Elizabeth Duncan - A Killer's Christmas in Wales

She had been surprised when Victoria had asked if she had had it appraised for insurance purposes. That seems like trying to find out how much he paid for it, Penny had said. Victoria shrugged. If it’s valuable, you need to insure it. Seeing the logic in that, Penny planned to take the brooch to the jeweler’s later that morning, after she dropped into the salon to see how Eirlys was getting on.

Although the spa would not be providing services until tomorrow, Rhian, the newly hired receptionist, was in place at the front desk, busily answering the phone, responding to e-mails, and taking bookings. The door was open and several women had come in just for a look round. It’s that irresistible fresh paint smell, Victoria had suggested. Just had to see what’s happening, and once they were inside, several young women who had peered in “just looking” had booked a manicure or a facial.

Arriving just before ten, Penny set a small stack of file folders down on the front desk, along with her handbag, and flipped through the appointments book. Although Rhian had wanted to manage the bookings electronically, Victoria, who preferred paper, had insisted that she do it two ways, on her computer but with backup in an appointments book with a smart cover splashed with pale pink peonies.

Penny smiled when she saw who was down for the first manicure of the day tomorrow. Well, it was Thursday, after all. She decided that as a special gesture, which she knew would be appreciated, the manicure would be complimentary. She turned around as the door opened.

“Hello, Mrs. Lloyd,” she said with a welcoming smile. “I was just thinking about you. I’m really happy to see that you’re going to be our very first customer tomorrow.” Mrs. Lloyd shifted from one foot to the other and, unusual for her, said nothing. Penny turned to her other visitor. “Hello, Florence. How are you?”

The two women exchanged a charged glance, and then Florence turned to Penny.

“We were wondering if you had a few minutes to talk to us. You must be very busy, getting ready for tomorrow, we know that, and we wouldn’t bother you now if it wasn’t important.”

She took a small step closer and lowered her voice.

“It’s about that nasty business at Conwy Castle. Evelyn wants a word with you.”

Penny glanced down the hall. “Right. Let me just see where Rhian has got to.” She walked down the hall and stuck her head into a room adjacent to the reception area.

“Rhian, I’ll just be in the quiet room for a few minutes if you need me.” Penny then returned to the reception area and gathered up the two visitors.

“We’ll just step in here.” She led them to the small sitting area, where she and Florence had spent a few minutes on the night of the spa launch party discussing her concern over Mrs. Lloyd’s increasing fondness for Harry Saunders.

“Here we are,” she said, gesturing toward the chairs and then seating herself, facing them. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward. When Florence began to speak, without any hesitation or glancing at Mrs. Lloyd for unspoken permission, Penny realized they had talked this conversation through, probably in detail, before they arrived. Who would say what and how much would be said.

“It’s like this,” Florence began. “That police officer you’re friendly with came to see us last night about the death of that awful man. Harry Saunders. There are things he doesn’t know yet, your police officer, but he’ll probably find them out. And when he does, we’re afraid that one or both of us might come under suspicion.”

Florence stopped and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand.

“Go on, Florence,” Mrs. Lloyd prompted.

“You see, the police might think I wanted Saunders out of the way because if he moved in with Evelyn, I’d have to leave. I sold the few bits and pieces I had in Liverpool, and, well, to be honest, if I did have to go, I’d be very hard pressed, on my pension, to find any kind of decent accommodation. You know all about that. We talked about the situation in this very room on the night of your spa party.”

Penny nodded as Florence glanced at Mrs. Lloyd. “Even though I’ve had a rather attractive offer of employment, I have it very good at Evelyn’s and I know how lucky I am. I like it there. It suits me. Well, suits both of us, I think.”

Mrs. Lloyd gave her hand a friendly, reassuring pat and Penny smiled.

“So you think the police might think having to move out of Mrs. Lloyd’s house gave you a motive for murder?”

“Well, from what you read in the papers, people get killed for less than that all the time. There was that story about the man who killed his dad because he ordered the wrong kind of toppings on a pizza.”

She shrugged. “But I’d had an offer of employment before Harry was killed, so I didn’t really have any reason to wish him dead. No, it’s Evelyn here we’re worried about.” She turned to her. “Do you want to tell or shall I?”

“You.”

Florence squared her shoulders.

“If you’ll remember, Penny, I knew that man was up to no good. He tricked Evelyn into giving him some money. An awful lot of money, I’m afraid, and it might look to the police like she killed him to get her money back. Or because she was angry with him.”

“Oh, let me tell her,” Mrs. Lloyd cut in, suddenly coming back to life.

“Well, if you’re going to tell her, then if you don’t mind, Penny, I’m just going to go along to the loo. I can’t bear to hear this all over again. It’s too painful.”

“Down the hall, past reception, on the left,” Penny said, and then turned her attention back to Mrs. Lloyd.

“You met Harry,” Mrs. Lloyd began. “You must have seen for yourself how he could charm the birds out of the trees.” She explained how Saunders had suggested they set up a joint account so he could invest her money and how she had waited all that snowy weekend to hear from him but he never arrived.

“And I know I’ve been a foolish woman, so please don’t ask me how I could have been so gullible because I don’t know. What’s done cannot be undone, as they say. And as you can imagine, I’m dreading all this getting out, so I hope you’ll keep this to yourself.”

Penny groaned.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh, Mrs. Lloyd, Mrs. Lloyd. I don’t know if I can keep this to myself. You’re right that the police are bound to find out about the money during the investigation, and when they do, and they then find out that I knew about it and didn’t tell them, well, I’m not sure what my legal status would be, but I expect it could be considered obstruction of justice or perverting the course of justice or something.”

“Nonsense!” snorted Mrs. Lloyd. “You’ve been watching too many of those American crime shows, you have.”

Penny grimaced. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what I can do to help. The police are going to investigate every aspect of this case, anyway, you must realize that. It’s murder, after all.”

“Well, what we’re afraid of is that they’ll sort it out to their satisfaction but not to ours. I know you’re just an amateur sleuth with no credentials and not much experience, but Florence and I want you to look into it so you can get to the bottom of it. Find out the truth, like.”

“That’s right,” said Florence, who had returned in time to catch the end of Mrs. Lloyd’s account. “We know we didn’t do it. We want you to find out who did.”

Penny gave a big sigh. “Well, I must admit I have been rather wondering about it. What particularly puzzles me is what he was doing at the castle in the first place. Do you have any idea?”

She sat back in her chair as they shook their heads.

“I’ll have to think about this. With the spa just opening, the timing couldn’t be worse. So much going on. I won’t have a lot of time, you do realize that? I can’t promise anything.”