Dead Woman's Shoes: 1 (Lexy Lomax Mysteries) (18 page)

She glanced at him blankly.

“This cat,” he reminded her, a pale version of his sincere smile back again.

Blimey, he could multi-task too. From murder to missing moggies in one fell swoop.

“Oh, yes.” Now was the time to let him know. Lexy gave him an apologetic shrug. “The trouble is I’m not sure I can…”

“I think someone stole it,” he interrupted. “Not sure why. I’m just hoping it wasn’t for any nefarious purpose.”

“How do you mean?”

“Sometimes domestic cats get nicked by people who run dog fights. Travellers, usually. Something to warm up the pit bulls with.”

Lexy felt as if someone was pumping her with red hot steam. “Not all travellers,” she said slowly, through clenched teeth.

“No, of course not,” he said, looking at her in sudden alarm, and perhaps dawning realisation.

“But the ones who do should be castrated,” Lexy stated. “Without anaesthetic.”

“Yes, quite. And I would be more than happy to oblige, should that be the case.” He sounded like he meant it, too. “But, anyway, let’s not jump to conclusions. That was a worst-case scenario. There are other reasons why cats are taken.” He drew a deep breath. “Now, the fact is I did see someone hanging around here on the night Princess disappeared. It was dark, of course, so I couldn’t see clearly.”

“What did they look like?” asked Lexy.

The vet shrugged. “A kid, in his teens, ordinary – about five eight, thin, wearing a dark jacket with the hood pulled up over the head and face, like they all do.” He spoke quickly, as if he wanted to get the conversation over with.

“Where was he?” asked Lexy.

“Well, when I first saw him, which was when I opened my front door to let in my own cats, he was outside the Caradocs’ bungalow, leaning against the dividing wall. I didn’t really think much of it. A couple of the bungalows down here are rented out to families in the summer and I assumed he had come from one of them.” He paused. “I thought he looked vaguely familiar, though. Anyway, I went inside, and a couple of minutes later there was… the thing is, the dogs were making a godawful racket out in the garden, at about the time the damned cat went missing. They must have smelt a fox, or something. The Caradocs obviously heard the row, and, when they discovered Princess was gone, they put two and two together and made five. See my problem?”

Lexy nodded grimly.

“I rushed out to the back garden and looked over the fence to see if there was a fox legging it up the lane. And who should I see instead but the kid with the hoodie, heading towards the village. Holding a bag.”

Lexy studied the clean, set curve of his jaw. So he thought this kid had somehow stolen Princess Noo-Noo, and made off with her in a bag? She ran a hand through her cropped hair. Why Princess? If someone was going to swipe a pet cat, why would they choose one that was kept under lock and key, when any number of moggies were wandering around loose? The kid could have had one of Guy Ellenger’s, for a start.

So what? The vet was lying? Because somehow the cat had got out, and the dogs had it before Guy could stop them? Found himself having to make up a cover story, and dragged her into it?

“It’s possible, isn’t it?” Guy had turned to look at her. “That this kid stole her?”

Lexy gave him a searching look. “Don’t you think the cat might have been struggling and yowling?”

The vet shook his head. “Not necessarily. Once an animal is enclosed in darkness, they often stay quiet.”

Lexy looked at him dubiously. “Have you told the Caradocs about this bloke?”

Guy gave an embarrassed laugh. “They’re refusing to talk to me at the moment. I can’t imagine what they’re saying around the village.”

According to Tristan, thought Lexy, it’s only Tammy who’s doing the slandering.

“It’s unlucky that your dogs started kicking off the moment the cat disappeared,” she said, slowly. “Although they might have been barking because they heard this kid breaking in next door.”

Guy’s head jerked up. “Yes,” he said. “That’s it! Why the hell didn’t I think of that? They would have kicked up a storm if they heard someone trying to break in… or at any comings and goings whatsoever, for that matter.”

The dogs chose that moment to illustrate this statement by belting around the corner of the house as one, Kinky giving tongue as loudly and piercingly as the others. Lexy winced. He’d better not try that at home.

“Very good guard dogs,” said Guy, his voice raised above the hullabaloo. “But try telling that to Tristan and Ta…”

He was interrupted by the sound of a car turning abruptly into the drive of Amalfi.Doors slammed.

“Damn, that
is
them – they’re back early.” The vet jumped up like a guilty teenager. “Won’t be a minute – I’ll just go and sort the dogs out.”

He disappeared around the corner of the bungalow in the direction of the barks.

Lexy stood up too, and walked distractedly around the patio. So Guy Ellenger had also, unbeknown to his sister, received a poison pen letter, although he had the advantage of knowing who delivered it. Hope had said that it would ‘devastate’ Guy if he found out that someone was threatening to rake up the past.

He does a good impression of a grounded human being, but he’s really a mass of neuroses
.

Seemed that Hope didn’t know her brother as well as she thought she did. Far from throwing a wobbly when he got the letter, he’d simply gone and had it out with Avril. But what if the visit hadn’t gone quite the way he’d said? Not that he could have killed her there and then. But perhaps later…

Lexy needed time to think. She could really do without this cat caper, but the vet had taken her by surprise with his rapid change of subject from Avril to Princess Noo-Noo, and somehow she’d managed to get herself talked into looking for the blasted thing again.

“The Caradocs are back,” he confirmed.

“I could drop round there later,” Lexy said. “Say I’ve heard they lost the cat, and tell them that I was walking along Gorse Rise on Wednesday night and I saw this guy outside their place about ten, and a few minutes later, I saw him striding off back towards the high street with a bag. Exactly what you saw, in fact.”

“Would you do that?”

She nodded.

“I’ve already met them, which might make it a bit tricky. They’ll wonder why I didn’t mention this about Princess Noo-Noo before. I’ll have to think of something. And I’ll do a bit of probing, while I’m there, too. See if there’s any other reason for the cat’s disappearance. In the meantime,” she suggested, “you could try to remember whether, and where, you’ve seen the kid before, if you thought he looked familiar.”

“Yes – I’ll rack my brains,” said Guy. “Er… would you like some more malt loaf?”

Lexy looked at the empty plate. She realised that she didn’t recall having seen Guy eat any.

“Perhaps I should just go next door and get on with it?” While she could still move unassisted.

“One last cup of tea,” he insisted. He gathered up the plates, and disappeared into the kitchen. Lexy leaned back in her chair, fighting a sudden urge to fall asleep with her mouth open.

She eyed Guy blearily through the kitchen window as he put the kettle on. Watched as he picked up a telephone receiver, jabbed a couple of numbers and started talking into it.

Lexy struggled up. Damn – bet he was telling someone about Avril. She should have told him not to broadcast it, but she would have thought he’d have the sense not to.

She made her way across to the kitchen door. He was still on the phone.

“…bound to be asking awkward questions. It’s not as if I hid my dislike. Look, I haven’t got much time. Can I ask a favour? A really huge one? Yes? Let me tell you what it is first. You know you were at the surgery yesterday evening? What? Yes – the surgery, like you said you… Listen. If anyone asks, I want you to say that we were there together. All evening. Do you understand what I’m saying? What? Yes, I’m really, really grateful. You know I am. You’re an angel. Bye-bye for now.”

Lexy moved slowly back to her chair, stunned. Guy Ellenger had just set up an alibi for himself.

Lexy watched him through the kitchen window, carefully pouring hot water into a teapot. Despite the cloying heat, she felt goose pimples break out over her arms like miniature pink mole hills. Was she looking at Avril’s killer?

She rubbed at her arms fiercely. Get real, woman. Guy wouldn’t have told her about the anonymous letter and his visit to Avril yesterday afternoon if he’d then gone on to murder the woman later. Not unless he liked to live really dangerously.

No – he’d set the alibi up because he had clearly been alone yesterday evening, and was worried that he might be in the frame, bearing in mind his visit to Avril that afternoon. It was understandable, really. But who was he sweet-talking into covering for him? Lexy’s lips twisted. She thought she might just know the answer to that. Someone who had legs up to her armpits and held his stethoscope every day. She sighed inwardly.

“Here we are.” The vet appeared in the doorway with two more cups of tea.

They sat sipping in silence for a while.

“This business with Avril being murdered.” Lexy placed her cup precisely on its saucer. “It hasn’t been made public yet. You won’t say anything to anyone, will you?”

“Of course not,” the vet replied smoothly.

14

Lexy stood up, giving Guy Ellenger a tight smile.

“Right – I’ll go next door, then. Would you look after Kinky while I’m there? They probably don’t want a chihuahua in the house at the moment.”

“Yes, of course.” Guy Ellenger eyed her uneasily, obviously wondering what had brought about her sudden coldness. As well he might. “Well, good luck.”

She refrained from snorting.

She trudged around the side of the bungalow and let herself out of the wooden gate. She was
really
in the mood for doing this now. How could someone with eyes like a good-natured labrador be so insincere? It was Gerard all over again.

Lexy walked next door to the Caradocs’ wrought iron gate, pushed it open and crunched angrily up the neat gravel drive.

Raised voices were coming from inside the bungalow. She hesitated. Good timing. Sounded like they were right in the middle of a blazing row.

“Well, how else could it have happened?” A woman’s voice, high and out of control. “You’re the one who always has the bathroom window open.”

“Only when I’m in there with the door shut.” She recognised the aggrieved baritone as Tristan’s. “Do you really think I’m stupid enough to leave it open when I’m finished? Anyway, what about the time you left the kitchen window open?”

“There was a bloody bee in the kitchen,” came the overwrought retort. “I wanted it out. I’m allergic to bees, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“How
could
I forget, the number of times you bang on about it! Anyway, Princess was out of the window like a shot that day, wasn’t she?”

I can’t say I blame her, thought Lexy. She pressed the doorbell.

There was an instant silence. Moments later the front door was flung open.

“Yes? Oh, it’s you.”

Tammy’s face was red and swollen, and two tear tracks had streaked through her eyeliner and pancake foundation. Lexy felt a pang of sympathy.

“It’s about your cat,” she said, tentatively.

The woman’s face changed in an instant from misery to wild hope.

“Have you found her? Have you found my Noo-Noo?”

“No,” Lexy cut in, urgently. “Not found. I just think I saw something that might help you.”

“What?” The woman had practically grasped Lexy by the shoulders. “Tristan! Come here!” she yelled.

Lexy was starting to feel shabby. Tristan’s voice sounded in the hall.

“What now?”

Tammy swung round to her husband, revealing Lexy. “This lady thinks she saw something that can help us find Noo-Noo.”

“Hello,” said Lexy.

Tristan’s expression instantly changed to one of wariness.

“It’s… erm… Alexandra, isn’t it?”

Not so cocky now, are you, chum? Not now the other half’s cramping your style.

Tammy looked from one to the other of them, her eyes slightly narrowing.

“That’s right,” Lexy confirmed. “Hope Ellenger introduced me to Tristan in a café the other day,” she said to Tammy, one eye noting Tristan’s features relax. “Only I didn’t realise you were looking for a cat then. Even when I saw the posters in the village it didn’t exactly click. It was just when I was speaking to your neighbour Guy earlier that…”

“So what exactly did you see?” Tristan interrupted, pushing his flowing hair back.

Lexy started trotting out her story. “I just happened to be walking up Gorse Rise the other night, Wednesday it was, sometime after ten. I saw someone hanging around outside your place. A young bloke, medium height, thin, wearing a hoodie. A few minutes afterwards I saw him walking up towards the high street. He… er… had a bag.”

Tammy Caradoc turned urgently to her husband, who had gone grey. “Oh, my God, Triss, I told you. She was stolen.” She put her hand to her mouth. “I told you it was nothing to do with those chihuahuas next door.”

Lexy raised her eyebrows at Tristan.

Tristan looked heavenwards. “I’m sorry, darling, I’m not being rude, but who the hell would want to steal Princess? I know she’s a perfectly adorable cat, and I love her to bits,” he added hastily as Tammy gave a stifled sob, “but she isn’t exactly… anyway, how would they have got her? No one had broken in.” He stared haplessly at Lexy.

“Do you know that for sure?” she enquired mildly.

“Of course I know,” he rasped. “We were here all evening. I think we might have noticed if someone smashed a window and stole our own cat from right under our noses.”

Lexy rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Was Princess actually in the same room as you all evening? Until she went missing, of course.”

“Absolutely,” confirmed Tristan, tossing back his mane of hair again. “Well… pretty much.”

“Triss and I were both in the lounge,” explained Tammy. “I was watching TV and Tristan was sitting in the corner, sewing.”

“Theatre costumes,” he clarified, coldly.