here. You sure you haven’t used it?”
Harper shook his head. “No, sir. It’s rung several times since. Didn’t answer. Didn’t want my mother to know I’d got it. She’d tell me off big time. Mum won’t let me have one.”
“Have you picked up the bike, Powell?”
“Yes, sir. Forensics is looking at it now.”
“You must have seen the blood on the knife. You’re not blind are you, boy?”
“I didn’t know what to do. Not at first. I-I thought p’raps a poacher used it to kill a rabbit.” He tried a half hearted grin. “Did think I’d bring in the mobile though.”
“Good try, lad. You know, don’t you, that you should have handed the knife over straight away? And the phone. No messing.”
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“They’re both vital clues in a homicide. And if you had any sense at all in that empty noddle of yours you should have known it.” Fowler looked severe than relented. “Okay, Michael Harper you’ll get a caution this time. But let this be the last time that you come up in front of me or PC Powell there.”
“Yes, sir.”
He was duly dismissed and warned not to talk about this to his mates. Which was pretty stupid, Fowler thought afterwards. It must have flashed round like semaphore through the school and the village already by now. But it was a relief that the weapon was found at last and established. Now that left the other murder weapon that was used.
Fowler turned back to Macey. “Mr. Macey, we have finished with you for the moment. You can go.”
He stood up. “When can I have the dirk back? It’s a family heirloom. It belongs in the family.”
Fowler sighed. “You must be joking. You’re lucky not to be charged with carrying an illegal weapon, Mr. Macey. And it will be needed to be produced as evidence in court. We may have to call you in again shortly. Do not leave the area.”
Macey stalked out.
Next to be brought in was Mr Brown.
Brown sat down with folded arms with a look of annoyance to face the police officers. A typical ‘drill pig’ Fowler’s Army experience told him.
“I don’t know why I was called in, Chief Inspector. I have an alibi for Sunday night. My wife will give me that. No problem.”
“So you say, sir. But I would first of all like to ask you how well you knew Sandra Peterson.”
He shrugged. “Not that well. We talked a bit occasionally in the general way of things. She used the post office frequently. She picked up her mail from there and we met sometimes in the Fox and Goose. I had no interest in the girl other than as a customer. I’m a married man, Fowler. I’ve got no time to mess around with a slapper like her.”
Fowler frowned. “You wouldn’t call Sandra a slapper, would you, Mr. Brown? An attractive girl, a flirt perhaps but I don’t think she merits that description, does she?”
“Perhaps not.”
The door opened and Captain Bell strolled in confidently. “Good morning, Chief Inspector Fowler. Captain Roland Bell. I understand you wish to ask me a few questions.”
“Good morning, sir.”
Bell’s eyes met Brown’s who grinned back broadly. Bell frowned and fidgeted with his rust colored paisley silk cravat tucked neatly into his thin neck.
“Right, Mr. Brown. No more questions for the time being. We may have to speak to you again later. Thank you.”
Captain Bell sat down carefully on the wooden chair, and hitched up his elegant fawn pants over his knees, and his eyes as Macey’s had been previously, were drawn quickly to the large board and pictures of Sandra on the wall behind Fowler’s head.
Then his roving attention swung back to Fowler who greeted it with a short smile. “This won’t take long, will it Chief Inspector? I’m afraid that I’m extremely busy at the moment.”
“As we are too,” Fowler’s eyes met Peale’s. “Thank you for attending so promptly, Captain Bell. It makes our job so much easier.”
“That’s what I thought. Felt I had to do my duty, Chief Inspector. Not
Harper shook his head. “No, sir. It’s rung several times since. Didn’t answer. Didn’t want my mother to know I’d got it. She’d tell me off big time. Mum won’t let me have one.”
“Have you picked up the bike, Powell?”
“Yes, sir. Forensics is looking at it now.”
“You must have seen the blood on the knife. You’re not blind are you, boy?”
“I didn’t know what to do. Not at first. I-I thought p’raps a poacher used it to kill a rabbit.” He tried a half hearted grin. “Did think I’d bring in the mobile though.”
“Good try, lad. You know, don’t you, that you should have handed the knife over straight away? And the phone. No messing.”
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“They’re both vital clues in a homicide. And if you had any sense at all in that empty noddle of yours you should have known it.” Fowler looked severe than relented. “Okay, Michael Harper you’ll get a caution this time. But let this be the last time that you come up in front of me or PC Powell there.”
“Yes, sir.”
He was duly dismissed and warned not to talk about this to his mates. Which was pretty stupid, Fowler thought afterwards. It must have flashed round like semaphore through the school and the village already by now. But it was a relief that the weapon was found at last and established. Now that left the other murder weapon that was used.
Fowler turned back to Macey. “Mr. Macey, we have finished with you for the moment. You can go.”
He stood up. “When can I have the dirk back? It’s a family heirloom. It belongs in the family.”
Fowler sighed. “You must be joking. You’re lucky not to be charged with carrying an illegal weapon, Mr. Macey. And it will be needed to be produced as evidence in court. We may have to call you in again shortly. Do not leave the area.”
Macey stalked out.
Next to be brought in was Mr Brown.
Brown sat down with folded arms with a look of annoyance to face the police officers. A typical ‘drill pig’ Fowler’s Army experience told him.
“I don’t know why I was called in, Chief Inspector. I have an alibi for Sunday night. My wife will give me that. No problem.”
“So you say, sir. But I would first of all like to ask you how well you knew Sandra Peterson.”
He shrugged. “Not that well. We talked a bit occasionally in the general way of things. She used the post office frequently. She picked up her mail from there and we met sometimes in the Fox and Goose. I had no interest in the girl other than as a customer. I’m a married man, Fowler. I’ve got no time to mess around with a slapper like her.”
Fowler frowned. “You wouldn’t call Sandra a slapper, would you, Mr. Brown? An attractive girl, a flirt perhaps but I don’t think she merits that description, does she?”
“Perhaps not.”
The door opened and Captain Bell strolled in confidently. “Good morning, Chief Inspector Fowler. Captain Roland Bell. I understand you wish to ask me a few questions.”
“Good morning, sir.”
Bell’s eyes met Brown’s who grinned back broadly. Bell frowned and fidgeted with his rust colored paisley silk cravat tucked neatly into his thin neck.
“Right, Mr. Brown. No more questions for the time being. We may have to speak to you again later. Thank you.”
Captain Bell sat down carefully on the wooden chair, and hitched up his elegant fawn pants over his knees, and his eyes as Macey’s had been previously, were drawn quickly to the large board and pictures of Sandra on the wall behind Fowler’s head.
Then his roving attention swung back to Fowler who greeted it with a short smile. “This won’t take long, will it Chief Inspector? I’m afraid that I’m extremely busy at the moment.”
“As we are too,” Fowler’s eyes met Peale’s. “Thank you for attending so promptly, Captain Bell. It makes our job so much easier.”
“That’s what I thought. Felt I had to do my duty, Chief Inspector. Not
Similar Books
