The Whitby Murders (A Yorkshire Murder Mystery) J. Ellis (distant reading TXT) 📖

‘Good. Hopefully that will confirm what the witnesses are saying. We’ve got officers out doing a search and messages out to the public to report anything suspicious. So we need to interview all the witnesses more thoroughly but apart from that I think—’ At that moment her phone went off. She answered it and heard a once-familiar voice.

‘Now then, Alice, how are you?’

Granger’s face lit up. ‘Chief Inspector Oldroyd?’

‘That’s right. I got your number from HQ. I’d like to come and talk to you about this escape room murder, if that’s okay with you and your superiors.’

‘I’d be delighted, sir, but why and what on earth are you doing here?’

‘Ah, that’s a bit of a story, Alice. I’ll tell you all about it when I see you. I’ll come down to your HQ in half an hour or so, okay?’

‘Yes, sir, I’ll see you there. I’m on my way back anyway.’

Granger ended the call and smiled to herself. DCI Oldroyd was her mentor; the man who’d taught her most of what she knew. It would be great to work with him again. Not least because when he was around, things often turned out to be unexpectedly interesting.

‘I couldn’t call you before now. I was absolutely knackered last night when we got back. I went straight to bed. I hardly slept until about three this morning; I’ve only just woke up.’

Maggie was in bed, speaking to her boyfriend, Mark, on her phone. Her head was laid back on the pillow.

‘Yeah, I know . . . I’m sorry you had to see it on the news first, the media don’t waste any time . . . It was bloody awful, Mark . . . Yeah, I’m all over the bloody place . . . It would be great if you could come up . . . Oh my God!’ She burst into tears as she remembered the horror of what had happened. ‘No, it’s fine; we’re helping each other . . . We’ll be interviewed again no doubt . . . Yes . . . Can’t wait . . . Love you.’

She put the phone on the bedside table and pulled the duvet back over her. She ought to get up, but she didn’t feel as if she had the energy. She’d heard voices in the living room; Louise was up and had been talking to someone. She looked at her phone. Shit, it was twelve o’clock! The detectives might come round; she’d better get dressed. She didn’t want to get on the wrong side of the police. She got out of bed and suddenly realised she was desperate for some coffee. She pulled on her dressing gown and went downstairs to the kitchen.

‘Maggie? Come in here, will you?’ It was Louise’s voice. Maggie went into the living room where she was surprised to see two strangers. Louise introduced her to her dad and his colleague Steph. ‘I asked him to come over to help us, because I’m worried about it all. I hope you don’t mind.’

Maggie was a little taken aback. She knew Louise’s father was a detective, but she hadn’t expected him to appear like this. She would have liked to have been consulted before more police were brought in, even if they were there to give support.

‘No,’ she said, sounding uncertain and looking at the detectives with suspicion. Oldroyd responded.

‘We realise it’s a bit of an imposition, Maggie, but I’m sure you can understand that I felt I had to come over as Louise is involved in these awful events. We won’t interfere with anything. We’re just here to give you any help or advice you might need.’ He wanted to ask her about what had happened and what she thought about it all but decided this was the wrong time.

‘Okay, well, thanks. I’m making coffee if anyone wants some.’

Oldroyd and Steph declined.

‘We need to go,’ said Oldroyd, and he and Steph got up. ‘I called the detective in charge of the case. We’re going to meet her at police HQ. Now, I think she’ll probably be getting you all in to the station for an interview this afternoon so we’ll come back later on. It would be inappropriate for us be to there when you’re interviewed. Just be absolutely straight with her and tell the truth, okay?’

‘Okay,’ said Louise, looking anxious at their departure.

Maggie simply nodded.

‘Seen anything of Ben?’ asked Louise when Oldroyd and Steph had gone. ‘Oh, talk of the devil.’ At that moment Ben came down the stairs dressed in jeans and t-shirt with his hair dishevelled.

‘Hi. God I’ve got a terrible headache. Any coffee going?’

‘I’ve just made some,’ replied Maggie. ‘You’ve just missed Louise’s dad and his sergeant.’

‘What?’ Ben was very surprised and suspicious like Maggie.

‘I asked him to come over,’ said Louise. ‘I thought it would be good to have him around, if things get difficult.’

‘Fine,’ said Ben. ‘But do you honestly think they will? I mean, come on. We didn’t talk about this last night, and it’s bloody awful, but he stabbed her. I hate it and I can scarcely believe it, but he stabbed her. We all saw him. I’ve been thinking, maybe he has lost his balance as you said. Looking back, I think he’s been behaving oddly for a while.’

‘Has he?’

‘You must have noticed. He’s been moody, quiet and he’s started rows with Andrea. He hasn’t been himself.’

‘I don’t know. Where do you think he’s gone?’ asked Maggie.

‘Oh, I forgot; I got a text from him,’ said Louise.

‘What?’

She showed them the text. Maggie put her hand over her mouth.

‘Oh my God! That’s terrible. I can’t bear it. He must be in a horrific state; where the hell is he?’ She collapsed in tears again.

Ben took the phone and read the text again. ‘He has to be out of his mind. He must be hiding somewhere; the police will find him, won’t they? And then what?’ he said, echoing Louise. He put the phone down and shook his head. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘Maybe we should try