He felt something warm drop on his hand. It was a silver tear from Pearl.
Pearl sniffed. “Someone told Kevin to drive a truck with no brakes. They knew what would happen to him! Someone murdered him!”
They looked over at Kevin. He was now rolling on his back and roaring with laughter.
Derek closed his laptop and gave Pearl his full attention. “I’ll find out who did this. If it gets too much for you I want you to leave. Isn’t there a quiet place that you take ghosts to sometimes? Can you take yourself there?”
Pearl gave him a half smile. “There is, but I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get on with this, Derek, love. Let’s find the nasty bugger who killed Kevin.”
Chapter 3
Derek’s hands flew to his chest.
Pearl hissed to Kevin, “Can you stop calling out hello to everyone! You’re making Derek jump. You’ll give him a heart attack if you’re not careful!”
Derek muttered, “I’m fine. My heart’s still going.”
Kevin bounded at their side as they walked down the fruit aisle at Holland’s supermarket. “Sorry, Derek. I can’t help it! I’m so excited to see everyone! Hi Janet! Hi Chloe!”
“But they can’t see you,” Pearl pointed out. “Please stop it now.”
Kevin grinned at them. “I’ll try. It’s so exciting seeing everyone again. Look! There’s Sam. He was my very, very, very best friend. Can we go and talk to him? Please?”
Derek muttered, “That would be a good place to start. Let’s head over that way.”
They walked towards a thin man who was in his mid twenties. He was dressed in the same red and yellow uniform that Kevin was wearing. As he walked closer Derek noticed that Sam’s badge declared he was happy to help with any questions.
Derek tried him out. “Excuse me, young man, can you tell me where to find the cucumbers?”
Sam looked up from the small machine he was holding. “Eh?”
“Cucumbers? Where can I find them?”
Kevin bounced at Sam’s side. “He’s doing the home shopping thing! I tried to help him once but he said I wasn’t quick enough. Sam loves doing this. He says it’s better than talking to the customers! He’s so funny.”
Sam mumbled, “No idea, mate. Ask someone else.” He turned his back on Derek and stared at the machine in his hand again.
Kevin clutched his sides and laughed. “Ha! Sam, you’re so funny. You know where the cucumbers are! Derek, they’re down the next aisle. Are you making a salad? Shall I tell you where the lettuce is? Do you like tomatoes?”
Pearl had moved to Sam’s side and was looking at the machine. “Derek, what does Kevin mean by home shopping?”
Derek reached for his phone. If he needed to talk to a ghost in public he used the pretence of talking into his phone. He opened his mouth to explain home shopping to Pearl.
Kevin beat him to it. “It’s online shopping, Pearl. You order things from the comfort of your home. We fill up your trolley here and then we deliver it right to your front door. It’s convenient and saves you valuable time. See online for details.”
Pearl smiled over at Kevin. “You sound like an advert. Why don’t people just come in and get their shopping?”
Derek now spoke into his phone, “My neighbour, Suzanne, does her shopping online. She doesn’t have the time, or the energy, at weekends to go out to the shops. She uses Holland’s often.” He glanced over at Sam to see if he was listening to this strange conversation. Sam wasn’t paying him any attention.
Pearl looked again at the machine in Sam’s hands. “This cheerful young chap is doing Suzanne’s shopping right now. I can see her address on that machine thing.” She peered into the trolley. “She must be having a party or something. There’s tons of booze in this trolley. Didn’t you say she’s got three small children? Well, she’s either having a party, or she’s self-medicating with alcohol.”
Derek frowned, his phone still next to his ear. “She never said anything to me about a party. Are you sure you’ve got the right Suzanne?”
Pearl nodded. “I’m sure. I can see her address. The delivery time is set for this afternoon.”
Kevin said, “Our delivery drivers are always happy to help. Let them know if the wrong product has been delivered. We offer a no quibble refund policy.” He gave them both a grin.
An older man dressed in a business suit rounded the corner. Kevin cried out, “It’s Mr Collier! The manager! He’s great.”
Derek took in Mr Collier. He was in his late thirties, or early forties. The hair that he did have left at the side of his head was flecked with grey. He had dark circles under his eyes and his brow was furrowed. Being the manager of a supermarket must be a stressful job. Derek quickly put his phone away. He wanted to speak to Mr Collier.
Sam noticed the manager and stood up straighter. “Morning,” Sam said brightly. He put his hands on the trolley and quickly wheeled it away.
Mr Collier made to follow him but Derek called out, “Hello! Excuse me. Can I have a word please?”
Mr Collier put a professional smile on his face as he looked Derek’s way. “Yes, of course. What can I help you with?”
Pearl tutted and said, “Looks like someone needs a good night’s sleep.”
Kevin added, “Poor Mr Collier. He looks so tired.”
Derek said, “I came to this supermarket about six or seven months ago. I met a lovely young man when I was here. He was so helpful and so cheerful! I wondered if he still worked here. I think his name was Kevin.”
Kevin whispered loudly, “Derek, I told you I don’t work here any more!”
Pearl whispered, “Kevin, Derek’s just pretending. Keep quiet.”
Mr Collier’s shoulders dropped, his smile faded. “Ah. Kevin. Yes, he was a cheerful young man. One of my best workers. I’m sorry to inform you that Kevin doesn’t work here. He doesn’t work anywhere now. He passed away.”
“I told you, Derek,” Kevin said helpfully. “I’m dead.”
Derek said, “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. What happened to him?”
Mr Collier’s face hardened. “There was an accident. A tragic accident. Kevin was somewhere he shouldn’t have been. I don’t like to speak this way about the dead, but Kevin wasn’t all there in the brains department. He was so gullible. People used to take advantage of him. He’d do anything for anyone, no matter what.” The hard look was replaced with one of concern. “That accident shouldn’t have happened. I blame myself. Kevin was under my care whilst he was here, and I let him down. Was there anything else?”
“When I met Kevin, he said how much he liked working here. He said you were a great manager.”
Mr Collier gave him a dry laugh. “I’m not much of a manager now. I can’t even stop the petty thefts that we’ve got going on.” He waved a hand in Derek’s direction. “Ignore me. I’m just feeling the stress of the job more than usual these days. I do miss seeing Kevin around the place. He always cheered me up. If you need any help around the shop, ask any of my staff. They’re always happy to help.” He gave Derek a quick smile as he turned away.
Derek raised his eyebrows as he looked at Pearl and Kevin.
Pearl said to Kevin, “Were items being stolen when you worked here?”
Kevin shrugged. “I don’t think so. Why would people steal? It’s wrong to steal. Can we go into the warehouse? That’s where I died. Did I tell you that? Do you think I might remember more if we go in?”
“It’s worth a try,” Pearl told him.
Chapter 4
Pearl was still in a bad mood when they returned to Derek’s house thirty minutes later.
“There was no need for that man to talk to you like that!” she fumed.
Derek moved towards the kettle. “He was only doing his job. I shouldn’t have been going into the warehouse, you know that.” He filled the kettle up.
Pearl hadn’t finished, “But he manhandled you! It’s assault. You should report him!”
Derek smiled as he switched the
kettle on. “He only put his hand on my back and turned me away from the warehouse doors. Did you see anything inside, Pearl?”
She shook her head. “Only stacks of produce. I saw a forklift truck at the far end, no one was driving it.” She looked towards the kitchen door. “Where did Kevin go? I thought he was following us.”
Kevin bounded into the kitchen. “Mr Derek Quill, are you going to put some more bulbs into pots? Can I watch you? When will they grow? When will I see the daffodils and roses? It’s so exciting!”
Pearl said to Derek quietly, “I don’t think we’re going to get much more out of him at the moment.”
Derek smiled at Kevin. “I was going to plant some in the front garden. I’ve got some snowdrops to put out. I love seeing those grow at the end of winter. It’s always a sure sign that spring is on its way. Do you want to help me? You can tell me where you think they should go.”
Kevin’s mouth dropped open. Pearl moved forward, put her hand under his chin, and closed it for him. Kevin gave Derek a wide grin. “Really? Can I really help you? Wow! I’ve never done any gardening before.”
Derek said, “I’ll make myself a cuppa and bring it outside. Pearl, are you coming with us? We can have a chat whilst we work.” He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly in Kevin’s direction.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Pearl replied.
Derek made himself a cup of tea. It always felt strange not to make his guests one too. He went outside and into his front garden. Kevin danced at his side, his eyes sparkling. Derek placed his tea on the window ledge and then went to collect his bulbs from the potting shed. As he walked away he heard Pearl question Kevin about his friends at the supermarket.
Derek returned with all the equipment he needed. He stood at the end of the path and said, “Right then, Kevin, where do you think we should put these?”
“Everywhere!” Kevin declared.
Derek chuckled. “That’s a good idea. I’ll start with this area under the front window. It gets the morning light here.”
Kevin crouched at Derek’s side as he dug holes for the bulbs. He was fascinated by the whole process. Derek said, “Haven’t you ever done any gardening before? Even a little bit?”
Kevin shook his head. “People don’t think I can. They say it’s too hard for me. They don’t even let me have a go. Not like the truck in the warehouse. They let me have a go. They told me how to drive it. They told me which buttons to press.” He frowned and added, “The one on the left, not the one on the right.”
Pearl was at Derek’s other side. She said gently, “Kevin, who told you that? Can you remember?”
Kevin rubbed his forehead and winced. “I can’t see them. Ouch! It hurts. I don’t want to think about it, Pearl. Can I stop thinking now?”
Pearl nodded and shared a look with Derek.
The noise of a vehicle coming along the road made them all turn around.
Kevin jumped up and waved his hands in the air. “It’s a Holland’s delivery van! Ha! I can’t believe it! This is so exciting!” He ran to the garden gate. The van stopped outside the house next door. “It’s Jeff! Hi Jeff! Pearl, Derek, it’s Jeff who’s driving.”
Derek took off his gardening gloves and looked at his watch. “Suzanne isn’t home yet. I think this delivery is a bit early.”
The driver, Jeff, got out of the van and walked around to the side of it. He was unaware of Kevin Shepherd jumping up and down and calling out hellos to him.
Derek walked over to the gate. “Hello there. Are you here to deliver to next door?”
Jeff turned around. He was a stocky-looking man with a round face. He gave Derek a cheerful smile and said, “Yes. I’m a bit early. Are they in?”
“She isn’t. She won’t be home for another thirty minutes.”
The smile fell from Jeff’s face. “Damn. I was hoping to get finished early today. My missus isn’t well and I wanted to get home to her. Never mind, I’ll just have to come back later.”
“Hang on, I might be able to help.” Derek took his phone out and made a quick call. When he’d finished he looked back at Jeff and said, “I’ve spoken to Suzanne, she’s the woman who lives next door. She says it’s alright for me to take her shopping in. I’ve got a spare key. Is that okay with you?”
Jeff rubbed his chin. “Well, I shouldn’t really.” He studied Derek for a moment. “But you do have an honest face.” He threw a hand up. “Oh, what the heck! Yes, thank you. I’ll get the shopping out.” He turned back to the van and started to open a door.
Derek went into his house and returned with Suzanne’s key. He opened the front door to her house and was soon taking in the shopping that Jeff brought to the door.
Jeff gave him another cheerful smile as he handed over the receipt for the shopping. “Thanks so much for doing this, I appreciate it. Bye.” He ambled away from the house and back to his van. Kevin jogged at his side and called out a dozen goodbyes.
Derek looked at the shopping in the hallway. “I can’t leave it all here. I’ll take it into the kitchen. I’d better put the chilled and frozen items away.”
Pearl gave him a fond look. “You’re such a good man, Derek. Mind your back with those heavy bags. Don’t forget all that booze she ordered.”
Derek took the bags into the kitchen and unpacked them. Kevin and Pearl came to his side as he took the last item out. They looked as confused as him.
Derek turned to Kevin. “When we saw your friend, Sam, earlier, he was picking Suzanne’s items and putting them in a trolley. Do you think he forgot to put some things in the delivery van?”
“No. He never forgets,” Kevin informed him.
Pearl said, “Did he have more than one customer’s order in the trolley that we saw?”
Kevin shook his head vehemently. “No. It’s one trolley for one customer. Always. If we don’t then everything gets mixed up. Sam always told me, ‘One customer in one trolley’.”
Derek waved his hand over Suzanne’s shopping. “Then where did all those bottles of alcohol go?” He looked at the receipt in his hand. “They aren’t listed on here. But they were definitely in the trolley at the supermarket.”
Kevin nodded slowly. “It’s a mystery. They’ve vanished.”
Pearl looked at Derek, “I think we’ve just discovered somebody’s secret.”
Chapter 5
Derek put the chilled and frozen items away and then went back to his own house. He took Kevin into the living room and sat him down in an armchair. He and Pearl sat opposite him on the sofa.
Pearl said, “Kevin, I think your friend, Sam, is up to something.”
Kevin leant back in the chair. “Sam’s great. I like Sam, he’s my best friend.”
“I know that, love, but you need to listen carefully,” Pearl went on. “Sam was putting big bottles of whisky and gin into Suzanne’s trolley at the supermarket. But when the order got here, the bottles had gone.”
“I know. It’s a mystery,” Kevin said with a grin. “What do you think happened to them?”
Derek joined in, “When we saw Mr Collier earlier, he mentioned that items were going missing. He might have been talking about bottles. Someone is taking bottles of alcohol and sneaking them out of the supermarket.”
Kevin’s eyes went wide. “Who would do that? It’s stealing.”
Derek heard a small sigh coming from Pearl. She was being patient with Kevin. With other ghosts he was sure she’d be shouting at them by now.
Pearl moved to the end of her seat. “Kevin, listen. I think Sam is stealing. He’s putting bottles in the trolleys as if they were part of a customer’s order. Then, somehow, he’s getting them out of the supermarket without being seen. Did you know about this?”
Kevin moved to the end of his seat and mirrored Pearl’s pose. “No. Sam would never steal anything. He’s my best friend, he’s great.”
Pearl reached out and took one of Kevin’s hands in her own. “Kevin, love, he is stealing. You might have found
out about it and he might have … done something to you to keep you quiet.”
Kevin laughed. “What do you mean, keep me quiet? Cover my mouth up with tape or something? Ha! That would be funny. Can I watch some cartoons now?” He jumped off the chair and settled himself on the carpet in front of the TV. Derek switched it on.
Pearl sank back into the sofa and looked over at Derek. “I can’t say the words out loud to him. It’s like talking to a child. How do you tell a child that he could have been murdered by his best friend? I can’t do it.”
“We don’t have to tell him, not yet.” Derek looked over at Kevin. “Kevin, what happens to the trolleys when the customer’s order is complete?”
Kevin answered without turning away from the screen. “They go into the warehouse. And then into the delivery vans.”
“Who takes them into the warehouse? Would Sam take them?”
“Yeah. He sometimes messes about on the forklift trucks in there but don’t tell Mr Collier, it’s a secret.” He laughed as Jerry whacked Tom on the head with a frying pan.
Pearl said, “We need to confirm our suspicions. Kevin keeps telling us that he had to go to the forklift truck on the left, not the right. Did someone know that there was something wrong with that particular truck? Did they know that the brakes didn’t work? If so, did they send Kevin towards it on purpose knowing that he’d put his life in danger if he drove it?”
“It is sounding that way. Do you think Kevin found out what Sam was up to?”
“I think he might have. Kevin might be blocking that particular memory.” Pearl sighed again. “Look at him, Derek, laughing away like a toddler. We have to find out who killed him. But we’ll have to do it without him finding out what we’re up to.”
Pearl And Derek Mysteries - Box Set 1 Page 20
