Alice was just closing the riding stables’ five-barred gate behind her before setting off back down to her holiday home in the valley when Ruby suddenly emerged up the bridleway.
“Miss Alice,” she called, “I’ve got a contract to make sure your holiday home is kept clean once a week. Will you be there later?”
Clad in overalls and a headscarf, Ruby looked as much the part of the cleaning lady as she had occupied the roll of barmaid the previous night in the local inn.
A minute earlier and Ruby might have caught Alice searching the stables.
It’s a good thing I didn’t stay in there too long, thought Alice, It had been a close shave.
“Keeping busy!” Alice said aloud.
Ruby stopped in front of Alice, catching her breath. She looked tired but her eyes had a quick questioning gleam.
“I was thinking of going down river to see where it leads for the afternoon,” continued Alice.
“That’s no problem,” said Ruby, “I’ve got a key.”
Her eyes met Alice’s for a moment challenging her to object.
Alice merely smiled serenely. “In that case, feel free.”
And continued her walk down the hill.
At the bottom of the bridleway, back at the holiday home, the garden gate had been left open. As Alice turned to shut it behind her, she saw Hugo the police officer standing by the lane.
“Good morning Hugo,” she said, politely.
Hugo nodded a welcome and joined her.
“I’ve just chased the children out of your garden,” he said. “They treat the place as if it was their own.”
“It might sound ghoulish,” said Alice, changing the subject, “but I was wondering whereabouts in the garden the poor murdered woman was found.”
Hugo pushed open the gate and led Alice to a small lawn at the end of the garden. It was private. Surrounding bushes shielded it from the view of passers by. He pointed to the centre of the lawn.
“The dead body was there, lying faced down.”
Alice looked sadly at the grass where her friend had lain.
“It’s a pretty place for such a sad memory,” said Alice.
“And you are too pretty to be worrying your head with such matters,” said Hugo. “After all, you are on holiday and such thoughts should be far from your mind.”
Alice wandered up to the front door, inserted the key in the lock and went through into the kitchen. Hugo, obviously not feeling he needed to be invited, placed his bulky frame on a chair at the kitchen table while Alice put the kettle on.
“Are you a local man, Hugo?”
“You might say so. I married a local girl and when the opportunity came up to become the local police officer, it seemed a perfect opportunity. You met my wife, Melanie. She’s the local estate agent. She had the business when I met her and it was easier for me to move my job than for her to move her business. It took a bit of getting used to. The people down here in this valley have their own way of doing things. They like to live and let live. Perhaps that’s the best way when people are so close.”
Alice wondered whom he was trying to convince. She wouldn’t have expected Hugo to be the husband of the estate agent. He had a ruddy heavyset face and short dark crew cut hair. He didn’t look intelligent enough to be a career officer. The estate agent, in sharp contrast, had a sharper more calculating air.
Alice wondered who had made the first move when Hugo and Melanie had done their dating and why Melanie had said yes to his advances. She’d give him a quick cup of tea and then send him on his way. There was an important visit to make that afternoon.
The young man called Danny who had approached her in the bar might have more to say if she spoke to him in the right way – in his own home.
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