told her I was still concerned about the police’s interest in me, and how that didn’t exactly encourage me to speak to them. There had been no official developments in the investigation into Jennifer Murdoch’s murder.
Sarah tried to reassure me. ‘What motive would you have? It’s ridiculous. They’re just tying up loose ends.’
‘They’re going to want somebody for it. Her husband is an important man. He’ll know the right people to talk to.’
‘They’re hardly going to fit you up, though, are they? It’s not the 1970s. Dad knows them. He won’t let that happen.’
She was right but I couldn’t think straight. She squeezed my hand and told me I was being paranoid. It didn’t make it feel any better.
‘Here’ she said, passing me a duvet. ‘We’ll get these cuts cleaned up first and then you can sleep down here.’
I nodded. There was no point in arguing with Sarah. I hoped she was right.
6
CHAPTER SIX
‘ What kind of business do you own, Mr Geraghty?’
‘It’s a private investigation bureau’ I replied.
‘Sounds fascinating.’
I smiled. She was trying not to stare at the state of my face.
‘Sometimes. It’s amazing what you learn.’
‘I dare say.’
She passed me her business card and some publicity literature. I briefly looked through the information about Clancy, Knight and Capebourne Chartered Accountants. Her card read Natalie Buckle.
‘Is there anything you need to ask me, Mr Geraghty? Any of our services you’re unsure about?’
I looked up from the brochures. ‘I need to ask you about Jennifer Murdoch.’ I watched Buckle’s eyes widen. ‘You do know her?’
She nodded. ‘I can’t believe she’s dead. It’s terrible.’
‘I assume you knew her pretty well?’
‘Not really. We worked together, that’s all.’
I leant forward. ‘I’m going to try to help you, Natalie, so don’t lie to me, please.’
She looked shocked. ‘I’m not lying to you.’
‘Okay’ I said, hoping to relax her. ‘You knew Jennifer through work?’
‘She doesn’t work here anymore.’
‘That’s right. She worked for one of your client’s, Terrence Briggs.’
Buckle nodded. ‘She left here to go and work for him. It’s not unusual; clients often poach staff from us.’
‘You’re not tempted?’
She shook her head. ‘No. I like it here.’
‘And I suppose with people like Jennifer leaving you get the chance to advance?’
‘That and the fact I passed my exams and work hard.’
I nodded. ‘Of course. I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise. You’ve obviously done well.’
‘Thank you.’
I got to the point. ‘I understand there was a problem when you audited Briggs’s accounts?’
Buckle shook her head. ‘I don’t believe so.’
‘Some pretty serious accusations have been made.’
‘By Mr Briggs?’
‘It doesn’t matter who.’ I leant forward again. ‘So far I’ve not spoken to Mr Capebourne or Mr Briggs about this but I might need to change my mind.’ Buckle turned away from me. I got up and closed the door.
‘I was stupid’ she eventually said. ‘Please, you’ve got to promise me this’ll go no further.’
I nodded, but hated myself for the lie. The truth was I didn’t know what she was going to tell me, so I had no idea what I was going to do with the information.
‘I went out there to do the audit as normal. It was one I was looking forward to because of Jennifer working there. When I’d been training, it was Jennifer who had taken me under her wing. She was the one who trained me and made sure I knew what I was doing. We also got on well away from work. She was like a big sister, I suppose.’
‘What did you find in the accounts, Natalie?’
‘It was a chance finding, really. I noticed the company had been drawing petty cash cheques almost every week yet their petty cash book said they only drew one per month.’
‘Somebody was going to the bank and cashing these cheques? Walking out of the bank
Sarah tried to reassure me. ‘What motive would you have? It’s ridiculous. They’re just tying up loose ends.’
‘They’re going to want somebody for it. Her husband is an important man. He’ll know the right people to talk to.’
‘They’re hardly going to fit you up, though, are they? It’s not the 1970s. Dad knows them. He won’t let that happen.’
She was right but I couldn’t think straight. She squeezed my hand and told me I was being paranoid. It didn’t make it feel any better.
‘Here’ she said, passing me a duvet. ‘We’ll get these cuts cleaned up first and then you can sleep down here.’
I nodded. There was no point in arguing with Sarah. I hoped she was right.
6
CHAPTER SIX
‘ What kind of business do you own, Mr Geraghty?’
‘It’s a private investigation bureau’ I replied.
‘Sounds fascinating.’
I smiled. She was trying not to stare at the state of my face.
‘Sometimes. It’s amazing what you learn.’
‘I dare say.’
She passed me her business card and some publicity literature. I briefly looked through the information about Clancy, Knight and Capebourne Chartered Accountants. Her card read Natalie Buckle.
‘Is there anything you need to ask me, Mr Geraghty? Any of our services you’re unsure about?’
I looked up from the brochures. ‘I need to ask you about Jennifer Murdoch.’ I watched Buckle’s eyes widen. ‘You do know her?’
She nodded. ‘I can’t believe she’s dead. It’s terrible.’
‘I assume you knew her pretty well?’
‘Not really. We worked together, that’s all.’
I leant forward. ‘I’m going to try to help you, Natalie, so don’t lie to me, please.’
She looked shocked. ‘I’m not lying to you.’
‘Okay’ I said, hoping to relax her. ‘You knew Jennifer through work?’
‘She doesn’t work here anymore.’
‘That’s right. She worked for one of your client’s, Terrence Briggs.’
Buckle nodded. ‘She left here to go and work for him. It’s not unusual; clients often poach staff from us.’
‘You’re not tempted?’
She shook her head. ‘No. I like it here.’
‘And I suppose with people like Jennifer leaving you get the chance to advance?’
‘That and the fact I passed my exams and work hard.’
I nodded. ‘Of course. I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise. You’ve obviously done well.’
‘Thank you.’
I got to the point. ‘I understand there was a problem when you audited Briggs’s accounts?’
Buckle shook her head. ‘I don’t believe so.’
‘Some pretty serious accusations have been made.’
‘By Mr Briggs?’
‘It doesn’t matter who.’ I leant forward again. ‘So far I’ve not spoken to Mr Capebourne or Mr Briggs about this but I might need to change my mind.’ Buckle turned away from me. I got up and closed the door.
‘I was stupid’ she eventually said. ‘Please, you’ve got to promise me this’ll go no further.’
I nodded, but hated myself for the lie. The truth was I didn’t know what she was going to tell me, so I had no idea what I was going to do with the information.
‘I went out there to do the audit as normal. It was one I was looking forward to because of Jennifer working there. When I’d been training, it was Jennifer who had taken me under her wing. She was the one who trained me and made sure I knew what I was doing. We also got on well away from work. She was like a big sister, I suppose.’
‘What did you find in the accounts, Natalie?’
‘It was a chance finding, really. I noticed the company had been drawing petty cash cheques almost every week yet their petty cash book said they only drew one per month.’
‘Somebody was going to the bank and cashing these cheques? Walking out of the bank
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