then moved close to Maria’s left hand, something glinted there in the sunlight as Edgar nudged it. Jumping down Milly saw that it was a ring and picked it up. She recognized that too. It was Callum’s. Releasing another heavy sigh, Milly took out her mobile and dialled the numbers that would once again turn her life upside down and involve her in an investigation. If you had any sense, she thought, you’d just turn around and walk off home, go on, do it. But Milly dismissed the notion knowing she couldn’t leave anyone up here on this hill, even if it was Maria, the local wild child and attention seeker. It looked like this was going to be the last spectacle the woman made of herself, Milly thought as she waited to be transferred to Detective Barnes, well, until her funeral anyway.
Getting back to the shop late that morning, Milly thought over what she’d learned so far. Maria had been killed by a blow to the head, and the detectives thought Callum was their man. Milly had left his ring there, knowing that Callum had given the ring to Maria at her request a few months into their relationship. Apparently the police thought the ring’s presence and the fact that they’d dated, but had broken it off, was enough to convince Detective Barnes, and her new partner, Detective Mills. Detective Barnes seemed to have taken a dislike to Callum a few months ago when she’d suspected Callum had killed his employer. It wasn’t going to be easy for him this time either. She knew he’d gone out of town last night but didn’t know if she could prove that, other than by her testimony and his nephew Jake’s that he’d not been home all night.
Milly’s jaw clenched as she watched the detectives’ car pull up outside of her shop and then as the detectives disappeared inside the corner shop. They soon came out with Callum in hand, and ushered him to the car. The tall man had a hard time ducking into the low police car but he managed to finally get settled in. He stared out the window at Milly as the detectives moved around the car, each settling into their own seat.
She watched the car drive away and thought about what she knew so far. There’d been rumours that Maria was seeing someone new but Milly hadn’t had any confirmation of that. She’d heard one of the old biddies that wandered up the hill when they saw emergency services coming up telling Detective Barnes that. It was another reason they were suspicious of Callum. Milly had to admit that she’d often read that victims of violent crimes were often assaulted by someone they knew. Callum had been away most of the night and he had a motive for killing Maria. But that motive wasn’t strong enough for him to actually kill Maria, she told herself. Callum couldn’t possibly do such a thing. Murder simply wasn’t who Callum was, not at all.
Milly was standing at her window watching the car disappear up the road as Jake came running into the shop, straight into Milly’s arm. Perhaps a bit out of character for a 15-year-old but this was a 15-year-old that had just watched as his uncle was taken away by the police, the only guardian the boy really had, as his mother was still in America, gallivanting all over the country with her new husband. Milly was also a friend, a confidant, and had helped to free him when those lunatics kidnapped him two months earlier. They had a special bond and when he ran in, Milly opened her arms wide to take the boy into her embrace.
“Why are they doing this, Milly? Uncle Callum would never hurt Maria, not like they say he did! He’d never hurt a woman!” The boy allowed anger to replace his shock and fear and swiped angrily at the tears that had escaped his eyes as he stepped away from Milly.
“I know Jake, I know. I’m going to call a solicitor now, see what they can do for our man there. Don’t you worry, you can stay with me until we can sort this out and get Callum out of that place. Come now, have a cake and a cuppa, that’ll
Getting back to the shop late that morning, Milly thought over what she’d learned so far. Maria had been killed by a blow to the head, and the detectives thought Callum was their man. Milly had left his ring there, knowing that Callum had given the ring to Maria at her request a few months into their relationship. Apparently the police thought the ring’s presence and the fact that they’d dated, but had broken it off, was enough to convince Detective Barnes, and her new partner, Detective Mills. Detective Barnes seemed to have taken a dislike to Callum a few months ago when she’d suspected Callum had killed his employer. It wasn’t going to be easy for him this time either. She knew he’d gone out of town last night but didn’t know if she could prove that, other than by her testimony and his nephew Jake’s that he’d not been home all night.
Milly’s jaw clenched as she watched the detectives’ car pull up outside of her shop and then as the detectives disappeared inside the corner shop. They soon came out with Callum in hand, and ushered him to the car. The tall man had a hard time ducking into the low police car but he managed to finally get settled in. He stared out the window at Milly as the detectives moved around the car, each settling into their own seat.
She watched the car drive away and thought about what she knew so far. There’d been rumours that Maria was seeing someone new but Milly hadn’t had any confirmation of that. She’d heard one of the old biddies that wandered up the hill when they saw emergency services coming up telling Detective Barnes that. It was another reason they were suspicious of Callum. Milly had to admit that she’d often read that victims of violent crimes were often assaulted by someone they knew. Callum had been away most of the night and he had a motive for killing Maria. But that motive wasn’t strong enough for him to actually kill Maria, she told herself. Callum couldn’t possibly do such a thing. Murder simply wasn’t who Callum was, not at all.
Milly was standing at her window watching the car disappear up the road as Jake came running into the shop, straight into Milly’s arm. Perhaps a bit out of character for a 15-year-old but this was a 15-year-old that had just watched as his uncle was taken away by the police, the only guardian the boy really had, as his mother was still in America, gallivanting all over the country with her new husband. Milly was also a friend, a confidant, and had helped to free him when those lunatics kidnapped him two months earlier. They had a special bond and when he ran in, Milly opened her arms wide to take the boy into her embrace.
“Why are they doing this, Milly? Uncle Callum would never hurt Maria, not like they say he did! He’d never hurt a woman!” The boy allowed anger to replace his shock and fear and swiped angrily at the tears that had escaped his eyes as he stepped away from Milly.
“I know Jake, I know. I’m going to call a solicitor now, see what they can do for our man there. Don’t you worry, you can stay with me until we can sort this out and get Callum out of that place. Come now, have a cake and a cuppa, that’ll
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