“Okay so far, Uncle. I had a quick look around after dark, and getting in was not difficult. There is a very suitable wooden shed at the back, and I would be on the spot. Could be ideal, and I could keep an eye on comings and goings in the shop. In the evenings, of course, there’s no one about, unless the girl is working in the stockroom, so I could attend to things then.”
“And did the snake thing do the trick? Will it frighten other possible tenants?”
The younger man laughed. “Good God, yes! Did you see the news item on the telly? The shopkeeper girl was frightened out of her wits. If she has any, that is. No problems, Uncle. Couldn’t be better. I shall proceed with my plan as outlined.”
A waiter approached, and said, “Your table is ready, Mr Pettison. Come this way, please,” and the two went happily in to lunch.
Four
The New Brooms team had completed their weekly discussions on clients and equipment, and exchanged tidbits of news they thought would interest Lois. They drifted away, chatting, all except for Dot Nimmo, who had been asked to stay behind for a short while.
Being Dot, she immediately sniffed trouble. What had she done wrong? Nothing, as far as she could remember. She was very attached to Lois, who had rescued her from a period of severe depression after both her son and her husband had died. She was a loyal and efficient worker, and would do anything for Lois.
She remained sitting on her chair until Lois returned from seeing off the others, and said at once, “What’ve I done, then, Mrs M?”
Lois laughed. “Nothing wrong, of course, Dot. The thing is, we need your help.”
“What kind of help?” said Dot, breathing a sigh of relief. “You name it, an’ I’ll do it.”
“It’s information and connections we need. The sort you may well have, living as you do amongst the underworld of Tresham.”
“Here, wait a minute, Mrs M! It ain’t that bad. Since my Handy died, I’ve kept away from that lot. Mind you, I have to admit that I know who to ask if a favour’s needed.”
“Exactly,” said Lois. “I’ll tell you briefly what happened on Saturday morning in the shop.” She began with the snake, and watched the colour drain from Dot’s face.
“Oh my God!”
“Dot?”
Dot took a deep breath. “I saw the local paper, o’course, and hoped it’d all been sorted out. Stolen, wasn’t it? As a matter of fact, Mrs M, I got this phobia. I can’t stand them things. Can’t even say the name. I don’t mind toads and frogs, so long as they keep their distance. But them other things, no! I’ll be only too pleased to help out on anything else. I don’t know why people have to catch them and put them in zoos. Talk about immigrants! I reckon them slithery things ought to be banned from entering our country. And them that are here already should be sent home. Or, better still, put quietly out of their misery.”
“Ah, yes, well,” said Lois. “The less said about that the better. Now, Matthew and Derek and Josie will be here in a minute, and we’re going to have a discussion and make a plan to investigate the whole thing. It needs nipping in the bud before it gets any worse. So, if you wouldn’t mind having a sandwich with us, I’d be very grateful.”
*
Gran appeared in due course with several plates of sandwiches, and sat down as far as possible away from Dot Nimmo. “I must say, Lois,” she said, “it’s very nice for me to be included for once, instead of being sent away to sit among the cinders. I promise to keep quiet unless I get something useful to say.”
That’ll be a first, then, thought Derek. But he smiled and said he hoped this wasn’t going to take long. He had a job to finish in Waltonby.
“Right,” said Lois. “Now, Josie, is Floss safely in the shop until you get back? And no more creepy crawlies? I think we all know about the reptiles and what happened, so we can go straight to the kind of person we want in the flat and how we find them. I’ve made a list, and you can all add to it. We could have a notice put up in the shop, saying the flat was to let, and giving our contact numbers to ring for an interview.”
“Fine, me duck,” said Derek. “And maybe we should all have a look at details of people who apply.”
Lois nodded. “So first we put ads in the local papers as well as the shop. Tresham Advertiser and the Echo, I think.”
“Most people want a written application these days, Mrs M,” said Dot. “You can tell a lot before they come for the interview. Especially if they’ve done it in their own writing.”
“Good point,” said Matthew. “I’m with Dot there. And at least two references. Of course, people can falsify references, but you can always check.”