Episode 9 - An evening out

Friday cont.

Cleo’s friend Delilah Browne had lived in Upper Grumpsfield for most of her life so it was logical that Cleo would try to find out more about the locals from her. She had worked as a barmaid for her former boss, Jim Tanner, who had retired from running the pub when it started to lose money, but still owned the building. Cleo wondered if he could remember something. What did Delilah think of that idea? Did he know the old Kelly couple, by any chance?

“Jim is furious that I’ve made a go of his pub, but I have a ten year lease and he can’t do anything about it. Anyway, the place would go to the dogs if he took over again.”

A couple of hours had passed since Cleo’s interview with Dr Marble. She had spent it in the office making copious notes on her case progress so far. Robert called in at the office on his way home from the shop. He was surprised to find Cleo alone and working at her computer. Had been hoping to find Gary there so that he could at last catch them in flagranti.

“Where’s Dorothy?” Robert wanted to know.

“Don’t you want to know where Gary is?” Cleo asked, realizing that Robert had come to her office with an ulterior motive.

“Why should I?”

“He’s in the cupboard under the sink in the utility room, Robert. He’s hiding from you.”

“Don’t be silly. I just want to see how you are,” Robert said.

“Well now you’ve seen there’s nothing to keep you, is there? I need to finish my report on Dr Marble and then I’m going to talk to Delilah. I’ll probably have something to eat there so don’t cook for me.”

“Is it still about Kelly?”

“We’ve only just started on the Kelly case. Dorothy is probably at home. She was quite upset after that visit to the mental institution.”

“She’s about to become a partner and can take it, Cleo.”

“So why do you want to see her?”

“I don’t.”

“You asked me where she is?”

“I didn’t know you worked alone,” said Robert.

“I need to concentrate, Robert. Why don’t you join me later at the bistro? I’ll get Dorothy to come and we can have a nice drink and a chat.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Robert, cheering up. See you later then.”

“Sure.”

***

Robert went home gratified that Cleo had been alone. Cleo regretted proposing to meet him, but she suspected that he would have come looking for her anyway. A quick phone-call to Dorothy fixed the plan for her to join them.

“What’s it all in aid of?”

“It’s called ‘humouring Robert’, Dorothy. He came to the office expecting me to be carrying on with Gary and was very disappointed. I need to talk to Delilah about Kelly’s past. See you at about 9.”

***

“Sit down and have a drink!” Robert told Dorothy. “I’ve no idea what she’s up to, but I think she wants us to put on our thinking caps.”

“Too right, folks,” said Cleo, and proceeded to tell them about the interview she had had with the solicitor. Was Dr Marble hoping to head off any further investigation by appearing willing to impart some information he had in old documents concerning Kelly, or was he just bluffing?

“I thought solicitors were models of honesty and integrity,” Robert said.

“Not all of them, Robert,” said Dorothy. “Every profession has its dark horses.”

“Like butchers selling horse-meat illegally?” Robert joked.

“If the cap fits....” said Cleo.

“It does not fit me,” said Robert. “Anyway, could you tell the difference between horse and beef sausages?”

“Some genuine Hungarian salami is made of horse-meat,” Dorothy chipped in. “I used to eat it regularly in London and it’s delicious.”

“I’m surprised at you, Dorothy,” said Robert.

“Either you are a carnivore or you’re not,” said Dorothy. “I’m not sure I’d want to eat horses I knew personally, but otherwise...”

“I’d sell elephant steaks if that would not drive all the Hindu customers away,” said Robert.

“Don’t you believe it,” said Dorothy. “They kill a lot of elephants for food in Hindu countries because it saves them from starving. They don’t all worship the animals.”

“I thought one of their chief gods was an elephant,” said Robert.”

“ You mean Ganesh, the remover of obstacles,” said Cleo. “Can we talk crime now?”

“I don’t think British slaughter houses are built to house elephants,” said Robert.

Ignoring that comment and seeing a tell-tale glint in Cleo’s eyes, Dorothy rushed on with the meeting.

“Where were we then?” she said.

“Eating,” said Robert, as the orders came. Dorothy’s platter was piled highest, much to Mitch’s amusement, since she was by far the slimmest.

“Can you manage all that, Miss Price?” he asked.

“Just watch me,” said Dorothy.

“Ketchup, anyone?” he said.

“On pizza?” said Dorothy.

“I’ll have some on my noodles,” said Robert, whose idea of Italian food varied widely from the genuine article. Mitch was more into hamburgers enhanced by extra ketchup than what he often called messes, though he had to admit that filling oneself with pasta was almost as good as eating a plateful of fries.

Dorothy ate her pizza as usual with 4 extras on top of the 4 cheese variety she preferred. It was part of her diet, she claimed. Dorothy could eat mountains without putting on an ounce of weight. Those lucky individuals have an efficient metabolism, a diet expert had once explained. Cleo and Robert, who did not have such efficient metabolisms, were, regardless of the calories, eating mounds of pasta laced with ham and anchovies that would definitely settle on their hips.

“I hope you aren’t related to the pork and fish you’re eating,” scoffed Dorothy. “That is bacon in your pasta, Robert, and salmon is yours, Cleo.”

“I doubt it,” Cleo retorted. “By the way, our first priority tomorrow is to find out if Dr Marble still has any contact with Kelly, Dorothy.”

“I’ll bet he does,” said Dorothy. “You can’t live all those years in a small place like Upper Grumpsfield without getting to know everyone. Apart from that, used to be the first address in legal matters. Solicitors look after the documents entrusted to them.”

“I saw that. Dr Marble had a huge stock of files. He had received a copy of the second will leaving Kelly the farm although he did not actually draw it up.”

“Kelly went to him to get the will put though, so he would need a copy he had himself verified,” said Dorothy. “Marble worked as what you Americans call an attorney, too,” said Dorothy.

“Then it’s even odder that he didn’t know the old Kellys had a son, Dorothy,” said Cleo.

“If Paddy Kelly was born in Ireland, that’s where the birth certificate probably stayed or might even have been mislaid,” said Dorothy.

“He might not have told you everything, Cleo,” said Robert. “He was probably not sure if he could trust you, though you appear to be the kind of person who could be trusted, of course.”

Robert was anxious to smooth his wife’s ruffled feathers caused by the impromptu visit to the office.

“I try to understand people and think the best of them,” said Cleo. There were times when she felt like a foreigner in this old country, especially if a joke was attempted at her expense, she mused.

“If Dr Marble was hiding something from me, it would explain why he was a bit nervous,” said Cleo. “I wonder if the news of Mrs Coppins’ death had got through to him.”

“You could have asked him,” said Robert.

“Maybe I should have told him, but there was no time. He was quite anxious to get rid of me.  He also said that he’s afraid someone will kill him. Why would he tell me that?”

“You are a private investigator and therefore enjoy a status that even a solicitor might respect,” Dorothy suggested.

“Perhaps he’s always afraid,” said Robert. “I don’t know him personally, but solicitors and lawyers with private practices often know or even work for crooks and are therefore cautious. If he does know more about Kelly than he’s telling, he might also know what kind of predicament Kelly is now in, in which case he does know about Mrs Coppins’ death. So he chose kiddology instead.”

“That was clever thinking, Robert,” said Dorothy.

That was mind-boggling considering that Robert was not into reasoning, mused Cleo.

“Almost worthy of Gary,” she said.

“I thought you did all the thinking in that partnership,” said Robert.

Things were hotting up, thought Dorothy, who did not know about Robert’s control visit to Cleo’s office.

“The thing is that if he has reason to think that Kelly knows what he knows, our pet solicitor has a good reason to be nervous,” said Cleo.

“But we are only theorizing, aren’t we?” said Dorothy. “I don’t think we’ll get anywhere without evidence. We need to know if Kelly got away with murder either in the case concerning his claim that the old Kellys were his parents or in his wife Magda’s curious car accident.”

“I wouldn’t meddle in any of that,” advised Robert.

“We won’t find out unless we ‘meddle’, Robert,” said Cleo. “And then it’s hardly likely we’ll be successful since neither case was investigated properly at the time.”

“Despite your pet Chief Inspector?” said Robert.

“What is more, we do not meddle, Robert,” said Dorothy, wondering why Cleo allowed Robert to be in on their discussions at all. He had a negative influence. Cleo was thinking the same thing.

“The best way to start could be by interviewing old Jim Tanner, Delilah’s landlord,” Cleo said. “I met him briefly when he was running this place and it was a mess in those days, but he probably knew everyone, so I’m going to ask Delilah to tell me where he is.”

“I remember him,” said Dorothy. “He closed the place down overnight and left Delilah without a job and all his regulars without a venue.”

“Delilah went on that great cabaret tour to Scotland and that made up for it,” said Cleo, “so maybe Mr Tanner did actually do her a favour. Anyway, Jim Tanner might know something about the older generation of  Kellys. Then I can go back to Dr Marble and ask some really pertinent questions.”

“I’d better come with you, Cleo. Two heads are better than one,” volunteered Dorothy.

“Take your rifle with you, Dorothy,” said Robert.

“It is not a rifle. It’s only a pistol, but I have it with me all the time these days.”

“Like now?”

“I don’t carry this bag round empty, Robert.”

Dorothy opened her capacious handbag and drew out the gun.

“It’s loaded.” said Dorothy, pointing the weapon at Robert. “I won’t stand for any nonsense.”

“For Christ’s sake put it away, Dorothy!” said Robert, wide-eyed with alarm.

“Now who’s nervous?” scoffed Dorothy.

“Don’t ever use it!” said Robert. “You might hit the wrong person.”

“I won’t. I’ve been on the shooting range with Greg and he can vouch for my accuracy.”

“You’ve been where?” said Robert.

“You heard.”

“Greg Winter promised to take her, Robert, and she’s been a couple of times.”

“I go once a week when I have time. It’s great fun.”

“But this is not fun,” said Robert. “You are dealing with potentially dangerous people, Dorothy, such as Kelly.”

“Dr Marble may also be armed,” said Cleo.

“I hope he is if Kelly’s after him,” said Dorothy.

“But we should chase up Delilah’s landlord first!” said Cleo. She finished eating and now disappeared into the snug with Delilah for the little chat she had promised.

Delilah told Cleo that Jim, who had relocated to Mallorca for his arthritis, was now back in Lower Grumpsfield lodging with friends while he fought for his pub. He had left his wife in Mallorca as she did not want to return to the old haunts. Delilah suspected that Jim Tanner had found a new lease of life, in other words, someone else to warm his bed. Up to now he had failed to get the lease of what was now a flourishing bistro annulled. To that end he had even consulted his old friend Dr Marble, Delilah said.

“Wow! That’s exactly who else I wanted to talk to you about.”

Cleo told Delilah how much she wanted to get at the truth about Kelly and the events leading up to his taking possession of the farm. Delilah was worried that Jim might persuade Kelly to help him clear her out of the pub.

Cleo wanted to visit Jim next day. Jim agreed to a meeting because he thought that a private detective would be likely to find a reason for booting Delilah out of the bistro if he offered a fat enough fee. Dorothy would go along as a neutral witness. Cleo was not expecting problems, but having a witness was a good idea, she decided, and Dorothy was determined to be in on this investigation, even if Robert reminded them that curiosity had killed the cat more than once.

Delilah had second thoughts about visiting Jim Tanner.

“I’m not going,” she said. “He’ll send my blood pressure soaring.”

“I’ll deal with him,” said Cleo. “There’s no need for you to be there, Delilah, and Dorothy will be on the lookout out for any trickery.

“Thanks. You’re a brick,“ said Delilah.

The only disappointment was that the Hartley Agency sleuths had no reason to fly to Mallorca if they guy was back.