The Inspector Walter Darriteau Murder Mysteries - Books 1-4 by David Carter (best finance books of all time .txt) 📕

‘Not quite yet, Mizz Floem. What was Veronica Camberwell’s maiden name?’

‘How the hell would I know? And who is she anyway?’

‘Oh come now, Mizz Floem, this isn’t a time for lies, don’t be bashful. Veronica’s maiden name is Dennis, the same as yours, and that’s no surprise either... because you are sisters.’

Karen glanced from Gardenia to Walter and back at the Floem woman, and back at her boss. Where the hell had he obtained all this information, and why hadn’t he shared his thoughts with her, and how come she hadn’t picked up on the same things? And while she was thinking of that, Walter was talking again.

‘You fell out with your sister too, didn’t you?’

‘Did I?’

‘You know full well you did, and I will tell you why. You haven’t always had money at all, and when your father died he left everything to her, didn’t he? Didn’t leave you a bean, while Veronica did very nicely, thank you.’

‘He always preferred her!’

‘Yes, so it would seem, and that anger in your heart, and in your head, festered until you could stand it no longer, and when an opportunity came along to get even with both Gerry Swaythling and Veronica all at the same time, you couldn’t resist it. Using your ill-gotten gains you thought you’d take away the one thing that Gerry and Veronica loved more than anything, the young man Neil. Sad thing was an innocent young man got in the way and paid the ultimate price.’

‘They deserved it! They fucking deserved it!’ she screamed, and then she looked around, momentarily stunned by her own lack of self control, and then realising what she had said she bolted for the double doors. Oddly, in such a surreal atmosphere, no one thought to stop her. The cameramen and TV people were far too busy filming the scene to intervene. It would make the best live news show since anyone could remember.

‘Don’t worry,’ said Walter. ‘She won’t get far.’

And she didn’t.

Gibbons had been forced to leave the room, not that he wanted to, but the copious amounts of wine he’d taken on board in double quick time had driven him to the Men’s room, and as he came out Gardenia ran slap bang into his muscular frame, almost knocking him over.

‘Where are you going, my garden girl?’ he said. ‘I think Guv might have a few more questions for you,’ and he grabbed her wrist and tugged her back into the glare of the arc lights.

Mrs West was tapping her glass with that spoon again.

‘Well thank you everybody for coming, hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll see any of you who are going to The Bell a little later.’

‘Gibbons, take her to interview room three,’ ordered Walter, nodding at Gardenia.

‘Walter! My office!’ shrilled Mrs West.

Walter clicked his lips like a reprimanded schoolboy and bobbed his head, something that Mrs West fortunately didn’t see, as she had already turned tail and was last seen opening the door to her large room. Walter grinned at Karen, and mouthed a, ‘see you soon.’

Fifty-Five

Mrs West was standing behind her desk, arms folded across her chest. She didn’t look happy at all, as Walter sauntered in. ‘Sit down!’ she said, and she ambled over to the large window and stared out at the green sward far below that ran down to the twisting River Dee. She didn’t say anything for a moment, just sighed heavy. Walter examined her back. She looked pretty good from the rear, he hadn’t noticed that before, especially in that beige long tight skirt, or was it pink, he couldn’t tell. Maybe it was time for an eyetest.

‘Do you mind telling me what that was all about?’

‘Ma’am?’

‘Don’t act the innocent with me! You have just embarrassed me in front of my whole team, and those buggers from Manchester, and all on live local television!’

‘Sorry, ma’am, but I didn’t mean to embarrass you.’

‘You did, Walter, you did!’

‘Sorry, ma’am.’

She snorted like an irritated sow and then said, ‘What was the thinking behind that performance?’

‘As I said, ma’am, it was literally only in the last twenty-four hours that it all started falling into place.’

‘And it didn’t cross your mind to inform me of your findings?’

‘I wanted to keep it until I was certain, I wanted to keep it as a surprise...’

‘Well you did that all right!’

‘It was mainly circumstantial, ma’am, I was trying to trick her into confessing in front of everyone.’

‘And you think you did that?’

‘Pretty much, yes.’

‘Oh, Walter, you are such an oaf sometimes,’ and she came round and slumped in her vast chair.

‘I just wanted your big day to be crowned with a definite result.’

‘Well you did that all right too! No one will ever forget it!’

A knock came to the door and before Mrs West could answer, the door opened and Chief Superintendent Gitts showed his head round the door and said, ‘We are just on our way, Joan, just thought I’d say a final thank you,’ and then he glanced down at the clearly rebuked Walter and said, ‘How’s the naughty boy doing?’

‘He’ll live, if he’s lucky! Anyway, thanks again for coming.’

‘My pleasure,’ he grinned, and closed the door.

‘Gitts by name, git by nature,’ she muttered.

‘Can’t argue with that, ma’am.’

‘Now, where were we?’

‘You were saying that no one would ever forget it.’

‘Well that’s true! In future, Walter, you discuss with me first your theories and thinking before you broadcast it to the entire world. Clear?’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Are you going down to The Bell?’

‘I will be, ma’am, it would be rude not to, but first I want a good go at Mizz Floem, so to speak, to see if she has any more gems to share with us.’

‘Don’t tell me there are still more loose ends to be tied up?’

‘Minor ones, ma’am.’

‘Such as?’

‘Such as, who supplied the gun, was there a middle man involved between her and Luke Flowers, and where in all this does Mister Jermaine Keating