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

‘That’s not a foreign country.’

‘Not yet,’ he smirked.

‘You’re saying you weren’t aware that Donald was wanted by the police?’

‘Yes I am. Been very busy, too busy to read newspapers and watch TV, been working my backside off, leading up to the opening of this Center. What is he wanted for, anyway?’

‘Theft, fraud, embezzlement, you name it, and in a big way.’

‘Where? When?’

‘Stole money from his employer. Over a quarter of a million pounds.’

‘Has this been proven?’

‘No, not yet, but it will be.’

‘Well, until it is, I suggest you add “allegedly” to all your accusations.’

‘Your staff impeded me when I went to arrest Donald Rushnell. Your people spirited him away in one of your company vehicles. These are serious criminal offences that someone is going to have to answer for.’

‘Do you know anything about this?’ Kit asked Jennifer.

‘No! Course not. All I know is that Donald had a train to catch in town and asked me to organise a lift to the station as soon as he had finished introducing you. Only too pleased to help, he’s an important member of our team. Why wouldn’t I help him?’

Karen glanced at her watch. Realised Donald had the time to get to the station and board a train and be away by then. There was no point in sending people to the station. Looked back at Kit. Said,  ‘Donald Rushnell is a big-time thief and fraudster and unless you assist me in my enquiries you could end up in the dock beside him!’

‘Again, “allegedly” needs to be added there. Of course we will give you every assistance. We are always happy to help the police. What can we do for you?’

‘Where has he been hiding? Here?’

‘Good God no!’ said Jennifer.

‘He’s been staying at our house in Wrenbury, we were only too happy to give our most successful man the run of the place for a few days while we were away. He came down with us in the Rolls this morning,’ said Kit. ‘Between you and I, I think his parents are a little demanding. They don’t understand the boy, work him too hard, he badly needed a break.’

‘And where is he now?’

‘Now that I can’t help you with.’

‘He didn’t say where he was going?’ persisted Karen, staring at Jennifer to make sure she understood the question was addressed to her too.

‘He did not,’ said Kit.

Jennifer shook her head.

‘How much is he supposed to have stolen?’ asked Kit.

‘£268,000. We’ve recovered 10K he sent to his parents.’

Kit pulled a face. ‘That’s a lot of money.’

‘It could bankrupt the company, put people out of work.’

Kit glanced at Jennifer. Karen did too. She kind of nodded, as if understanding the question in his head.

He exhaled and said, ‘We’ll cover it.’

‘What!’ said Karen.

‘We’ll cover any genuine losses, have to see the evidence of course, see all the papers, get all the details, we are not a charity organisation.’

‘We are,’ interjected Jennifer, ‘for the hospice, we are.’

Kit ignored his wife and said, ‘But if what you say is genuine, we will make good any losses, that’s my promise to you, and my word is good. Ask anyone. I am sure there’s a good explanation for everything. I’d like to talk to Donald about it. Think he’ll clear everything up.’

‘So would we.’

‘I’m sure you would,’ said Jennifer. ‘Is there anything else?’

‘Just to be clear, you will return any money that Donald Rushnell has stolen from his employer?’

‘I think Kit has already made that abundantly clear,’ said Jennifer.

Karen pulled a face, shook her head and said, ‘Why would you do that?’

‘Friendship, Miss Greenwood! Future Growth has always been, and always will be, a fraternal organisation.’

Karen shook her head and turned about. Truth was, their offer had taken the wind out of her sails. She needed to talk to Walter.

Before she left Kit called, ‘And Karen?’

‘Yes?’

‘I do hope this little rather peculiar interlude hasn’t soured our relationship. The appointment is still in the diary for 6pm. I really would like to talk to you. I think you will find what I have to say particularly interesting. You will come, won’t you?’

Karen found herself saying, ‘Yes, I’ll be there,’ but all three of them noticed she said it in a most unconvincing way, and then she was gone and down the stairs and past Marcus who was still playing on his tab.

‘Everything all right?’ he called, as she hustled by.

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Great!’ and then she was gone.

SHE WENT OUTSIDE AND gulped in the rushing hill-borne air. Glanced around her. The clouds were pouring in from mid Wales. Heavy black dramatic rolling beasts, as if some portent of an all-conquering Celtic invasion coming to the neighbourhood soon. Pulled out her mobile. Shook her head. Cleared her mind. Rang the Guv’nor.

Sixty-Three

The girl working on the bench next to Shu was called Jia Li. She was two years older than Shu, but more importantly, she had been a friend of Yet Kwai Dang. Yet Kwai had received a fearful beating from Brinton and after that she was taken out and had never been seen again.

The girl, Yet Kwai, knew how to handle a knife, so Jia explained to Shu, and had acquired a chunky screwdriver that she’d gone to work on until it was as sharp as a razor. One afternoon down by the dispatch bay she’d attacked Man Two with the screwdriver, but unlucky for her at that very second, Brinton had come out of the shop, found himself staring at Yet Kwai’s back, as she brandished the weapon at Man Two.

Brinton had stepped quietly and quickly forward toward her, punched her a thundering blow on the back of the neck. She had gone down, the weapon bouncing and clattering away, as Brinton and Man Two grabbed her, tugged her to her feet, and gave her a beating, and the two of them dragged her back to and through the entrance to the inner hallway. No one had seen Yet Kwai again, though rumours abounded as to what