Paper Crafts Club Mystery Box Set Book 1-3

by Emily Selby

  Dorothy nodded, while making soothing grunts.

  'Yes, yes. It’s absolutely unbelievable.'

  'Can you make any sense of it?'

  'Not really. Phyllis could be annoying, that's for sure. She drove me nuts many times with her need to stick to plans. "We agreed to do scrapbooking in October, we should do it. Why make plans, if one doesn't stick to them",' Dorothy mimicked Mrs Dunbar's high-pitched voice. 'Oh, sometimes I felt I wanted to strangle her with a piece of twine.'

  Katie glanced at her. Dorothy was known for her passionate comments but didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Even with this in mind, the comment sounded a little out of place.

  'Oh, sorry, dear. I didn't mean to say that. I didn't kill her. I didn't have any grievance against her. I had no motive, and I was here at my physio session when it all happened. And look'-she lifted her right leg, still in a protective strapping—'I can only walk with crutches.'

  Obviously, she’s thought it all through, including the alibi.

  'But,' Dorothy continued, her eyebrows raised, and her voice lowered, 'Barbara had a good reason to hate Phyllis, and I bet she's never forgotten. Sadly, our Barbara is not the forgetting or forgiving type. Which isn't something you would expect from a vicar's daughter, but then, who am I to judge?' Dorothy said and made a few grunting noises again. To Katie, Dorothy often appeared as if she was having a parallel conversation with herself.

  'At school, she was a quiet, serious girl. Didn't have much time for fun,' Dorothy picked up after a few seconds. 'Her mother died young. She was the oldest of the bunch. She looked after her siblings and helped her dad ran his office for a couple of years, even when she was in the nursing school.' She paused and looked away. 'I don't normally talk about these things, but I'm wondering if this is something important.'

  'What is it?'

  Dorothy glanced at Katie. Her round, brown eyes looking careful and serious.

  'Do you know about Barbara and William Dunbar?'

  Katie nodded. 'Miriam mentioned something.'

  'When William was working on something for the church, Barbara must have fallen in love with him. Apparently, he was going out with someone else at the time, but that silly girl dumped him. Barbara was first to offer her support to him, probably hoping he would propose to her. It went on for months, I believe. And then, he went away and came back engaged to Phyllis instead. Barbara hated Phyllis all her life. I wouldn't be surprised if Barbara had something to do with Phyllis' death.'

  Katie blinked and held her breath.

  'Do you think Barbara could have killed Phyllis?'

  'I don't want to accuse an innocent person, I've got no evidence, but it bothers me. I wonder if I should talk to the police about it. What do you think?'

  Katie, of course, had some thoughts on the usefulness of sharing unsupported hunches with the lead investigator, but she kept it to herself.

  'Have you ever seen Barbara do or say anything suspicious?'

  'Actually, there is one more thing that bothers me. It might be nothing, but it surprised me at the time. A couple of weeks ago, I saw Barbara here, at Willow Park. I was on my walk with Alice, the physio, in the park and Barbara looked as though she came to visit someone.'

  'I thought she didn't have any family locally,' Katie said.

  'You're right. She doesn't have many friends either,' Dorothy said quickly. 'That's why it was strange. I even thought she was looking for a place to retire for herself. And maybe, that was the reason for her visit. But what really got me thinking was when I saw her talking to Harold Bower.'

  'The building company owner?'

  'Yes. He's here doing his rehab after the stroke. I saw her talking to him. Out here, on the patio. I was too far away to hear anything, but I don't think Barbara would just come to say hello to Harold, not unless she had something specific to talk to him about.'

  That was unusual.

  'I wonder if this is something you may need to talk to the police about. This, and Barbara's little broken heart.'

  Dorothy raised her thin, pencilled eyebrows. "Do you think it's relevant? These are old things, and mostly little town gossip,' she said hesitantly.

  'You never know. I can pass this on to DI Heaton, if you like. He can decide if it's worth investigating further. How's that?' Katie offered, wondering how she was going to sell it to him -gossip and speculation, two things he didn't like.

  'That sounds like a good plan. Thanks, Katie.'

  The clock on the nearby church chimed quarter to four. Her break was over, but Katie still had so many questions.

  'I've got to run.'

  'You should pop in for a cuppa, Katie, dear!'

  'Great idea,' Katie said, standing. 'Or, maybe you come to the meeting and have a good laugh with us. You don't have to do anything. I'll come to fetch you. How's that?'

  'That would be fantastic. I really miss you, girls.'

  'It's next Tuesday, at 7 pm, as usual. Be ready at 6.50.'

  'I'll be waiting on my doorstep.'

  With the promise made, Katie rushed into the building.

  21

  On her way back to the cleaning team, Katie considered the information she'd just acquired. How was she going to pass it onto Jack? Maybe she should try to talk to Celia or Chris first? Help them thrash it out logically and worth considering, rather than just gossip and hunches.

  What if Dorothy was right? Maybe it was old stuff that should be left buried? With the intense last few days, she was no longer so clear on what was important and what was not. Constantly shifting suspicions, key suspects becoming victims themselves. It was so confusing. To top it all, she felt as though she had been holding onto a lot of information that might have been relevant. She hadn't had a chance to offload her findings to Jack all day. She still had information from yesterday's chat in the tearoom, and now her conversation with Dorothy. And, of course, she was dying to know what happened with Barbara.

  She paused in the doorway, fighting the urge to send Jack another text, when her phone rang. It was Jack.

  'Katie, I have a few questions regarding your movements this morning.'

  Katie's heart accelerated. Was she a suspect again?

  'Is it to do with Barbara?'

  'Yes.'

  'Do you mean from that 1.30 am phone call till midday?'

  'Maybe from 6 am.'

  Katie's new teammate and a fellow paper crafts lover, Zuza, was gesturing for her to join them. She was running late!

  'Sorry, Jack. I can't talk now. Can we do it after work?'

  He paused before answering. 'Okay. What time do you finish?'

  '6 pm. At Willow Park.'

  'I'll meet you at the gate.'

  Katie hung up and ran to join the other two ladies. She was pulled right into "a spill-out operation" in the dining room.

  When she walked out of the gate at five past six, the sky was still blue, with only a couple of clouds. It had been a lovely autumn day, but the evening chill was setting in. She zipped up her jacket. The familiar reasonable silver Vauxhall was waiting on the other side of the road. The car's door opened as she approached, and Jack climbed out. He waved at her. Her heart flipped, but she stifled a little warm tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. After all this was a murder investigation, he was the lead inspector and it looked like she was again cast in the role of one of the suspects.

  'How was your day?' he asked, watching her carefully. He didn't look as young as when she first saw him entering Mrs Dunbar's house a week earlier. It must have been a hard few days for him as well.

  'Considering what your day must have looked like, probably quite uneventful,' she said.

  He gave a short laugh, but it felt forced.

  'And yours?' she asked.

  'It's not over yet,' he said. The rock in the pit of Katie's stomach fell lower.

  'What's happened in hospital?' she asked again, trying to gauge what her position was in the investigation.

  'I can't really discuss it wi
th you.'

  'Am I a suspect again?' A bitter taste gathered at the back of her mouth.

  He looked away. 'I need to talk to you. We can do it in my car, at the police station, or in your house. I'd prefer not to discuss this in the middle of a street.'

  Katie hunched. She thought of her own cosy kitchen, and a nice cup of tea. Julia would be back from her drama classes soon, brought by Mrs O'Brian. The last thing Katie wanted was for anyone else to know she was being interviewed as a suspect in yet another murder case.

  'I suppose, we can sit and talk in your car.' She sighed. 'It'll be the fastest.'

  'Okay. Get in.'

  The car was surprisingly tidy. Or maybe, not so surprisingly, considering how organised Jack was.

  Katie sat in the passenger seat and he got behind the wheel. He took a little notebook from his briefcase.

  'Tell me about your movements this morning until 11 am.'

  She gave him a summary of the early morning insomnia and unpacking the box, the trip to Une Tasse de Bonheur and arrival to work about 8.35 am.

  'I was in my office or in the staff room all the time,' she carried on. 'I didn't leave the station until 12.30 pm. Celia saw me. I mean, I'm sure Officer Celia Baxter can confirm my whereabouts. I wonder if a certain inspector Heaton, who I spoke to could as well.'

  'Yeah, I'll check with them for sure.' He smiled, but it was pale.

  'I didn't go near the hospital, if this is what you're wondering about.'

  He didn't answer but kept writing. Why was he suddenly being so hostile?

  'Was she murdered or was it an accident?'

  He closed the notebook with a clonk. 'I'm sorry, but I cannot discuss the details of this investigation with you.'

  He didn't even look at her. Anger burned in Katie's veins. Her face was sizzling hot, she curled her hands into fists.

  'Now, you can't, but sending me to dig up old secrets was okay, right?'

  'I'm sorry Katie. I probably shouldn't have. I've screwed up this investigation. Big time.'

  'Have you?'

  'Yes, I've had a warning from the boss. Apparently, the mayor expressed his concerns at the development of events. I may need to hand over this case to someone else.'

  'You know why you're not progressing?' she asked, her voice trembling. 'Because in your snobby big city style, you're dismissing anything that's not logical and hard-evidenced. In Sunnyvale, we react and speak from our hearts, not just our heads. It's not all logic and numbers. Sometimes it's all about hunches and feelings. If you were willing to listen to that, you would have-'

  'I would have what?' he cut in, his nostrils flaring. 'Solved the case?'

  'Maybe,' she said, lifting her chin.

  'I don't think so.'

  'So why is this investigation not progressing? Because you're not asking the right questions? Or because you're not letting people speak the way they want to speak about it? Because, no matter what you say, and forgive me for being so blunt, I don't feel as if you do.'

  Her words must have hit him like a boulder. His shoulders slumped, his cheeks sank. Deep lines formed on his forehead. He looked away for a few seconds.

  'Okay,' he said slowly, after what felt like eternity. 'Is there anything else you think I need to know? Anything to do with Barbara's death?'

  'Are hunches and feelings allowed?' she asked through gritted teeth.

  'Let's try. I can always dismiss it.' He attempted a smile.

  Ok, let's try.

  'Do you think the same person killed Phyllis and Barbara?'

  Jack hesitated. 'Yes.'

  Katie thought back to the information she'd gathered about Barbara, William and Phyllis. It all seemed irrelevant now. Barbara might have held a grudge for years, but even if this had been a motive to kill, she wasn't the killer. Maybe Katie shouldn't have been so harsh on Jack.

  'I don't think what I know matters any more. It was to do with an old crush and a fifty year old grudge between Barbara and Phyllis. They're both dead now.'

  'Indeed, may not be relevant anymore.' He returned the notebook to his tired, black briefcase.

  'What about the vicar? He could have gone to the hospital in the morning.'

  'We've checked his alibi. He was at home, with his wife. And he spent time on the phone, from his landline to a couple of people, including his bank.' Jack said quietly.

  'What about the day he went to Alnwick?'

  'We've checked that, too. We've got the name and address of the cafe where he went to and spent a few hours, apparently thinking about his financial situation. Someone will check it tomorrow.'

  It was nice of him to share this with her. Katie felt a pang of guilt for being angry with him.

  'It's a nice briefcase.' Katie said in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. 'I've been meaning to tell you that. You've had it for long?'

  Jack lifted his head to face her. He smiled.

  'My father gave it to me when I graduated. He’s a retired police officer.'

  'Family heirloom?'

  'Of sorts.' He smiled again. 'I don't want to keep you longer than necessary. Do you need a lift back home?'

  'Thank you, but my car’s parked over there.'

  'Thanks for answering my questions, Katie,' he said, with the same, thin smile on his tired face.

  'I'm sorry I can't help any more. I didn’t kill Barbara. It wasn't me.'

  He nodded.

  'I hope things turn around soon. See you tomorrow.'

  She walked to her car, feet getting heavier with every step. On one hand, she was angry at Jack for being so stubbornly logical. On the other hand, she could understand that he was struggling, not being used to dealing with not-so-logical people, like her. On top of this, he was dealing with two murders and the killer was still on the loose.

  She might not be a proper police officer, but she was a Sunnyvale girl, and someone with enough smarts to help progress the investigation, whether she was the main suspect, or not.

  22

  Once again, Katie didn't sleep very well. Again, she tossed and turned, wondering if it was always going to be like this from now on. She was simultaneously too hot and too cold. As her bed squeaked every time she moved, she tried to stay still, not to wake Julia. A forlorn hope.

  'Mum, are you alright,' Julia whispered from the doorway.

  'Yeah, fine, darling. Go back to sleep.'

  'Okay, mum. I had a nightmare. About the audition.'

  Of course, her daughter had problems of her own. She didn't need Katie's insomnia to add to it.

  'You'll be fine, love. I'm sure you'll do well. Just a couple more days.'

  'Can you listen to me say my lines tomorrow morning, please?'

  Katie glanced at the radio clock beside her bed. It was well past 2 am.

  'I'll do it after breakfast. But now, let's get some sleep, the two of us.'

  'Thanks. But Mum?'

  Katie swallowed the 'what now?' growing at the back of her throat. 'Mhm?'

  'Do you think dad will come to the performance?'

  Katie's heart sank. Julia's dad...

  'He promised, didn't he?'

  'Yeah, but he has promised me a lot of things in the past. And he never keeps his promises.'

  Katie sighed. The conversation was getting more difficult by the second. 'I know, baby. He has disappointed you in the past, but sometimes, not always,' she said as calmly as she could, keeping the "he's disappointed me too" strictly to herself. 'I'll text him to remind about the auditions on Friday.'

  'Thanks. You're awesome.'

  Katie listened to Julia's footsteps - barefoot on old wooden panels. She really should get carpet installed. Maybe after the stint at Willow Park was over, she could get a piece of carpet or at least a couple of rugs to cover the hallway and another one for her bedroom. A nice deep red. No, cherry red. Or purple.

  Thinking of colours and patterns calmed her mind. She lulled herself to sleep.

  The morning light seeped through the gap in the
curtains. The radio clock showed just past 7 am.

  It was late!

  Katie jumped out of bed and grabbed her mobile phone. Yes, the alarm did ring, but she must have turned it off without realising. She hated getting up at the last moment. She hated running late.

  Julia, of course, was still in bed, sleepy and not happy to be woken. But Katie hurried her daughter off to the bathroom regardless of the huffing and puffing.

  Then, she filled the kettle. Coffee was a must. Without coffee, there was no chance they would even leave the house before midday.

  She warmed up milk for Julia in the microwave. She got dressed somewhere between making the cheese sandwich (thank the Lord for the last slice of cheese in the fridge) for Julia's lunch, and making sure Julia's hair was combed (why did kids always claim to have combed their hair when the hair clearly didn't look like it?).

  She planned to grab some food from the café near the station. Anything but stopping at Une Tasse... She couldn't take another session of gossip about murderers.

  It was a strange day at the station. Jack was nowhere to be found. Someone mentioned in passing that he’d be out of the office all day. Celia was off duty, and so was Chris. There was no one to ask about the progress of the investigation.

  She popped in to see the solicitor during her break. To her great surprise, Ms Bloom handed her the key to the workshop. Katie still struggled to understand the nitty-gritty of the legal situation, but apparently, Roy, as the executor, wanted Katie to have a proper look at the workshop and the land that came with it. Roy would have come with her, but he was still in hospital. With her stomach in a knot, Katie took the key. She planned to view the place later.

  For the rest of her shift, she went through the motions, finishing the remaining reports and filing documents. She kept checking the fax machine and in-tray for anything relevant, but nothing of note came through. A typical, quiet day in a quiet, sleepy town.

  She was relieved to leave her office at midday. Since she had a late breakfast, she grabbed a sandwich and planned to eat it in the Willow Park garden before her cleaning shift started.