by Adele Abbott
The concierge caught my eye as I walked through the lobby. “Okay?”
I gave him the thumbs up.
Before I could summon the lift, my phone rang. It was a Candlefield number, but one I didn’t recognise.
“Jill Gooder?” a female voice barked.
“Speaking.”
“This is Inspector Jewell.”
“Oh, hello.” Our paths had crossed before. Maxine Jewell hadn’t taken kindly to my involvement in the Candlefield Cup case even though I’d managed to solve it. “What can I do for you?”
“I understand you’ve been poking around the offices of The Candle.”
“I’m not sure I’d call it poking around exactly. I was just—”
“Well don’t. I’ve told you before; you have no authority in Candlefield. Stick to serving tea and cakes at the tea room.”
“Why is it that no one seems interested in investigating TDO?”
“You don’t get to ask the questions. Just stay out of police business if you know what’s good for you.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“Just do it.”
With that, she ended the call. Who had told her that I’d been to the offices of The Candle, and more importantly why? What were they so worried about?
Chapter 26
Mrs Dixon answered the door wearing an apron; her hands were covered in flour. “Oh, hello again.”
“You remember me?”
“Of course. I’m afraid Reginald is out.”
“It’s actually you I wanted to speak to. Can I come in?”
“Err—yes, of course. You caught me in the middle of baking. Reginald loves my fruit scones. Go through to the living room while I wash my hands. Would you like a drink? Tea? Coffee?”
I declined. The news I was about to deliver was probably going to turn Mrs Dixon’s world upside down. The sooner I got it over with, the better.
“Right then.” Mrs Dixon returned sans apron. “How can I help you?”
“You might want to take a seat.”
“Oh dear.” She looked genuinely worried now. “What’s wrong?”
“Are you aware that your husband and Darcy James are having an affair?”
The colour drained from her face, and I had my answer. “That’s ridiculous,” she managed at last. “Reginald would never look at another woman.”
“I’m afraid it’s true. I have evidence.” I pulled out my phone. “Can I show you?”
She looked at me with pleading eyes—she didn’t want to believe that what I was saying was true. “I suppose so,” she said weakly.
I held up the phone, and played back the video I’d recorded earlier in the diner.
“Why did the idiot top himself?” Darcy James said.
“Who knows? Couldn’t handle the guilt probably,” Dixon said. “Still, he’s done us a favour. The police have closed the case now.”
“What about that private eye?”
“Don’t worry about her. She’s got nothing.”
Dixon leaned forward and placed a long kiss on Darcy’s lips.
“When are you going to tell her?” Darcy said.
“Soon.”
“When is soon?”
“We have to be patient. We’ve come this far. It would be stupid to jeopardise things now.”
“But I want to be with you.” Darcy put her hand on Dixon’s. “I want to spend every moment with you. I can’t bear the thought of you touching her. Of you sleeping with her.”
“Do you think I want to? I think of you all the time. But we have to be careful.”
“I’m sorry I had to show you that,” I said.
“I gave him everything,” Mrs Dixon said through her tears. “I’ve never looked at another man.”
“Can I ask—?”
“Would you excuse me?” She didn’t wait for an answer—instead, she disappeared in the direction of the bedrooms.
How much time did I have before Mr Dixon came back? I was banking on him being otherwise engaged with Darcy for a while, but what if Mrs Dixon had gone into the bedroom to call her husband?
“I’m sorry about that.” She returned, looking more self composed.
“I’m sorry you had to find out that way.”
She brushed aside my words. “Not your fault. I’ve known something wasn’t right for some time. I just wouldn’t let myself believe it.”
“I think your husband may have had something to do with Alan Dennis’s murder.”
“He did.”
Her frankness caught me by surprise. “You knew?”
“Of course. What would you like to know?”
Mrs Dixon answered all of my questions and filled in all of the gaps. The Dixons, Darcy James and Jason Allan had all conspired to kill Alan Dennis. Mr Dixon had been the instigator and the brains behind the plan.
“Alan Dennis had recognised Reginald and me,” Mrs Dixon said.
“Hardly surprising, seeing as how one of your earlier schemes caused him to go bankrupt, and essentially ruined his life. Had he threatened to expose you?”
“Not as far as I know, but Reginald was sure it was only a matter of time.”
“Why didn’t you just up sticks and move away like you usually do?”
“We’re right in the middle of our latest project.”
The way she referred to the Ponzi schemes as ‘projects’ showed a callous disregard for the devastating effect they had on people’s lives. I wanted to shake her, but now wasn’t the time.
“If we’d abandoned it,” she said, “we’d have been ruined.”
“So you decided to kill Dennis.”
“I didn’t want anything to do with it, but Reginald said it was the only way.”
“How did he get Jason Allan to do it?”
“He didn’t. Darcy James did that. She was in a relationship with Jason. At least, I thought she was. Reginald had said she was short of money, and that she’d approached him for a loan. He said that he’d agreed to help her if she would persuade Jason to do it. I suppose that was all a lie.”
“It looks that way. I suspect your husband and Darcy were having an affair before she hooked up with Jason. Jason was just the patsy in all of this. But how on earth did Darcy manage to persuade him to kill for her?”
“She told Jason that Alan Dennis had assaulted her and was still stalking her. She told him that she was afraid of Dennis.”
“Did you know that Alan Dennis was Jason Allan’s father?”
Mrs Dixon’s composure melted away again. “What? That can’t be true. Jason wouldn’t have killed his own father no matter how much he loved Darcy.”
“He didn’t know—at least not at the time. His father had left his mother before Jason was born. Alan Dennis had been paying Jason’s rent, but had never revealed who he was. Jason only found out after he’d killed him. I’m almost certain that’s why he committed suicide.”
“That poor boy.” She took a deep breath. “So what happens now?”
“I’m taking this to the police. I’d like you to come with me.”
“What will happen to me?”
“I don’t know, but it’ll be far worse if you don’t tell them everything you know straight away.”
I tried to get hold of Maxwell, but reached Sushi. With her usual charm, she agreed to meet Mrs Dixon and me at the police station. I insisted Jack Maxwell be present. She said she’d see what she could do.
***
By the time I’d finished at the police station and got back to Candlefield, most of the revellers from the night before had made their way back home—many of them still nursing hangovers no doubt. I’d had nothing to eat all morning, and was craving a blueberry muffin.
“Are the twins working in the tea room?” I asked Aunt Lucy.
“Supposedly, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve gone back to bed. They looked terrible when they left here this morning. How do you feel?”
“Me? I’m fine. I didn’t have much to drink.”
“Except Grandma.”
“Including Grandma, but she’ll never admit it. You know what she’s like.”
“I’m beginning to.”
“My ears are burning,” Grandma said.
How did she creep in like that?
“Morning mother,” Aunt Lucy said.
“It smells like a brewery in here.”
“We were celebrating last night. You should have joined us.”
“Nothing to celebrate. And where’s that Fester of yours?”
Aunt Lucy’s smile disappeared. “His name is Lester!”
“So where is he? Has he dumped you already?”
“Grandma!” I stepped in.
“Can’t I ask a simple question now? The man seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth, and no one seems to know why.”
“I don’t want to discuss it.” Aunt Lucy walked away.
“What about you?” Grandma turned to me. “You were meant to be investigating. Do you know what’s happened to him? No one tells me anything.”
Is there any wonder?
“I heard that,” Grandma said.
Whoops. When would I learn she could hear my thoughts?
***
It was difficult to say which of the twins looked worse. Amber was behind the cake shop counter with her head propped up on her hand. Pearl was behind the tea room counter—sitting on a stool with her eyes barely open.
“Morning you two,” I said as loudly as I could.
“Shhh!”
“Shhh!”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Have you got a hangover?”
They both nodded, but then cringed at the effort.
“How come you look so good?” Amber asked.
“Because I didn’t get drunk last night. I’ve been working in Washbridge all morning. Just solved a case.”
“I thought you looked pleased with yourself,” Pearl said. “Do you want anything?”
“I’ll take a cup of tea and one of your best blueberry muffins, please.”
Just then the door opened behind me.
“Jill,” Annie Christy said. “I hoped I might catch you here. Could I have a word in private, please?”
“Sure. Do you want a drink or anything?”
“Nothing for me, thanks.”
I led the way over to a table for two at the back of the shop. No one would overhear us there. Was she about to slam me for interfering in the family business?
“I wanted to thank you,” Annie said. “For keeping this unfortunate business under wraps.”
“Your mother has spoken to you then?”
“We had a long talk. I feel so bad about trying to make her sell the business when it was the last thing she wanted to do.”
“You were doing it with the best of intentions.”
“Maybe, but I should have known, and Mum should have felt she could talk to me about it. I’ve told the would-be buyer that the bakery is no longer for sale. I just hope that my stupidity hasn’t done any long term harm to the business.”
“I’m sure it hasn’t. If your other customers are anything like the twins, they’ll be prepared to cut your mum some slack. After all, her cakes are still the best in Candlefield.” I took a bite of the muffin.
“Thanks, Jill. We owe you one. If there’s ever anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”
Not long after Annie Christy had left, my phone rang. It was another unknown Candlefield number. Someone else warning me off the TDO investigation?
“Jill Gooder?” It was a male voice.
“Speaking.”
“I have some information which might interest you. About TDO.”
“Who am I speaking to?”
“No names. I used to be a reporter on The Candle.”
“Used to be?”
“I can’t talk on the phone. Do you know Magpie Place?”
“I can find it.”
“Meet me there in ten minutes.”
“How will I know—?”
The line was dead.
Magpie Place was a small courtyard to the north of Candlefield—an area I hadn’t been to before. I’d set off immediately the call had ended, but it still took me just under fifteen minutes to get there. All of the streets around the courtyard were narrow—too narrow for cars. It reminded me a little of the Shambles area of York which I’d once visited on a school trip. The courtyard had a bar and restaurant on one side with shops opposite. On the other two sides were offices and houses. The courtyard itself was practically deserted. I glanced around—there were three men—none of whom seemed to be paying me any particular attention. All I could do was wait.
The woman’s scream made me jump.
“Help!” she yelled. “Help me.”
I followed the others as they went to the woman’s aid. She led the way up one of the narrow roads.
“There!” She pointed to a doorway. The two men who’d been in front of me bent down, and I could see that they were attending to a man who was lying on the ground. The pool of blood beneath his head told its own story.
Chapter 27
I had no way of knowing if the man who’d been murdered in Magpie Place was the same man who’d contacted me, but it was a pretty safe bet. Someone wasn’t happy about my investigation into TDO, and was prepared to do anything, including murder, to stop it.
“How’s Kathy settling into her new job?” Mrs V asked.
“I haven’t heard anything from her in a couple of days, but something tells me Grandma isn’t going to be fun to work for.”
“Is she ever fun?”
“Not really. What time is Jackie Langford due here?”
“In a few minutes.”
Winky looked particularly pleased with himself—never a good sign.
“Here!” He pushed a glossy brochure across the desk to me.
“What’s this?”
“It’s the offices I told you about. They’re a really high spec. We might even get decent broadband over there.”
I would have told him where he could stuff his brochure, but I didn’t want him to create a scene while Jackie Langford was in the office. “I’ll take a look later. I have a client due any minute.”
He one-eyed me suspiciously. Fortunately, before he could say anything, Mrs V opened the door and showed Jackie Langford inside.
Winky wrapped himself around her legs as she stroked him. They really were BFFs.
“You said you had news,” she said as she joined me at my desk.
I laid out the story as I knew it. “It’s a tragedy from beginning to end. Jason had no idea that Alan Dennis was his father. When he found out, he was devastated.”
“And took his own life.”
I nodded. “Alan recognised the Dixons. Hardly surprising given the circumstances. Whether he’d intended to do anything about it we’ll never know, but Reginald Dixon wasn’t taking any chances.”
“What about the CCTV?”
“I’m not sure we’ll ever know the full details, but my guess is that Darcy James had tried to persuade Jason Allan to kill Alan. He’d wanted to help her, but had been too afraid. Darcy needed to persuade him he could commit the crime without fear of being caught. That’s when she hatched the plan to stage the scene for the CCTV and to swap the tapes. She’s a woman who knows how to use her considerable charms to get what she wants from men. Hooking up with Tony, the man at Gravesend Security, had been easy for her. He was putty in her hands. Once he’d agreed to swap the tapes, she’d been able to convince Jason that he’d have nothing to fear. The three of them in the lift: the Dixons and Darcy James had choreographed the thing perfectly. By dressing identically on both days, they’d made it almost impossible to spot the difference between the CCTV recordings.”
“Why didn’t the Dixons simply leave Washbridge when they recognised Alan?”
“Mrs Dixon said it was because they were in the
midst of a new Ponzi scheme, but I don’t buy that. Reginald Dixon probably told his wife that, but I’m more inclined to believe he didn’t want to risk losing Darcy James. If they’d had to relocate and find new identities, that would have put an end to the affair.”
“What’s going to happen to them?”
“Difficult to say. They’ll definitely all be charged with conspiracy to murder, but because they were actually present when the murder took place, they may even be charged with murder. Mrs Dixon may get away with the lesser charge if she agrees to appear as a witness for the prosecution.”
“Will she do that?”
“I’m certain she will. She loved her husband and had stood by him all of those years only to be traded in for a younger model. She wants her revenge.”
Fortunately for me, Winky was asleep when Jackie Langford left, so I was able to sneak out before he could start on at me again about moving offices.
“Are we relocating, Jill?” Mrs V asked as I was leaving.
“No. Why?”
“Someone put this brochure on my desk.” She held up an identical brochure to the one Winky had foisted upon me.
“We’re not going anywhere. I love this old office.”
***
I’d put it off as long as I could, but it was time to confront Miles Best. What exactly was I supposed to say to him? I had absolutely no idea. I was en route when I bumped into Lester—literally.
“Jill?”
“Where have you been hiding?”
“I haven’t.”
“Come on. No one’s seen you for ages. When I saw you the other day, you ran off. Aunt Lucy is terribly upset.”
“That’s the last thing I wanted.”
“What did you expect? You disappeared without a word.”
“I thought if I stayed away, she might just forget about me.”
“Really? Don’t you realise how much she cares about you? She’s not going to forget about you just like that. If you’ve found someone else or grown tired of the relationship, the least you can do is tell her.”
“No. It’s nothing like that.”
“Then what is it?”
