Christmas Killing by Chrissie Loveday Page A

it would make interesting reading for him later.
    He decided to go back to bed and try to get some much needed rest.
    At eight o’clock, his mobile rang. What now? He thought.
    ‘Yes? Ray Jones speaking.’
    ‘Ray. It’s Rob Bryce. I’ve just completed my report on Santa and thought you’d like to know about it.’
    ‘I’ll be in later on. Is there something special you wanted me to know?’
    ‘He was stabbed three times. The third time, I reckon he was actually already dead. It was someone quite vicious, I reckon. He certainly didn’t intend the poor chap to get up again.’
    ‘Heavens. Okay, send me the report through. I’ll be in soon.’
    ‘Will do. Bye.’
    By nine o’clock, Ray was sitting at his desk, reading through Rob’s detailed report. He’d called the rest of team in at nine-thirty for a briefing. Several of them had complained at being called in on a Sunday.
    ‘Unfortunately, murders happen every day of the week. Because this is a Sunday makes no difference whatsoever.’
    He listened as various officers made their reports. The house to house enquiries near Caburn Road had yielded nothing, pretty much as expected. Jimmy had been a popular chap and most people were horrified to learn of his death. It seemed he had a son and daughter, both of whom were married and lived away. They had been notified and were both travelling down to identify the body.
    ‘I’ll need to interview them when they arrive,’ Ray told the assembly. ‘I gather nobody is under suspicion from the store?’
    ‘Not really. Not saying it wasn’t someone from inside there but nobody looks suspicious at the moment.’
    ‘There is one other thing. The elf’s boyfriend. I seems he wasn’t with the others when they were nicking phones. He’d only said he was to get out of being accused of murder.’
    ‘That’s interesting. We’ll go and see him again later. Ted, you’re with me. All right everyone. Thanks for coming in. Keep eyes and ears open and let me know any news. Who’s going to be at store today?’
    ‘Me and Tom,’ said the officer.
    ‘Fine. Let me know if you see anything that might be of help. Right. We’ll go to Caburn Road and then to Riley Towers. I want to look around Jimmy’s home. See what sort of clues he may have left. I take it there’s someone there with keys?’
    ‘Think it’s warden supervised place. She’ll have some keys,’ said Ted.
    Ray felt marginally better with some sort of plan. He needed to be out and about and not sitting staring at pieces of paper.
    ‘We’ll go in my car,’ he said. ‘At least I’ll then feel safer if I’m driving.’
    ‘How do you mean?’ asked Ted, somewhat put out by his insinuations.
    ‘No offence. I like to be in charge. You know that. Right then, Caburn Road it is.’
    It was quiet there, on a Sunday morning. A few cars were parked along the road but most of the residents didn’t own cars and only a few of them had visitors as it was Sunday. The two policemen got out of their car and looked around for some sign of a Warden’s home.
    ‘I suggest we knock at the next door place. The owner will know where she lives, surely.’
    ‘Okay. You go and knock then. I want to have a look round the back.’
    Ted went to knock at number four and a woman answered. Ray saw them engaged in conversation and smiled to himself. He’d be lucky to get away within half an hour. These poor old biddies were usually desperate for someone to speak to and Ted was a good lad, always willing to take time. He went round to the back of Jimmy’s house. There was the usual dustbin and a patch of lawn, neatly mowed for the winter. It was all rather bleak and quite boring. He went back to the front and saw Ted further down speaking to a much younger woman. The Warden, he assumed. As he was standing waiting, it began to snow, gently at first but it was beginning to stick. He started walking towards Ted and the Warden but he took the keys and came back to Number