Read Online Faithfully: Chase & Halshaw #1 by Howard Mellowes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Howard Mellowes
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Anything at all.”
Lisa frowned prettily. “She was slim. Quite tall, I guess.
And she was wearing a dark quilted anorak. That’s right. She had the hood
turned up.”
“Could you see her face?”
“No.”
“So how do you know it was a woman?”
She smiled apologetically. “I don’t know, to be honest. She
wasn’t wearing a skirt, as far as I could tell, or high heels, or anything like
that. The only thing I can think of was that she was carrying a handbag.”
“What sort?” demanded Chase, his pulse quickening.
“White. Quite large. Leather, maybe.”
“Was she carrying anything else?”
“A briefcase and a black Marks and Spencer shopping bag. One
of those reusable ones, you know. It seemed heavy. The briefcase could have
been a laptop bag.”
“What colour was it?”
“The briefcase? I can’t remember. Dark, certainly. Plain.”
“Anyone else around?”
“No.”
Chase noticed her eyes flick over his shoulder. He turned
around and saw Geoff leaning wearily in the doorway.
“Just a couple more questions, then I’ll get out of your
hair,” said Chase, suddenly feeling like a gooseberry.
“OK, officer. Go for it,” replied Geoff, moving round to
Lisa and slipping a tanned, hairy arm around her slender shoulders.
“What can you tell me about the woman downstairs?” Chase
asked.
Geoff shrugged. “Not a lot, I’m afraid. She didn’t live
here, of course. She came here two, maybe three times a week. Odd hours –
daytimes, evenings, weekdays, weekends. No real routine that I could make out.”
“By herself?”
“Far as I know, yeah.” He looked down at Lisa, who nodded
emphatically.
“Was she quiet?”
“Yeah. It was only because the front door used to stick that
we knew she was there at all.”
“How do you mean?”
“It makes a horrible scraping noise when it opens and
shuts.”
“I see. Any sign of arguments, fights, anything like that?”
“No. Sorry.”
“Ever speak to her?”
“Once or twice. Just hello and nice day, that’s all. She
seemed very private – she never wanted to stop and chat – but not rude, you
know. Just quiet.”
“What about post? Did you ever take a parcel in for her or
anything?”
“No.”
“Did you see her arrive this evening?”
“No.”
“Or anyone else?”
“No.” Geoff smiled apologetically. “Sorry, we’re not being
much help, are we?”
Before Chase could reply, the kettle on the hob began to
whistle.
“Tea, Inspector?” asked Lisa, as she gently disentangled
herself from Geoff’s simian arm.
“No, thank you,” Chase replied, wearily. “I’ll send someone
round tomorrow to take formal statements.” He handed her a card. “If you think
of anything else, anything at all, please call me. Any time.”
Lisa glanced at the card and propped it against a line of
storage jars on the worktop. “Thanks,” she said. “We will.”
Chapter 3.
Faith is necessary to victory.
Charles Hazlitt
1
“I’ve blocked this room out for you for the morning,” smiled
Dinah Rodway , ushering Chase into a glazed cubicle.
“Thank you, Ms Rodway ,” said
Chase. “Who have you managed to line up for me today?”
“Les Salter, Frank Usher, Dave Kelmarsh, Paul McKinley, and
Justin Hargreaves,” she replied, glancing at the spiral bound notebook in her
hand. “In that order. Les should be here in ten minutes or so.”
“And I’m seeing the others...?”
“Tomorrow morning. Lorna’s at a Board meeting, Bryn’s at
Microsoft in Reading, and the other two Sandersons consultants are working
off-site today.”
“That’s great. Is Amy in yet?”
“I’m not sure, Inspector. I haven’t seen her this morning.”
“OK. When she appears, can you tell her I’d like a quick
word with her, please?”
“Of course!”
Chase took a mouthful of his cappuccino and watched Dinah
flit through the open plan office. A few minutes later he saw Amy Birkdale
stride past. She was dressed in a severe, black tailored suit,
Lisa frowned prettily. “She was slim. Quite tall, I guess.
And she was wearing a dark quilted anorak. That’s right. She had the hood
turned up.”
“Could you see her face?”
“No.”
“So how do you know it was a woman?”
She smiled apologetically. “I don’t know, to be honest. She
wasn’t wearing a skirt, as far as I could tell, or high heels, or anything like
that. The only thing I can think of was that she was carrying a handbag.”
“What sort?” demanded Chase, his pulse quickening.
“White. Quite large. Leather, maybe.”
“Was she carrying anything else?”
“A briefcase and a black Marks and Spencer shopping bag. One
of those reusable ones, you know. It seemed heavy. The briefcase could have
been a laptop bag.”
“What colour was it?”
“The briefcase? I can’t remember. Dark, certainly. Plain.”
“Anyone else around?”
“No.”
Chase noticed her eyes flick over his shoulder. He turned
around and saw Geoff leaning wearily in the doorway.
“Just a couple more questions, then I’ll get out of your
hair,” said Chase, suddenly feeling like a gooseberry.
“OK, officer. Go for it,” replied Geoff, moving round to
Lisa and slipping a tanned, hairy arm around her slender shoulders.
“What can you tell me about the woman downstairs?” Chase
asked.
Geoff shrugged. “Not a lot, I’m afraid. She didn’t live
here, of course. She came here two, maybe three times a week. Odd hours –
daytimes, evenings, weekdays, weekends. No real routine that I could make out.”
“By herself?”
“Far as I know, yeah.” He looked down at Lisa, who nodded
emphatically.
“Was she quiet?”
“Yeah. It was only because the front door used to stick that
we knew she was there at all.”
“How do you mean?”
“It makes a horrible scraping noise when it opens and
shuts.”
“I see. Any sign of arguments, fights, anything like that?”
“No. Sorry.”
“Ever speak to her?”
“Once or twice. Just hello and nice day, that’s all. She
seemed very private – she never wanted to stop and chat – but not rude, you
know. Just quiet.”
“What about post? Did you ever take a parcel in for her or
anything?”
“No.”
“Did you see her arrive this evening?”
“No.”
“Or anyone else?”
“No.” Geoff smiled apologetically. “Sorry, we’re not being
much help, are we?”
Before Chase could reply, the kettle on the hob began to
whistle.
“Tea, Inspector?” asked Lisa, as she gently disentangled
herself from Geoff’s simian arm.
“No, thank you,” Chase replied, wearily. “I’ll send someone
round tomorrow to take formal statements.” He handed her a card. “If you think
of anything else, anything at all, please call me. Any time.”
Lisa glanced at the card and propped it against a line of
storage jars on the worktop. “Thanks,” she said. “We will.”
Chapter 3.
Faith is necessary to victory.
Charles Hazlitt
1
“I’ve blocked this room out for you for the morning,” smiled
Dinah Rodway , ushering Chase into a glazed cubicle.
“Thank you, Ms Rodway ,” said
Chase. “Who have you managed to line up for me today?”
“Les Salter, Frank Usher, Dave Kelmarsh, Paul McKinley, and
Justin Hargreaves,” she replied, glancing at the spiral bound notebook in her
hand. “In that order. Les should be here in ten minutes or so.”
“And I’m seeing the others...?”
“Tomorrow morning. Lorna’s at a Board meeting, Bryn’s at
Microsoft in Reading, and the other two Sandersons consultants are working
off-site today.”
“That’s great. Is Amy in yet?”
“I’m not sure, Inspector. I haven’t seen her this morning.”
“OK. When she appears, can you tell her I’d like a quick
word with her, please?”
“Of course!”
Chase took a mouthful of his cappuccino and watched Dinah
flit through the open plan office. A few minutes later he saw Amy Birkdale
stride past. She was dressed in a severe, black tailored suit,
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