three.
‘Nice woman, the Warden. Wanted to know all about how he’d died and so on.’
‘Hope you didn’t tell her too much.’
‘Course not. What do you take me for? I told her he seemed to have been murdered and we were looking into the case. She’s asked if I’ll take the keys back when we’ve finished. I assume you don’t want the place sealed or anything?’
‘Depends if we find anything when we’re inside.’
They went into the tiny hallway and from there into the lounge. It felt cold and uninviting. They began to search through the drawers and cupboards, looking for something, anything that would give them clues to the man’s life. He had a couple of Christmas cards on the sideboard and they looked to see who they were from. Nobody of any consequence, they believed.
‘Still, better bag them and we’ll take them as evidence of something,’ Ray instructed. He went into the kitchen and peered into the fridge. It was virtually empty, evidently waiting for him to stock up on his way home. Everything seemed very neat for an elderly man living on his own. The bedroom was equally tidy with a dirty linen bin and everything else folded and stored in a chest of drawers. ‘Nothing much here,’ Ray announced.
‘No, you’re right. He seems to have everything organised and was very neat and tidy.’
‘Do you reckon this is all his own furniture? Television?’
‘I think so. Can’t imagine it being owned by anyone else. Television might be rented I suppose.’
‘Have you found anything to suggest that? Rental book or anything?’
‘There’s a drawer in the sideboard. I started to look in there but maybe you’d like to have a look.’
Ray opened it and began to go through everything. He had a building society book with several thousand pounds in it. He gave a whistle.
‘Phew, that’s a surprise. I’m sure Miss Pringle said he was broke and relied on this job to keep him on the level. He’s got a bank account too, with over five hundred pounds in it.’
‘These old folks like to keep a bit put by them,’ said Ted. ‘I know my old Mum always used to reckon she was a bit short but when she passed on she had over ten thousand quid in her account. It was all a bit sad really as she skimped and saved and for what? To leave something behind her for me and my brother. It never made much difference and if we’d known, we’d much rather she’d spent it on herself.’
‘You’re right. It’s all a bit sad. I don’t think there’s much more to see here. I somehow doubt his children would have bumped him off to get his money. Come on then. We’ll go and see the delightful Kevin.’ They took the key back to the Warden and got her to promise not to let just anyone into Jimmy’s house. Then they left the premises.
The pair drove to what Ray had nicknamed Riley Towers. Mrs Riley came to the door, clutching the baby under one arm. Her daughter was hanging around behind her, looking even more scruffy than the previous time they’d visited. There was a dreadful smell coming out of the house and Ray felt sick at the thought of going inside.
‘Morning. Is Kevin in?’
‘Nah. He’s at his brother’s place. He usually goes there on a Saturday night.’
‘Do you have his address?’
‘Twenty-four Caduggan Avenue. He’s in the posher part of town. Doin’ all right for hisself is Malcolm. Better than we are at any road. Got two lovely kids as well.’
‘We’ll go there to see him. Thank you Mrs Riley.’ Ray smiled at the poor woman, greatly relieved that they didn’t have to go inside.
‘Blimey, what a stink in that place. Whatever was it do you think?’ asked Ted.
‘I expect one or both kids had relieved themselves, probably on the floor. I hope to goodness the baby she’s got inside her will be her last. Heavens, if she’s got a grown-up son with kids of his own, she must be near the end of her procreative life. It really is a pity someone couldn’t have sterilised her before
‘Nice woman, the Warden. Wanted to know all about how he’d died and so on.’
‘Hope you didn’t tell her too much.’
‘Course not. What do you take me for? I told her he seemed to have been murdered and we were looking into the case. She’s asked if I’ll take the keys back when we’ve finished. I assume you don’t want the place sealed or anything?’
‘Depends if we find anything when we’re inside.’
They went into the tiny hallway and from there into the lounge. It felt cold and uninviting. They began to search through the drawers and cupboards, looking for something, anything that would give them clues to the man’s life. He had a couple of Christmas cards on the sideboard and they looked to see who they were from. Nobody of any consequence, they believed.
‘Still, better bag them and we’ll take them as evidence of something,’ Ray instructed. He went into the kitchen and peered into the fridge. It was virtually empty, evidently waiting for him to stock up on his way home. Everything seemed very neat for an elderly man living on his own. The bedroom was equally tidy with a dirty linen bin and everything else folded and stored in a chest of drawers. ‘Nothing much here,’ Ray announced.
‘No, you’re right. He seems to have everything organised and was very neat and tidy.’
‘Do you reckon this is all his own furniture? Television?’
‘I think so. Can’t imagine it being owned by anyone else. Television might be rented I suppose.’
‘Have you found anything to suggest that? Rental book or anything?’
‘There’s a drawer in the sideboard. I started to look in there but maybe you’d like to have a look.’
Ray opened it and began to go through everything. He had a building society book with several thousand pounds in it. He gave a whistle.
‘Phew, that’s a surprise. I’m sure Miss Pringle said he was broke and relied on this job to keep him on the level. He’s got a bank account too, with over five hundred pounds in it.’
‘These old folks like to keep a bit put by them,’ said Ted. ‘I know my old Mum always used to reckon she was a bit short but when she passed on she had over ten thousand quid in her account. It was all a bit sad really as she skimped and saved and for what? To leave something behind her for me and my brother. It never made much difference and if we’d known, we’d much rather she’d spent it on herself.’
‘You’re right. It’s all a bit sad. I don’t think there’s much more to see here. I somehow doubt his children would have bumped him off to get his money. Come on then. We’ll go and see the delightful Kevin.’ They took the key back to the Warden and got her to promise not to let just anyone into Jimmy’s house. Then they left the premises.
The pair drove to what Ray had nicknamed Riley Towers. Mrs Riley came to the door, clutching the baby under one arm. Her daughter was hanging around behind her, looking even more scruffy than the previous time they’d visited. There was a dreadful smell coming out of the house and Ray felt sick at the thought of going inside.
‘Morning. Is Kevin in?’
‘Nah. He’s at his brother’s place. He usually goes there on a Saturday night.’
‘Do you have his address?’
‘Twenty-four Caduggan Avenue. He’s in the posher part of town. Doin’ all right for hisself is Malcolm. Better than we are at any road. Got two lovely kids as well.’
‘We’ll go there to see him. Thank you Mrs Riley.’ Ray smiled at the poor woman, greatly relieved that they didn’t have to go inside.
‘Blimey, what a stink in that place. Whatever was it do you think?’ asked Ted.
‘I expect one or both kids had relieved themselves, probably on the floor. I hope to goodness the baby she’s got inside her will be her last. Heavens, if she’s got a grown-up son with kids of his own, she must be near the end of her procreative life. It really is a pity someone couldn’t have sterilised her before
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