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

of good clean water to the third world is an absolute priority, and I’m not alone in that. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, to name but two, are pouring untold wealth into that, billions of dollars, and good on them too, but it’s a global disgrace to mankind in the twenty-first century that young children are still dying because they are drinking fucked up water!’

And in the way he said it Karen knew she’d touched a raw nerve.

‘Yeah, course, you’re right Guv, anyway, any info and insight you could offer me about it, well, I’d appreciate it.’

Walter harrumphed.

‘He’s a very impressive man, by the way.’

‘Who is? Greg?’

‘No, well yes he is too, but I meant Kit Napoleon.’

‘In what way?’

‘He is just so damned...’ and she paused as if trying to think of the right word, and then she said, ‘charismatic, no... magical, that’s what he is, magical.’

‘He’s a snake charmer!’ said Walter.

‘You seem to know a lot about it all of a sudden.’

‘Met dozens of snake charmers in my time. He’ll charm every last penny out of your bank account, mark my words... if you let him.’

‘I’m not a fool!’

‘Well don’t act like one!’

And with that Karen picked up some files from the desk and disappeared in a mini huff down the corridor to the old paper records department.

DC Darren Gibbons sauntered in carrying a large polystyrene cup of coffee and a tablet computer.

‘Glad you could make it,’ mumbled Walter.

‘Sorry, Guv, I had another message to meet Patsy. He said it was urgent.’

‘And?’

‘Load of tosh! Talking through his backside.’

‘Would you care to elaborate?’

‘I wouldn’t want to waste your valuable time, Guv.’

‘Let me decide that, eh?’

‘Well, Guv, he came out with some cock and bull story about some gangsters from the big smoke who have put up a big reward for anyone who can find one of their girlfriends who’s done a runner, and I mean BIG money! The guy wants her back pdq. Must think a lot of her.’

‘Any description? Of the girl?’

‘For what it’s worth, tall, white, educated, good looking, that’s about it.’

Good looking is relative, thought Walter.

‘Do we have a name?’

‘No, not that I know of.’

‘And they think she’s holed up somewhere round here?’

‘No, not particularly, I think it’s an all stations kind of alert.’

That was something at least.

‘Keep in touch with Patsy about this. He might be on to something. Go and see him again tomorrow morning. Lean on him hard if you have to.’

‘Sure, Guv,’ and Gibbons made to move away, but stopped and said, ‘Do you know something about this?’

‘No.’

‘It’s just... you seem unusually interested.’

‘No, DC Gibbons, just interested, that’s all, not unusually interested. Good detectives always pay attention to any intel that comes from the streets, you know that.’

‘Yeah sure, Guv. Whatever you say.’

Gibbons sat down, still thought it a bit odd, and began making phone calls.

Walter went online. Logged on to Artesia.bmg’s website.

Made interesting reading too.

Fourteen

At the end of the day, Walter asked Karen to drop him off at the supermarket.

‘Didn’t really think of you as a supermarket kind of man,’ said Karen, as they headed onto the ring road.

‘We all have to eat, Karen.’

‘Mmm,’ she said, unconvinced.

On the way he said, ‘I looked into Artesia.’

‘Did you? Thanks. And?’

‘Looks pretty genuine. Based in Austria. Now why would that be?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Perhaps a tax dodge? Doesn’t mean to say that Kit Napoleon and his frizzy plans are all above board and legit, mind.’

‘Is Kit on Artesia’s board?’

‘No.’

‘What do you make of that?’

‘It would have been better if he was.’

‘I’ve been thinking...’

‘What about?’

‘If Kit Napoleon’s business is above board and legit I have nothing to worry about, while on the other hand if he’s bent and up to no good, maybe we should know about it anyway.’

‘So what are you proposing?’

‘Well, I thought if I put some money in, it would make it a lot easier to get involved, and investigate, from the inside, kind of thing.’

‘And if it’s dodgy you lose your money, while if it’s not, you might, and I say MIGHT in capital letters, you might get your cash back.’

‘Something like that.’

‘And you’re willing to invest three grand of your own money just to find out?’

‘Well, that’s the thing, Guv, I was wondering if you could have a word with Mrs West...’

‘Oh no! There is no way on earth I am going to ask my boss to tie up public cash with this Napoleon character, and even if I did, she’d bounce me in an instant.’

‘Pity,’ Karen said. ‘In that case I might have to bite the bullet and do it myself.’

‘You know my thoughts on that, I think you’ll lose your cash, but if there is anything I can help you with, you only have to ask.’

‘Thanks, Guv,’ and as she said that she pulled the unmarked car into the supermarket car park. ‘But Artesia’s good, yeah?’

‘Looks that way.’

‘Thanks again.’

Walter nodded and said, ‘Be careful!’ and slid out of the car and grabbed a trolley, and even that appeared a wee bit odd to her, Walter limping away, pushing a clattering trolley.

Fifteen

He bought more than he intended, but didn’t everyone in these palaces of consumption? He’d planned to get the free bus service back into town and then the usual bus back home, but there was a small taxi rank outside the store and the temptation was too great, and he really did not fancy wandering around, waiting for buses with three bags of supermarket swag.

The taxi driver was a chatty middle-aged woman with blonde hair and dark roots.

‘Spent a lot, ’ave ya, mate?’

‘Too much.’

‘S’always the way.’

‘Tis that.’

‘What’s your line of business, if you don’t mind me asking?’

Tell no one nothing; that old line came back into his head.

‘I’m a zookeeper.’

‘Are ya? How exciting. Love the zoo, me. Take the grandkids as often as I can. Don’t suppose you have any free tickets?’

‘Sorry, we don’t get them anymore.’

‘Typical,’ she said, ‘miserable sods,’ and she clicked her tongue and shook her head. ‘What animals are you on?’

‘Eh?’

‘What