Lois Meade 14 - Suspicion at Seven (12 page)

I
n Tresham, in a street lined with terraces of brick houses and the occasional small shop, a woman stood at her open doorway, talking to her next-door neighbour.

“Did you say Elsie Weedon came calling yesterday? Haven’t seen her for years.”

“Nor had I, but I remembered her the minute I set eyes on her. She hasn’t changed one iota. Same eyes everywhere, same sharp voice. But she was very friendly and wanted to have a chat about our jewellery business. I couldn’t think why she should want to do that. After all, she must be getting on.”

“Perhaps she was mixed up. They get like that. Old people. Always wandering off and getting lost.”

“She wasn’t confused; I’m sure of that. Anyway, I told her Ted would help her when he came back. He’s been away up London for a few days, as you know. Hatton Garden, buying a few nice pieces. We like to keep up our standards!”

“So she’ll be calling again? Let me know when she does. I’d like to take a look at her. She was a bit of a dragon in the old days!”

*   *   *

Joan, meanwhile, knowing that Elsie had gone into town to see her jeweller friends, had driven on from Brigham to do a small tour of the villages, looking out for attractive village halls and shops where she could leave notices once they got going with parties.

This had taken up most of the morning, and she ended up in Fletching, where she noted down the booking details. She was on the lookout for halls where the Women’s Institute had a branch. She knew they had monthly meetings, and from her own time of being secretary in Long Farnden, she also knew it was a struggle finding interesting speakers or demonstrators.

As she finally got into her car to return home, she realised they would need a snappy name for the business.
Joan ’n’ Elsie
? Lord no.
Farnden Sparkles
? Rubbish. Maybe Elsie would have some ideas, but the sooner they got on with it, the better. She decided to give her a ring when she got home and invite her round for supper.

*   *   *

“Did you do well?” said Josie, as Matthew came in after shutting up the shop. “I hope there’s no rules about policemen running a village shop on the side.”

“No, but I am very glad I had a session in there. My goodness, you really hear some useful info on local goings-on!”

“So what’s the latest? I’m surprised people were talking when you were behind the counter. I know you’re not in uniform, but everyone knows you’re a copper.”

“They also know I am a useful chap to have around. But the latest item on the agenda seemed to be a mugging. In fact, two muggings. One in Fletching and one in Brigham.”

“Heavens! What happened? Have you caught the mugger?”

“Give us a chance, Josie! These two attempts to steal money and so on took place in broad daylight yesterday. Nobody about in these villages, especially ones without a pub or a shop.”

“Or school,” said Josie. “Schools bring life to a village. We’re lucky in Farnden. Anyway, did he get away with anything?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. In each case, a man approached an elderly woman and asked for change for a phone call. When their handbags were open, he lifted the lot, and in one case, also a packet of tranquilizing drugs, on prescription and just collected from the chemist.”

“Nasty,” Josie said. “But neither were hurt, were they?”

“Not hurt, but badly frightened. One of the victims has a bad heart, and she was the one who had the sense to send a message to us at the station. I am going over there shortly, to collect some details.”

“Did they get a description?”

“Yes, and both said more or less the same thing. A tall youth, nice smile and bad teeth.”

“Not much to go on, then. Anyway, I’ll put up a notice in the shop on Monday, if you haven’t got him by then.”

“Thanks, love. Meanwhile, we’d better warn our Gran not to speak to any tall youths with bad teeth. And certainly not to open her handbag.”

“Now you’ve frightened me! Is she likely to be approached by him?”

“Probably not. He’s more than likely some chancer who’s got wheels and motors round an area and then moves on. There’s a gang of them in Tresham, all linked to the old rotten lot who imagined themselves members of a film-style baddies’ world. They’re like young students learning an illegal trade, whatever is current. Lately, it seems to be mugging old ladies. The lads do any dirty work that’s going, so the real criminals are hard for the police to pin down. No, don’t alarm her, but a gentle warning would be a good idea.”

*   *   *

Meanwhile, unaware of any danger, Gran announced her intention of walking round to Joan’s for supper. “I’ve left a casserole in the oven for you two,” she said. “I suppose I’ll be back around nineish, but if I’m late, don’t wait up. I’ll let myself in and lock up as usual.”

“What’s with you and Joan lately?” said Lois. “You’re always in each other’s pockets. I don’t like the idea of you walking back in the dark.”

“It’ll not be dark, not properly. And anyway, I could walk from Joan’s to here blindfold. Shall I take Jeems and give her a bit of an airing? Joan always loves to see her.”

“Good idea,” said Derek. “Sharp little teeth could do a lot of damage. The dog’s, I mean, Gran.”

“Ha ha,” said Gran. “So I’ll be off now. Come on, Jemima dog; let’s be going.”

Shortly after she had gone, with Jeems willingly accompanying her, the phone rang. “Let it ring,” said Derek. “It’ll only be Dot Nimmo with a complaint.”

“Hello?” said Lois. “Oh, it’s you, Dot. Derek must be psychic. No, he hasn’t been to the doctor. How can I help?”

Dot asked Lois if she had seen the local television news. “There’s this mugging merchant, specialising in old ladies.”

“So you immediately thought of me?”

“No, no, Mrs. M. I thought of your mother, but I expect she’s seen the news. She’s just the sort of well-heeled-looking older woman that he’s approaching. He asks for money to make a phone call, and when they open their bags, he’s in there, scooping out the contents. And then he’s off like the wind.”

“On foot?”

“Yeah—but they reckon he’s got some sort of transport parked round the corner. I’ve had the word from my illustrious family. Although I have nothing to do with them anymore, they keep an eye on me for my dear husband’s sake. Useful, sometimes. I thought of Mrs. Weedon, because there has been some gossip going round, saying she and her friend are taking over that jewellery business at Brigham. You know, the one that bloke ran before he got murdered.”

“How on earth did that gossip get round? Of course my mum is not taking over. She’s an elderly woman, with no experience of running a business! I don’t know how these stories start, but you could scotch that one if you hear it again.”

Lois thanked Dot for ringing, and stared at Derek. “We told her, didn’t we, that she should be careful. Thank goodness she took Jeems. Perhaps you should go round later and escort her back home?”

Derek shook his head. “Can you imagine what she would say? No, we’ll have to trust she would be sensible and keep walking. They say a terrier is the best antiburglar protection.”

At around nine o’clock, Lois looked at her watch and said wasn’t it time Gran returned? Derek told her not to stew. “She’s a sensible woman, and it is still daylight outside. Look out there. There’s old Jim going down to the pub, and there’s still kids playing outside.”

By ten o’clock, Lois said she was going to ring Joan and tell her that she was coming round to walk Mum back home. She wanted a breath of fresh air before bedtime, she said. Before she could reach the telephone, Derek stopped her.

“Listen!” he said. “What’s that noise outside the back door? That’ll be her returning. So, no need to worry, me duck. I’ll go and let her in. Maybe she’s forgotten her key.”

He went off to the kitchen, and then Lois heard him call. “Elsie? Come on in, dear.”

Lois walked quickly through, and saw to her horror that Jeems, usually so clean and fluffy, was muddy and wet, and had rushed straight into her basket where she lay whimpering.

There was no sign of Gran, in spite of Derek calling and calling at the top of his voice.

W
ith all the outside lights switched on, Derek and Lois searched and called all around the garden, in case Gran had fallen and not been able to get up again.

“No sign. Lois, you go in and ring Joan, and then we’ll look down the road, and then it’s PC son-in-law to help.”

Lois disappeared inside the house, only to reappear in minutes to say that Gran had left Joan and set off with Jeems about a quarter of an hour ago. It was a ten-minute walk, and so she must have stopped off somewhere between there and Meade House.

Armed with torches, Lois and Derek set off. They agreed they would not take Jeems, as she was in a terrified state already. There were no streetlights, except for the one over the shop, and as they went they called out, especially along by a piece of rough ground between the shop and the side road that led to Joan’s house. They were just nearing the end of a ruined cottage when Lois stopped suddenly.

“Derek! Hush! Did you hear that? I am sure I heard a sound. You call really loudly!”

Derek yelled “Elsie! Gran!” at the top of his voice, and at last there was a weak shout.

“Over here . . . I’m over here.”

Avoiding brambles and piles of old bricks, they made their way towards the voice. It was Gran, half sitting, half lying, on a bare patch of ground. Lois rushed towards her and put her arms around the shaking shoulders.

“What took you so long?” Gran said finally. “I should have thought you would at least have got the police dogs out looking for me.”

Derek snorted. “That’s all we get for scratched legs and stubbed toes! Come on, you old battle-axe, up we get.”

He hauled her to her feet, and realised that for all her brave face, she was actually shaking from head to foot. “Hold on tight to me,” he said, and lifted her into his arms. Stepping slowly over sundry obstacles, they reached the path.

“Put me down now, Derek. I’ll be fine. Let’s get back home. Did Jeems come and find you? I sent her off to tell you I needed help.”

They said that yes, Jeems had raised the alarm. “We must give her some warm milk and get the mud off her coat.” Lois added that they should have no more talking until they were safely back home, when Gran could tell them exactly what happened.

*   *   *

Although it was summer, the nights lately had been very cold, with a north wind sweeping down the street and making it seem more like autumn. By the time the trio reached home, even though Derek had put his jacket round Gran’s shoulders, they were all in dire need of a hot drink.

“Tea for me, please,” said Gran, as Lois sat her down by the Rayburn and wrapped her round with a warm shawl.

“And a slug of this in it,” said Derek, wielding a bottle.

When they were all settled, Lois suggested it was time for Gran to tell them what had happened.

“Well, to begin at the beginning, I had had a nice evening with Joan, and I stayed to watch the end of that detective series on the telly. I set off with my torch and Jeems on her lead, and as I came up to that rough ground, I heard a car coming up behind me. I think I turned to wave him off, but the headlights were on, and he just kept coming. There’s a deep muddy puddle just there, and I’m sure he deliberately sent great showers all over me and Jeems. Jeems pulled at the lead, and I ran towards that opening in the wall and kept running.”

“What about the car?” Derek put another slug into Gran’s mug.

“He must have swerved away at the last minute,” she said. “By that time, I had dropped my torch, and it was complete darkness. I stumbled around for a bit, then tripped and fell where you found me. I sent Jeems off up to home, and hoped you would see her outside the back door.”

“Which we did,” said Lois. “What a horrible time you’ve had, Mum. I’m going to phone Joan to say we’ve found you, and tell her briefly what happened.”

“Don’t make too much of it, Lois. I don’t want her to think I’m a silly old woman who can’t find her way back home.”

After a hot bath with lots of fragrant bath essence, Gran finally went to bed and fell instantly into a deep sleep. Lois and Derek stayed behind in the kitchen for another half hour, turning over what she had said.

“One thing I noticed,” said Lois. “Mum always said ‘he’ did this and that. You can’t actually see the driver when the headlights are dazzling you. It could equally well have been a woman, don’t you think?”

Derek nodded. “So you don’t think it was the thieving mugger?”

“He would hardly have nearly run her over if he wanted to encourage her to open her handbag for him, would he? And anyway, he has always acted in daylight so far.”

“True. Do you have any other idea? You’ve got that sleuthy look in your eye. For God’s sake, let’s get it out in the open and put a stop to all this nonsense.”

Lois stared at him. “I don’t think it’s anything to do with those other muggings. I expect it was some idiot having what he would think was a bit of fun. Scaring old ladies would appeal to some. Other than that, I think he must have come too fast round the bend there, and lost control of the car. Then, having seen Mum disappearing through a hole in the wall, he scarpered.”

“I dunno. I’m out of my depth, Lois dear. Let’s go to bed.”