An Alibi A Day

by A. R. Winters

  “Just kidding,” said Allie with a grin. This was not entirely true though; she had never heard of a cream tea addict before.

  The first thing to arrive, a mere minute or two after taking their order, was a large china teapot and three dainty tea cups and saucers. This was in stark contrast to the oversized mugs that Bree served ‘builders tea’ in. Bree returned again a moment later with a jug of milk.

  “Shall I do the honours?” asked Eddie.

  “Please do.”

  The girls pushed their teacups towards him, and Eddie expertly filled up each of the china cups without spilling a drop.

  Jackie gave a look of consternation at the cup. “I didn’t put the milk in. I always put the milk in first.”

  Allie nodded in agreement. “You do always put the milk in first. And you’re always wrong to do so.”

  Eddie chuckled and gestured with the milk jug. “Tea first, then milk, that’s how it should be done.”

  He held up his own cup in front of Allie, she lifted hers in response and they clinked them together in a cheers of mutual agreement and perhaps even admiration. They were both careful not to spill the tea when the cups touched.

  “I don’t suppose it makes any difference anyway,” said Jackie with a sigh, raising her cup to her lips and taking a sip.

  Eddie and Allie shook their heads and shared a knowing glance. Didn’t make a difference indeed. They both knew it made a world of difference.

  “So, what exactly did you ladies want to talk about?”

  “Well, this whole Larry thing. People around here seem to think Allie had something to do with it. That newspaper article didn’t help. And now people keep looking at her like, well, like she’s a murderer.”

  “Do they?” asked Allie with some shock.

  Now that she thought about it, people had been less friendly than usual. There had been fewer unsolicited greetings from strangers on the street, and they had been more careful not to brush by as they passed her—they’d been crossing the road or giving her a wide berth. She had just assumed they’d all finally grown some sense.

  “People do tend to make assumptions,” said Eddie with a nod.

  “So, what we want to do is try and find out who might have had something against Larry. Kind of... help you out?” said Jackie with uncharacteristic timidity.

  Eddie winced. “I was afraid you might say that. The thing is, as a police officer, I really can’t condone you doing that.”

  “Of course, of course,” said Jackie hurriedly. “We don’t want to step on any toes or anything. We’re just trying to,” she gestured with her hands, “trying to get the lay of the land, as it were.”

  “Right, I see.” Eddie shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his brow furrowed.

  Bree returned just then with a three-tiered curate stand.

  The bottom level held a dozen or so triangular sandwiches with the crusts cut off, while the second layer held a selection of scones, and on the top layer were little dishes filled with clotted cream and jam.

  “Dig in,” said Eddie, immediately snatching up one of the little triangle sandwiches and popping it into his mouth. Allie examined the stand. All the sandwiches had been arranged to satisfactory neatness, and Bree seemed to have done a good job of making sure the numbers were right—there were six cucumber sandwiches, six cheese, and six ham; luckily, she hadn’t made any mistakes with the quantities.

  “Now a serious question,” said Eddie after he swallowed the first of his sandwiches.

  “What’s that?”

  Eddie picked up a scone and lowered it to his plate. He quickly sliced it through the middle to make two halves, and then picked up the clotted cream in his left hand, and the jam in the right hand.

  “What goes first? Cream or jam?”

  Jackie looked at Allie. Allie looked at Jackie.

  “Cream,” said Allie.

  “Jam,” said Jackie.

  They both turned to Eddie to make the final judgement.

  “Cream, then jam. That’s the way I always do it.”

  “That’s right,” said Allie in agreement, with a happy smile.

  “It doesn’t matter, does it?” asked Jackie.

  She received two withering looks in response.

  “Of course it matters!”

  “You’re both weirdoes.” Jackie’s words were said with kindness rather than malice, and they all grinned.

  But then, Allie watched with a frown as Jackie very deliberately cut a scone in half, put a big dollop of cream on one half, and an equally large spoonful of jam on the other. She sandwiched the two halves back together causing much of the filling to ooze out and drop onto her plate.

  “There! Now neither goes first, eh?” And with that pronouncement, Jackie proceeded to take a giant bite out of the scone, sending jam and cream dribbling down her chin and all around her mouth.

  Allie shuddered and focused her gaze on Eddie instead, because she couldn’t bear to watch. They exchanged a look and a barely perceptible shake of both of their heads. He didn’t need to say it, but Allie knew he understood. There was a right way and a wrong way to do almost anything, and even in her quest to find the middle ground, right now Jackie was most definitely eating the wrong way.

  “So, can you tell us who your suspects are?” asked Allie to take their minds off of Jackie’s catastrophic attempt at eating.

  Eddie looked down at his plate, almost like he was embarrassed. “I’m not supposed to say anything to civilians.”

  Allie caught his eye when he glanced up. “Just a hint or two.”

  He lowered his voice, as if eavesdroppers could be listening in to catch him at it. In a small village like Hawthorne, they probably were. “The thing is… you two are still the main suspects. Of course, there were a couple of others, but they had much better alibis.”

  Allie bit her bottom lip in mild annoyance. “But we have a great alibi. We weren’t there! We were still driving down!”

  Eddie nodded. “Yes, but the only people who can verify that right now are you two—you’re each supporting each other’s alibi, which is that you were together in a car somewhere. Since you’re both suspects, that alibi doesn’t work.”

  “But... but...”

  She didn’t have a good answer to that argument.

  It wasn’t their fault they were together when the murder supposedly took place.

  Although she hadn’t been actually accused of committing the crime, the mere fact that they were suspects had awakened feelings in her that she didn’t normally feel.

  Resentment, at (almost) being accused of something she certainly didn’t do. Anger, at whoever had done it and put them in this ridiculous situation. And a modicum of curiosity as to who actually did it and why.

  “And there’s the money,” Eddie said after a slight pause. “We had a look, and it seems the sweepstakes were clearly rigged. Then you show up here with money from a fixed contest, trying to buy an old man’s bit of property, and when he refuses, he turns up dead.” Eddie looked down at this plate again. “It’s, well, suspicious.” He almost mumbled the finals words he had so little desire to say them.

  Jackie’s head had whipped up and she was glaring at Eddie. “What do you mean the sweepstakes win was fixed?”

  “I. Uh. Can’t say anymore. Shouldn’t have said that, in fact. But it is what it is. That sweepstakes that Allie won was a fix.”

  “But how could it have been?” Allie said, spreading her hands wide apart. “I didn’t even know I had been entered into it! And who would fix it in favour of me? I don’t know anyone who works at Garrett’s!”

  Eddie avoided the difficult question, at least temporarily, by stuffing his mouth so full of scone that he looked like a brown-cheeked hamster.

  “If it was a fix, then surely Garrett’s wouldn’t have paid me,” said Allie with a frown.

  Although she had at first been very suspicious of her win, she had grown increasingly comfortable with it.

  There’s somet
hing about having three-quarters of a million resting in your bank account that makes you become strangely attached to it.

  If, on that first day, they had called back and said it had all been a mistake, she wouldn’t have been surprised and would only have felt a tinge of regret. But now, after so much time had passed, she had grown used to seeing that massive number every time she opened up her banking app. It actually felt like hers now. She’d grown quite attached to her three-quarters of a million pounds.

  Finally, Eddie swallowed. “Look, if Garrett’s are happy to act like the win was legitimate, then there’s nothing the police or anyone else can do about it. But the signs say it was a fix, and then with the murder...”

  Allie angrily chewed and swallowed a piece of scone. “So, you think we murdered him?”

  Eddie’s eyes went wide. “No! I don’t think that. No way.” He was shaking his head back and forth while he spoke and waving no with one of his hands—a triple rejection of the accusation. “But the chief, the other officers...”

  Allie and Jackie shared a look.

  “Sounds like we do need to investigate and find out who did it, before we get arrested,” said Jackie.

  “She’s right. If you haven’t got any suspects apart from the two of us...”

  Eddie winced. “I cannot condone anyone but the police investigating. Of course, were I in your situation, I might. But I didn’t say that!”

  “Okay,” said Jackie.

  “Yes, you did,” said Allie.

  “He means he’s not admitting to saying it,” said Jackie. “Even though he did say it. Right?”

  “I can’t tell you it’s a good idea. But if, by chance, you do find anything helpful, would you let me know?”

  Jackie snorted. “Sure. We’ll do the work and let you take the credit.”

  Eddie beamed at her. “Thanks.”

  “I didn’t...” Jackie thought better of it, shook her head and snatched up a cucumber sandwich instead.

  “I’ve got to get going now,” said Eddie after he swallowed a final piece of his scone. “Did you enjoy the cream tea?”

  “It’s been lovely,” said Allie.

  “Pretty good for poison,” said Jackie with a grin.

  Eddie and Allie both gave her alarmed looks, which dissolved into nervous smiles when they realized she was merely critiquing the nutritional content of the meal.

  “This is my treat,” said Eddie. “A thank you for being so understanding. You know, about being suspects and everything.”

  “Thanks!” Jackie’s smile was genuinely happy. Who didn’t like free food?

  “Are you sure? I did win all that sweepstakes money.”

  Eddie had already stood up, and when he heard what Allie said, he slapped his thigh. “Of course! Thanks very much! See you later.”

  And with that, Eddie Biswas hurried out the door of the café without so much as another glance over his shoulder.

  “How rude!” said Jackie.

  “Hmm? I thought he was quite pleasant. Apart from telling us we looked like suspects, anyway.”

  “Not that! He made you pay!”

  Allie frowned and shook her head. “No, I volunteered. Didn’t you hear?”

  Jackie shook her head. “I know that, but that’s not how it’s supposed to work! And he didn’t exactly help us either, did he?”

  Allie shrugged her shoulders. “He did what he could. He has to abide by the rules. I bet the police are really strict about following rules, don’t you think?”

  Jackie glowered at her. “Maybe.”

  “What do you think he meant about the sweepstakes being fixed? It sounds like he knows something.”

  “But he won’t tell us. Typical Eddie.”

  Allie cocked her head. Typical Eddie? She’d only just met the guy.

  “I know what it is!” Allie’s eyes had lit up, and she leaned in towards Jackie. “You love him! That’s why you’re pretending to be mad at him!”

  Jackie shook her head vehemently. “Nope. No way. I am annoyed at him. And don’t go throwing around the L-word like that, it can be dangerous.”

  Allie giggled. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I know...” Her words trailed away in thought.

  “What?”

  “I’m going to fix you up! Like a matchmaker!”

  “No, no, no. No, thank you. Just no. I can manage my own love life, thank you very much.”

  “You don’t have one,” pointed out Allie helpfully.

  Jackie responded with one of her sisterly punches to Allie’s arm, only she accidentally misjudged this one. It actually hurt a bit. Allie rubbed at her arm for a moment to ease the pain.

  “So, what do we do next?” Jackie leaned back in her chair, and there didn’t seem to be any risk of further punches, at least not in the immediate future.

  Allie tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully. “We’ve got to find some suspects. Some real ones. Do you know what that means?”

  Jackie shook her head. “I’ve no idea what to do next. I’ll follow you, just as long as you promise you won’t try and set me up with Eddie. Or anyone else.”

  Allie patted her hand reassuringly. “Of course I’m not going to promise that. Now, let’s go.”

  Chapter 10

  The problem with investigating a murder is that you have to talk to suspects, and often murder suspects aren’t the nicest people around. Allie supposed it came with the territory.

  The person they really needed to talk to wasn’t anyone who was going to be keen on talking to them either. At least if their previous meeting was anything to go by.

  “Are you sure we want to do this?” asked Jackie. “We could just go back to London and wait for this all to blow over.”

  “We can’t do that,” said Allie. “It’ll look like we’re running. And you know what Eddie said. We’re the suspects. They’ll just come back and get us.”

  “We could run a long way with your money,” Jackie said with an impish grin.

  Allie’s eyes went wide. “No! We’re not going on the run because of a crime we didn’t commit. Now, come on. We’re just going to have to steel ourselves and do this.”

  “Relax. I was only kidding.”

  Allie and Jackie were in the market town of Buckleminster, six miles from Hawthorne. Whilst it wasn’t exactly the big city, it had a lot more going on than sleepy Hawthorne. There were buses and taxis, buildings more than two storeys tall, and a range of shops, restaurants, pubs and bars.

  If they had been less savoury characters, then what they were doing could have been called loitering, but as they were respectable London ladies, it passed as merely ‘standing around’. It wasn’t that they were waiting for someone—they were waiting until they’d built up the courage to do what they had planned.

  They were there because Grandma Em had discovered that the person they wanted to speak to was staying in one of the small hotels in Buckleminster.

  Furthermore, she had been reliably informed that the gentleman in question liked to spend significant amounts of time—and money—in one of its watering holes. It was called The Bull and Butter and was part of one of those chains that specialized in cheap drinks and cheap food.

  So far, the people they had seen entering and leaving gave the impression that it was the cheap drinks they really enjoyed. From the way some of the customers stumbled out, it looked like some of them really, really enjoyed the drinks.

  They must be good, thought Allie. Unfortunately, Allie had no tolerance for alcohol, so she wouldn’t be testing them out.

  “What if he attacks us?” asked Jackie.

  “Then you can defend us. You’ll boxercise him for me, won’t you, sis?”

  Jackie frowned. “I could barely reach his head. No, if he turns nasty, then it’ll be time for us to run.”

  Allie nodded. “I bet you could outrun him.”

  Jackie shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I don’t need to outrun him. I just nee
d to outrun you!”

  Jackie giggled at her joke. Allie didn’t immediately get it. Then she did.

  “Oh. So, you’d let him catch me while you sprinted into the distance?”

  Jackie squeezed Allie’s shoulder. “Relax. I was kidding. I wouldn’t leave you.”

  “I know you wouldn’t. Come on. Let’s go see if we can find Larry Junior again.”

  The pub was dingy, and it seemed to Allie that everything was covered in a layer of grime.

  This was probably because it was. From the tables and chairs to the sticky carpet, the management obviously didn’t consider cleanliness to be a high priority. There was no way she would have considered being a customer in such an establishment, but she would hold her nose and grin and bear it, if she had to.

  “Do you have to do that?” asked Jackie as she skilfully stepped around chairs which had been left blocking the aisles by customers who didn’t care.

  “What?” answered Allie in a strange voice.

  Jackie reached up and snatched Allie’s hand away from her face, where she had been squeezing her nostrils tightly shut.

  With an exasperated sigh, Allie gave her sister an, “Okay,” and silently promised herself a shower and a bath after the day was done.

  “This must be one of the few places that probably smelled better before they banned smoking indoors.”

  “You know, you might be right.” Jackie took Allie’s hand. “But look, there he is.”

  Larry Junior was sitting in the middle of the bar talking loudly to the customer sitting next to him, who was listening with the attention of a captive.

  There were two empty pint glasses in front of him, and Larry was now working on a smaller glass containing ice to the top and an amber liquid that could have been apple juice but was probably whisky.

  “... and so you know what I told him? I told him to get to f—”

  Jackie nudged Allie in the side, drawing her attention away from Larry’s conversation. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I think that decision has been made for us.”

  As soon as Larry had finished his previous sentence, the gentleman next to him had made an excuse and slipped away towards the toilets.