They both confirmed their understanding, but Albert was already leaving them behind. He had to get back to the museum. He didn’t need to see the poster by the giant pudding anymore, he already knew he was right about that part of the mystery: going to the museum would just confirm it.
Eavesdropping
Albert pushed through the flap and back into the marquee. Alan wasn’t far behind him now though the man was moving slower than normal due to the damage his gut recently sustained.
Rex was unhappy about leaving the guilty human behind and kept turning his head to look at him. ‘Are we not supposed to be doing something about him?’ The loud bark made his human look his way. ‘Are you listening?’ he asked. ‘I know your nose doesn’t work so there’s no point in me asking if you can smell straight, but the two men back there are the same two men that were in the alleyway together yesterday. You had me chase one to save the other. Remember that?’ His human was listening intently, so he continued. ‘Well, I don’t think I was really saving one from the other. I think there’s something going on. Also, I think the one who smells of the moped killed the human last night. What I don’t understand is how I’m the only one that can smell it.’ Complaint delivered, Rex waited for his human to respond.
Albert stared down at his dog, lips pursed as he attempted to decipher the odd noises Rex made. ‘Was that all to do with food?’ he hazarded. They had just come back into the marquee which was filled with glorious baking smells. It was enough to make Albert hungry so goodness knows what it might be doing to the dog. Rex was always ready to eat so this should be no exception, and it was hours since breakfast. ‘You can’t have any more Yorkshire pudding, Rex, you’ll burst. Now come on. I think that lad who just ‘saved’ Alan might also be the one who tried to mug him yesterday. I don’t suppose that makes any sense to you, but I’ll try to explain it shortly.’
Rex couldn’t believe his ears. ‘That’s what I just said!’
‘Come along, dog. I need to check on something.’ Albert gave his lead another tug, Rex trailing along by his human’s side despite feeling like he wanted to lift his leg on his trousers.
‘Albert.’
Albert heard Rosie’s hopeful call and felt his heart sink a little. He was supposed to be going back to her with a muffin pan. Halfway through her lesson on making her granny’s perfect Yorkshire puddings he abandoned her and hadn’t been back.
Turning her way, as she fought through the crowd with Teddy balanced on her hip, he grabbed his wallet. ‘Rosie, I’m so sorry,’ he apologised as soon as she was within conversation distance. ‘I’m all caught up in … something else that’s happening here. Can you buy a muffin pan for me?’ He offered her a twenty pound note. ‘I will come back and find you again shortly. Is that okay?’
‘Um, sure,’ she replied. ‘If you are too busy, don’t worry.’
‘No, no. I really want to see these perfect Yorkshire puddings and learn how to do it for myself. It’s genuinely what I came to York for. I just need to deal with one thing …’
Rosie said, ‘Sure,’ again, taking the offered note and agreeing to wait for Albert back in the world record food prep area.
Muttering to himself for his swiss-cheese brain, Albert set off with Rex once more. ‘To the museum, boy. We need to look at a photograph.’
The delay in meeting Rosie had, however, allowed Alan, the two officers, and Lee Oliver to catch up. They were at the stage now where trouble still brewed. Pausing to listen, Albert saw Ethan Bentley coming their way.
‘Mr Crystal, I really must protest,’ the millionaire complained. ‘There is something very off about this competition. There have been far too many complaints of fixing going on. I swear some of the contestants knew in advance that they were going to win. Where have you been anyway?’
‘Mr Crystal was attacked,’ announced PC Hendrix, her voice quiet, but not so softly spoken that Albert couldn’t hear her.
Ethan Bentley reacted with stunned shock as one might expect. ‘Attacked! Goodness, where? Why? Who was it?’
Alan did his best to look hurt, managing to convey that he was putting a brave face on for the sake of the competition. ‘The police believe the man to be a local hoodlum. He was after the prize money, Mr Bentley.’
‘Are you alright?’ Ethan asked. ‘That’s the most important thing.’
Alan nodded, placing a hand on Ethan Bentley’s shoulder in thanks for his concern. ‘I can see this through.’
‘But what do we do about the competition. I cannot … I will not endorse a winner if they have cheated their way to the prize. There will have to be an investigation after the fact, but no winner can be announced today.’
Alan leaned in to speak quietly but reached out with his left hand to bring Lee Oliver closer. Albert struggled to hear what was being said, straining his ears to pick up enough of the words to make sense of it.
It didn’t confirm anything for Albert, but it met the criteria for what he believed was happening perfectly. Knowing he had but a few minutes, he got his feet moving again, clicking his mouth at Rex. ‘Let’s go, boy. This is almost done.’
