A Well-deserved Murder (Trevor Joseph Detective series) by Katherine John Page A

another girl from the department.’
    ‘He and Kacy remained friends?’
    ‘Hardly,’ George squeaked in indignation. ‘Kacy hasn’t spoken to him or the girl he married since. And neither have I.’
    ‘That must make things difficult in the office.’
    George stiffened his back. ‘Kacy and I keep our heads down and do our work. Our superiors find our efforts more than satisfactory.’
    Glad George Howells wasn’t on his team, Trevor held his pen, poised over his notepad. ‘Do you have John Evans’s address?’
    ‘You can contact him at the office. I have no idea where he is living.’
    ‘I thought you said his wife moved in with him.’
    ‘That was seven years ago. I told you, I don’t talk to him.’
    ‘What about your social life, Mr Howells?’
    George Howells could have been reciting from his CV. ‘I enjoy sport and cycling. I attend football and rugby matches in winter and cricket in the summer. I sit on various committees at work.’
    ‘Who do you socialise with?’
    ‘Friends.’
    ‘From the office or neighbours?’
    ‘Sometimes both,’ George replied evasively.
    ‘And your wife?’
    ‘Since she had the children she has been very busy between working part-time and taking the children back and forth to school. I am not able to help as much as I’d like to and she spends a lot of time in the garden …’ He buried his face in his tissue.
    Trevor recalled his first sight of the garden the night before and the photographs that had been taken of it in daylight. It wasn’t the garden of a keen gardener. Rather one that had been laid out thirty or more years ago, neglected and allowed to go to seed. Its only concession to current outdoor fashion, the decking platform and oversized shed.
    ‘So while you attend football, rugby and cricket matches, your wife works in the house and garden.’
    ‘It’s her choice.’ George hesitated then added. ‘I take the children to matches sometimes.’
    ‘That wasn’t intended as a criticism, Mr Howells. I am trying to form an impression of your wife’s daily routine. What about friends?’
    ‘She saw her parents and brother occasionally. As we both work there isn’t much time for socialising outside of her family.’
    ‘Her family. What about yours, Mr Howells?’
    ‘I only have one brother and a couple of cousins. I don’t see much of them.’
    ‘They live away?’
    ‘No, but it’s difficult to keep in touch when you have a young family.’
    ‘Does your wife have any special friends, male or female?’
    ‘Not really. No.’
    Trevor unrolled the magazine he was holding and flicked through until he came to the full-page spread of Kacy Howells’ head tacked on to an obscene cartoon body. He turned it around so it faced George. ‘What can you tell me about this, Mr Howells?’
    The blood drained from George’s face. He stared, mesmerized at the page. ‘This is – it’s obscene.’ He closed the magazine and thrust it back at Trevor.
    ‘Have you seen it before?’
    ‘In the office. Someone sent copies there and left one open on my desk.’
    ‘Did you ask your wife about it?’
    ‘No, I assumed it was a sick joke.’
    ‘And, believing that, you still didn’t ask your wife about it?’ Trevor questioned incredulously.
    ‘I decided it was best to ignore it.’
    ‘Have you any idea who might have done such a thing?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘An article like this in a pornographic magazine would be covered by the libel laws. You didn’t want to see whoever placed it punished?’
    George fidgeted nervously. ‘I told you, I thought it best to ignore it.’
    ‘Has anything like this been printed about your wife before, Mr Howells?’
    ‘No!’ George shouted.
    ‘The magazine was printed three days ago. Did your wife have an argument with anyone during the last few weeks that might cause someone to want to annoy her or get back at her by doing this?’
    ‘No. Kacy never argued with anyone.’
    Trevor allowed the lie to pass.
    ‘It’s just a