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

Walter heard Gibbons say, ‘You should have seen it! Never seen anything like it! A short-armed left jab and Brinton went down as if he’d been shot,’ and Gibbons did a passable impression of the punch, several times in case anyone didn’t quite get the picture. ‘I’d never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. Didn’t think the old goat had it in him, unbelievable. SMACK! Broken jaw! Just like that!’ and Gibbons saw Hector staring over his shoulder toward Mrs West’s office, and he turned round and saw the Guv and said, ‘Oh, hi Guv, I was just telling them about your short-arm jab.’

Gibbons was well known as the office expert when it came to all things Queensbury rules, so maybe somewhere deep down Walter was pleased to hear the guy’s approval.

Walter said, ‘So I heard, Gibbons, but the “old goat”, as you so quaintly put it, isn’t a pensioner yet.’

Gibbons looked suitably rebuked and said, ‘Sorry, Guv.’

‘Listen up, and pay attention. You can have a couple of hours off, get some food, get some rest, check your equipment, torches working, and be back here on the nail for 21.30. Understand?’

They all nodded and muttered, ‘Sure thing, Guv.’

Walter glanced at Karen. ‘Can you take Jessica and myself home, then come back and pick me up at 21.10?’

‘Sure, Guv.’

‘And you’re going to look after Jun?’

Karen smiled at Jun and nodded, and Walter said, ‘Come on team... time’s ticking.’

19.40. KAREN PULLED the car to a halt outside Walter’s house. He said, ‘See you back here at ten past nine.’

‘We’ll be here,’ said Karen, and Walter and Jessica stood out of the car, and the Volvo pulled smartly away.

The drizzle had stopped but it was still a gloomy evening, and the light was fading fast. The pavements had that smell of recent rain. Sid the spider saw them coming and pelted for shelter. Lizzy Morgan at number 58 had seen them arrive too, she’d been watching one of those cookery romance programmes on TV, but that held no interest any longer, as she jumped to the front window and stared out across the road, and it was true, it really was the supermodel Jessica Stone, in their street, going into Mr Darriteau’s house, and that was too good an opportunity to miss.

She watched them hustle up the garden path and saw Walter open the front door, and they disappeared inside. Lizzy ran up the stairs, shouting, ‘It’s her! Jessica Stone,’ as she went hunting for the supermodel hardback books she’d received the previous Christmas.

Across the road, Walter beckoned Jessica into the front room. He’d slipped an old rug over the cut out carpet, but it sure as hell looked odd.

‘Are you sure you’ll be all right by yourself?’

‘Course,’ she said, ‘much prefer my own company to what I’ve been enjoying recently.’

She had a point there.

‘Help yourself to anything you want to eat, make some toast, there’s plenty of cheese and ham, make yourself at home. I’m going to have some.’

‘I’ll be fine, Walter. Actually, there is something I could do with.’

‘Yeah? What?’

‘I really could do with a bath.’

Walter grinned.

‘Of course you do. I’ll put the immersion on, only take thirty minutes and the water will be hot.’

The front door bell rang.

Jessica looked nervous.

‘Who the hell...’ said Walter, and he went to the front door.

Jessica heard him talking to some young woman on the step.

‘Do you think you could ask her to autograph these? I’m such a big fan.’

She was a cool kid, thought Walter, and he took the books from her excited hands, for he’d had an idea.

‘Would you like to meet her?’

‘Oh yes, Mr Darriteau, that would be fab!’

‘Come on in, you can ask her yourself,’ and in the next second he was introducing them, and Walter suggested that it might be an idea if Jessica called across at the Morgans later, be better for her to be with people, rather than being alone, for he wouldn’t be back till the wee small hours, and she’d be sure to get a warm welcome, and Lizzy nodded enthusiastically as if she couldn’t believe her luck, and the polite Jessica said, ‘Well, if you’re sure,’ and Lizzy nodded like crazy, and that was all fixed.

‘Jessica’s going to have a shower and something to eat and then she’ll be over to see you in an hour or so, okay?’

Lizzy nodded again and retreated to the door, before they changed their minds.

After the kid had gone Jess said, ‘I’d have been fine by myself.’

‘Yes, maybe, but you’ll be better off with them. They are great people, and you have a big fan there, and anyway, their house is much nicer than mine.’

‘I like your house, Walter, just as it is.’

‘Yes, but you’ll like theirs much better, no arguing, and here’s a key, you can let yourself back in anytime you want,’ and he slipped a spare key into her hand. ‘I’m going to fire up the water.’

19.55. KAREN PULLED the Volvo to a halt outside her garage, halfway down the modern block, set at the rear of her flats. It was a garage she rarely used. Turned off the engine and stepped out. Jun followed. They were both hungry, and looking forward to the curry that Greg had been ordered to prepare.

He was a huge guy, thought Jun, as he stood before the modern gas cooker, professional striped pinny on, as he poked away at some bubbling scented meal, smiling crazily at the pair of them, as they stood in the kitchen doorway, watching what was going on.

‘Dinner should be ready in ten,’ he said.

‘It had better be,’ said Karen, grinning and smiling at Jun, and Karen took Jun to her bedroom to find her a suitable jacket for the night, his words chasing them away, ‘Don’t be so cheeky!’

‘He’s hot!’ whispered Jun.

‘You think?’

Jun bobbed her head. ‘Hellava hunk!’

‘Yeah, maybe, but don’t tell him that, he’s got a big enough ego as it is, and sometimes