use up and I thought Luty might enjoy a treat from her homeland.”
“Thank you, that’s right thoughtful of ya.” Luty reached for a cookie.
“But I’m not sure about feedin’ them to my sources,” the cook continued. “Some people don’t like to try newthings. I need them to be comfortable and willin’ to talk.” She took her seat at the table. “I’ve had no luck today, but I can see that the rest of you seem to be in good spirits.”
Mrs. Jeffries helped herself to a cookie. “If no one objects, I’ll go first. I had quite an interesting meeting with Fiona. She gave me the names of several people who either disliked Dearman intensely or who’d had substantial problems because of him.” She took a quick bite and paused briefly to see if anyone objected. When no one did, she went on. “Umh … this is wonderful.” She licked her lips. “Rather sweet, but it has a lovely flavor. Apparently, Dearman disliked his wife’s friend, Antonia Meadows, resented the other deputy director, Henry Anson, and had sacked at least two people in the past six months. Fiona didn’t know the exact date the accounting clerk, James Tremlett, was let go, but it was within the last two weeks.”
“What about the other sacking?” Hatchet asked.
“Fiona said it was months ago and the man had immediately gotten another, better paid position, so I doubt he’d have a motive.”
“Dearman’s own wife didn’t much like him, either,” Luty pointed out. “We can’t forget that.”
“We won’t,” Mrs. Jeffries agreed. “But I didn’t have time to speak to Fiona about her. Unfortunately, before I could finish my conversation, the housekeeper announced that Inspector Nivens had arrived. Fiona made him wait quite a while, but I was too anxious about being recognized to concentrate on everything I wanted to ask her.”
“He didn’t see you, did he?” Ruth asked.
“No, I managed to get out of the house undiscovered, but it was a rather nerve wracking, and again, I must emphasize that we need to be careful,” she said.
“Did she decide to tell you why she threatened the victim?” Hatchet asked.
“I’m afraid not. She simply insists that it had nothing to do with the murder and that she didn’t kill him,” Mrs. Jeffries replied. “She told me that the other deputy director, Henry Anson, loathed Dearman and apparently the feeling was mutual. When Anson was hired, Fiona said that John told her he was grooming the man to take over the company when he retired. Supposedly, he was also going to be easing Dearman out as well; he’d not been happy with the way Dearman was running the office. But in the last few months, John had changed his mind and instead of putting Anson completely in charge, he’d only put him in control of the manufacturing operations. Anson and his fiancée, Amy Throckmorton, were at the dinner party on the Saturday before the murder. According to Fiona, they were barely polite to either of the Dearmans.”
“That must have made for a jolly old time,” Mrs. Goodge said. “Where does Henry Anson live?”
“On Hart Street, off Bloomsbury Square. Fiona didn’t know where his fiancée lives, but as she’s only met Ronald Dearman a time or two, she’s hardly likely to have murdered him.”
“Maybe she thought that Anson was gettin’ the short end of the stick,” Luty mused. “Some women are real protective of their menfolk. Could be that Anson complained about him to her and she decided to take matters into her own hands.”
“That’s certainly possible,” Mrs. Jeffries said.
“But not real likely,” Luty admitted. “Still, let’s not let her off the hook so easily. The least we can do is find out where she was when Dearman was murdered.”
“I’ll see if Constable Barnes can find that out.” Mrs. Jeffries eyed the plate of cookies. They were disappearing fast.
“Did your sister-in-law mention if her husband knew she’d threatened the victim?” Ruth asked.
“I
“Thank you, that’s right thoughtful of ya.” Luty reached for a cookie.
“But I’m not sure about feedin’ them to my sources,” the cook continued. “Some people don’t like to try newthings. I need them to be comfortable and willin’ to talk.” She took her seat at the table. “I’ve had no luck today, but I can see that the rest of you seem to be in good spirits.”
Mrs. Jeffries helped herself to a cookie. “If no one objects, I’ll go first. I had quite an interesting meeting with Fiona. She gave me the names of several people who either disliked Dearman intensely or who’d had substantial problems because of him.” She took a quick bite and paused briefly to see if anyone objected. When no one did, she went on. “Umh … this is wonderful.” She licked her lips. “Rather sweet, but it has a lovely flavor. Apparently, Dearman disliked his wife’s friend, Antonia Meadows, resented the other deputy director, Henry Anson, and had sacked at least two people in the past six months. Fiona didn’t know the exact date the accounting clerk, James Tremlett, was let go, but it was within the last two weeks.”
“What about the other sacking?” Hatchet asked.
“Fiona said it was months ago and the man had immediately gotten another, better paid position, so I doubt he’d have a motive.”
“Dearman’s own wife didn’t much like him, either,” Luty pointed out. “We can’t forget that.”
“We won’t,” Mrs. Jeffries agreed. “But I didn’t have time to speak to Fiona about her. Unfortunately, before I could finish my conversation, the housekeeper announced that Inspector Nivens had arrived. Fiona made him wait quite a while, but I was too anxious about being recognized to concentrate on everything I wanted to ask her.”
“He didn’t see you, did he?” Ruth asked.
“No, I managed to get out of the house undiscovered, but it was a rather nerve wracking, and again, I must emphasize that we need to be careful,” she said.
“Did she decide to tell you why she threatened the victim?” Hatchet asked.
“I’m afraid not. She simply insists that it had nothing to do with the murder and that she didn’t kill him,” Mrs. Jeffries replied. “She told me that the other deputy director, Henry Anson, loathed Dearman and apparently the feeling was mutual. When Anson was hired, Fiona said that John told her he was grooming the man to take over the company when he retired. Supposedly, he was also going to be easing Dearman out as well; he’d not been happy with the way Dearman was running the office. But in the last few months, John had changed his mind and instead of putting Anson completely in charge, he’d only put him in control of the manufacturing operations. Anson and his fiancée, Amy Throckmorton, were at the dinner party on the Saturday before the murder. According to Fiona, they were barely polite to either of the Dearmans.”
“That must have made for a jolly old time,” Mrs. Goodge said. “Where does Henry Anson live?”
“On Hart Street, off Bloomsbury Square. Fiona didn’t know where his fiancée lives, but as she’s only met Ronald Dearman a time or two, she’s hardly likely to have murdered him.”
“Maybe she thought that Anson was gettin’ the short end of the stick,” Luty mused. “Some women are real protective of their menfolk. Could be that Anson complained about him to her and she decided to take matters into her own hands.”
“That’s certainly possible,” Mrs. Jeffries said.
“But not real likely,” Luty admitted. “Still, let’s not let her off the hook so easily. The least we can do is find out where she was when Dearman was murdered.”
“I’ll see if Constable Barnes can find that out.” Mrs. Jeffries eyed the plate of cookies. They were disappearing fast.
“Did your sister-in-law mention if her husband knew she’d threatened the victim?” Ruth asked.
“I
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