Evan Blessed by Rhys Bowen Page A

the door behind them.
    â€œMiss Jones,” he said, “Your manager mentioned that you’d had problems with a Peeping Tom.”
    â€œThat’s right, I did. A few months ago. Nothing recently. He seems to have given up on me because I invested in heavy curtains.”
    â€œWould you like to tell me about it?”
    â€œNothing much to tell, really. I have a ground-floor bedsitter. It faces the front of the house. There’s quite a big front garden with a path up to the front door and laurel bushes on either side. I hadn’t closed the curtains and one night I was watching telly and I got up to throw an apple core in the wastepaper basket and there was a man standing across the street. Just standing there. Not moving. When he saw me looking out, he took off. Then a few nights later I looked
out and I saw the shrubbery moving. I thought it was a cat or a dog, but then I realized it was a person. He dodged behind a bush when I got a glimpse of him and I called the police that time.”
    â€œDid you see what he looked like?”
    She shook her head. “Not really. Average height. He was wearing a long raincoat and some kind of cap on his head so I didn’t have a chance to see his face or his hair color. The police came right away, but they were too late. They staked out the place for the next few nights but he didn’t come back. And I went out and bought these really heavy curtains that you can’t see through. So I suppose that solved that.”
    â€œAnd you have no idea who might have wanted to spy on you? No secret admirers?”
    â€œIf they were secret, I wouldn’t know about them, would I?” she asked with a grin. Then she shook her head. “Honestly, I’ve no idea.”
    â€œDo you have a boyfriend?”
    She nodded. “I’ve a very nice boyfriend.”
    â€œAny disgruntled former boyfriends?”
    â€œNo, I’ve been going out with Jeff for two years now.”
    â€œAny neighbors who have ever shown interest or acted strangely toward you?”
    She shook her head. “I don’t really know the neighbors much, but the ones I’ve met are nice enough.”
    â€œWhat about co-workers?” Evan tried to make it appear that he was just tossing off the question. “Get along well with them, do you?”
    â€œOh yes. Everyone here is very nice. I don’t hang out with them in my spare time or anything, but they’re friendly.”
    â€œThe young man out there?”
    â€œRhodri?” She giggled. “I don’t think he’s the type who’d be interested in watching a young lady undress—if you know what I mean.”
    Evan wondered if she meant that Rhodri was gay or just not interested in women.
    â€œAnyway, he’s really sweet. He bought me flowers on my birthday.”

    â€œWhat’s his last name?”
    â€œLlewelyn. But he’d never do a thing like that.”
    â€œYou’d be surprised at the things people do. Sometimes the most harmless, inoffensive person can commit the most unspeakable crimes.”
    He broke off and looked up as Mr. Shorecross came into his office. “What’s this about, Miss Jones?” he asked in a clipped voice. Then he recognized Evan. “Constable Evans. It’s you.” He smiled and crossed to his desk. “Mr. Llewelyn said you were meeting with a young man in my office. I didn’t quite know what to expect.”
    â€œConstable Evans wanted to question me about my prowler.”
    Mr. Shorecross frowned. “But I thought that all stopped months ago. Don’t tell me he’s returned?”
    â€œNo, he hasn’t. At least I have no idea if he’s outside or not. He certainly can’t see much since I put in those new curtains.”
    â€œWe still haven’t located the girl who went missing on Mount Snowdon,” Evan said. “Since she hasn’t turned up after an extensive search, we can’t