s you. Me dad’s gone out.’

‘May I come inside?’

‘I don’t think so. Mum’s not well and she’s sitting down.’

‘Please. I won’t be here for long. Just a few questions.’

‘I’ll go and ask her. Wait there.’ She shut the door, leaving him shivering on the step. After a few minutes, she came back and told him it wasn’t convenient. ‘Sorry and all that.’

‘Tell her and your father I’ll be back tomorrow and I can always get a warrant, if necessary.’

‘Right you are. I’ll tell her that.’

‘And tell her that I desperately need to see your father. If he’s still off work, I assume he’ll be at home tomorrow morning. I’ll call round then.’

She shut the door and with a shiver he got back into his car. As he drove back to his flat, his mind was racing round in circles. He was suddenly struck by an idea. Suppose Miss Pringle had changed her name. It would make sense. If her mother was indeed some sort of problem, it would be highly likely that she might want to forget all about her. The trouble was, he had to find out what her name had been and without any co-operation, it would be damned near impossible. There was nothing more he could do this evening and so he went home and looked for something to heat up for his supper. What a total disaster this case was turning out to be. A whole team were working on it and no-one had found out anything useful yet. He had a load of suspects and none of them seemed likely to have committed both crimes. He went in and hauled out a fish pie from his freezer and stuck it in the microwave. With a deep sigh, he slumped down with a large single malt, his favourite tipple. The microwave bleeped and he went to collect his food, his mind still whirring. How could he find out what her name had been, this Miss Pringle? He’d have to challenge her directly. He made his plans for the following day. First thing he’d go round to South Street again and then to Foredyce’s. Somehow, he must get Miss Pringle to say why she had changed her name and then find out what it had been.