A Perfect Likeness by Roger Gumbrell

decision. Victoria, the deceased, often came to your store and it is believed she became friendly with another woman, possibly a customer, not known by her husband or any other member of the family. Although I might be asking a lot would you be likely to have any staff working here now who have been here for three years or more?’
    Myers appeared surprised, almost offended. ‘Why, of course we have, Miss Lister, there will be a good many I can assure you. This is Maxfords you know and we are justifiably proud of our low employee turnover. We always look after our staff.’
    ‘Er… yes, Mr Myers, I had heard it was rather good. I’m particularly interested in anyone who was working in the cafeteria and ladieswear department during the last three years.’
    ‘If you can give me just five minutes, Miss Lister, I’ll have names for you. Would you like a coffee? It’s our own brand, has a great taste and the most perfect aroma.’ He tilted his head and inhaled. ‘Mmm, I’ve almost persuaded myself to have another.’
    Trish shook her head. ‘Sounds very tempting, but no thank you.’
    Myers was away for less than three minutes. ‘Wonderful things, computers, especially when you’ve good staff operating them. Afraid I have yet to get to grips with it. Every piece of information at your fingertips.’ He gave Trish a copy of the list that showed a total of fifteen current staff members who had been at the store for longer than three years. ‘You’ll see this includes two in the cafeteria and one from ladies-wear.’
    ‘Excellent. Better than I’d hoped for, Mr Myers. I appreciate I’m pushing my luck, but would it be possible to speak to these three ladies now, if they are on duty and if you have no objections, of course?’
    Myers smiled. ‘I thought you might like to, so I’ve asked my secretary to bring Angela Griffin up. She works in the cafeteria. You can use this office, I have plenty of work to do on the shop floor.’
    ‘Thank you, but I was hoping you would sit in on the interviews as it might help the ladies feel more relaxed.’
    ‘Fine, no problem at all.’ He waved to the young woman standing outside the office and beckoned her to enter. Her spotless pale green and white chequered catering top displayed her name and position. ‘Angela – Supervisor’. Her white framed glasses didn’t hide the uncertainty in her eyes.
    ‘Have I done something wrong, Mr Myers?’
    ‘No, Angela, you’ve nothing to worry about. Miss Lister is investigating a crime that took place over two years ago and believes the victim met someone in our store. Miss Lister, would you like to continue.’
    ‘Hello, Angela, first of all I’m not from the police, I’m a private investigator, so please relax.’
    Angela’s apprehension visibly eased. ‘Thanks,’ she said, ‘I thought I was in trouble, but couldn’t think for why.’
    ‘I have a question for you, Angela. One that is going to test your memory a bit. The lady in this photo,’ Trish slid the picture of Victoria Campbell across Myers’ desk, ‘was murdered two years ago. We now understand she shopped here on a regular basis, normally during her lunch-hour, and just before her death she was believed to have had coffee here with an unknown person. Angela, can you think back and see whether you can recall this lady?’
    ‘Yes I can, Miss Lister,’ Angela Griffin responded without hesitation, her face expressing a true sadness. ‘I shall never forget her, poor lady. A day or two before the papers reported her death I had served her. That’s why it is all so clear in my mind. She seemed very cheerful so I asked her what was making her so happy. I remember her saying she had found her long lost twin sister.’
    ‘Was the twin sister with her, Angela?’
    ‘Yes, but she never spoke, only smiled.’
    ‘Did she also look like the lady in the photo?’
    ‘Oh yes, very alike. As twins you’d expect them to be, wouldn’t you?’ Angela Griffin looked