‘Yes, you’re right,’ Kate said. ‘She called me.’
‘There you are then! We know she found somethin’ in someone’s flat, but whose?’
‘Do you have any idea which flats she’d cleaned and which she hadn’t that morning?’ Kate asked.
‘No I don’t.’
Kate thought for a moment. ‘But would we find anything now? Surely the police did a search? And what about her phone?’
‘They took enough time goin’ through everythin’,’ he said as he poured the tea and handed her the Princess Diana mug, ‘but they haven’t found her phone and they should be able to see Sharon’s bright pink phone a mile off. If we could find that phone we’d know who the killer is. Now where would you have disposed of somethin’ if you’d used it to kill someone? Sharon said somethin’ about a syringe?’
‘That’s right,’ Kate said. ‘She phoned me from upstairs, and that would indicate that whoever killed her lived up there.’
‘But why would she risk phonin’ from up there if she didn’t think it was safe?’ Stan pulled out a couple of chairs from under the kitchen table and signalled Kate to sit down. ‘So she must have thought it wasn’t any of them upstairs, mustn’t she?’
Kate wasn’t so sure. ‘So, in that case, who else could it be?’
‘The Pratts,’ he said.
And they were the ones who said they had heard something but didn’t go out to see what was happening.’
‘And then there’s them women of course,’ Stan said.
‘What – the Potters and Hetty? Why would any of the old ladies want to kill Sharon?’
He tapped his nose. ‘There’s no tellin’. There’s somethin’ a bit funny with that Hetty, and the Potters are desperate to move into Edina’s flat, and keep nagging me about it. It’s nought to do with me. But I’m goin’ to ask you a favour; I was goin’ to phone and ask you anyway. Them flats need searchin’ thoroughly to see if the police might have missed somethin’ and I need your help for that. Because whoever killed my Sharon has her phone hidden somewhere.’
‘What could I possibly do to help you search the flats?’ Kate felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation at the idea.
‘We’re goin’ to be needin’ a new cleaner and you could say you were helpin’ me out in the meantime,’ he replied.
‘All right,’ she said, realising it was too good an opportunity to miss. ‘But I am a witness as far as the police are concerned so let’s hope they don’t find out.’
Then, almost at once, Kate began to doubt her wisdom at agreeing to help. The thought of snooping around in other people’s flats was a somewhat frightening idea. What if she got caught? And surely the police would already have discovered any incriminating evidence? And what would Woody say? How often had he told her to ‘not get involved’!
‘Now,’ he continued, ‘they’re all goin’ on a day’s outing to Cothele tomorrow because I’m drivin’ the bus and I’m goin’ with them, see? Ten quid a head, light lunch included. The damned thing was booked a month ago although I don’t much feel like goin’ now. Still, at least they’ve all got to stay together and I’ve got to make damned sure they do. We’ll be out all day.’
‘And…’ Kate said tremulously.
‘And I’ll give you the keys before we set off.’
Oh Lord, Kate thought. ‘Are they all going?’
‘I’m tryin’ to persuade them all to go, that’s for sure,’ Stan said. ‘At the moment the only doubtful is Cornelius Crow, who likes to be cooped up in that gloomy flat of his all day. But I’m workin’ on him.’
‘Tomorrow?’ Kate asked.
‘Tomorrow, dear. We’ll be leavin’ here around nine o’clock and I don’t reckon we’ll be back much before five, so plenty of time for you to have a good nosy around.’
Kate gulped. Then again this was her golden opportunity to do something constructive.
‘Stan, I’m not too happy with this idea, you know.’
‘You’d be doin’ it for my Sharon,’ he said, ‘not for me.’
‘And you could guarantee that all the flats would be empty for hours on end?’
‘Of course I can. How else are they goin’ to get back if not on the bus?’
‘What about David Courtney?’
‘He comes and goes. No tellin’.’ Stan shrugged. ‘But unlikely he’ll be around. He’s got a garage to run, such as it is.’
‘So, do you want me to do some actual cleaning then?’ Kate asked, visualising all the cobwebby corners in Lavender Cottage, not to mention the less-than-pristine oven, the messy fridge and the salt-sprayed windows that required washing and polishing.
‘No, just pick up a duster or somethin’ if anyone sees you. Not that they will,’ he added hastily.
Kate was being pulled in two directions. As well as having to get past the policeman who was normally parked outside, she’d almost certainly be breaking the law if she were to be discovered, uninvited, looking through drawers and cupboards. On the other hand she just might be able to find some tiny detail that the police had overlooked. Something that might even solve the case! Unlikely, but just possible. Sometimes you had to stretch the law the tiniest bit.
‘OK,’ Kate said after a few minutes’ contemplation, ‘but perhaps you should tell them in advance
