Scandal at Six(66)

“Right, let’s make a start,” said Cowgill, when they were all seated. “Could you tell us exactly how the animals came to be here, right from the start?”

Lois told them in as few words as possible how she had found them in the shed, covered with a paper carrier, or half one, up on a high shelf. She and Josie had got hold of Justin, who had been given permission to use the shed as part of his rent on the flat, and he had said they were his.

“Asked us to look after them until he got back,” she said finally. “I’d never seen anything like them before, and told Derek, and he thought they were some sort of shrew.”

“Did Mr Brookes say exactly what they were?” asked Miranda.

Lois shook her head. “Sorry, no. He was very anxious about them, and told me not to say anything to anybody about them. That’s why I called you, Cowgill! I expect he’ll never forgive me.”

“Very likely. But you may have to do without Justin Brookes for a time, anyway,” said Cowgill. “But thanks, Lois. It is a very important matter. Perhaps we could go down to the shop now?”

“And please give our thanks to Mrs Weedon for the coffee, and sympathies about the accident. I do hope she wasn’t hurt.”

They had reached the door by this time, and Gran appeared behind them. “I’m made of strong stuff, Miss Cowgill,” she said. “Takes more than dropping a few crocks to upset me.”



*



Josie saw them coming from the shop window, and put up a notice saying CLOSED FOR TEN MINUTES. Then she welcomed them in, and they all went out to the shed in the back garden.

“I’ve got the key, Mum,” she said, and began to unlock the shed door.

“We should be very quiet, so as not to alarm them,” Miranda said. “They are very sensitive little creatures.”

“Not frightened of us, were they, Josie? Not after we’d give them something to eat.”

They crept in, and Josie put on the light. Miranda immediately turned it off. “Sorry!” she whispered. “Best to approach them in the dark.”

“Over here,” said Lois, leading the way. “Up there, look. On the top shelf.”

“Where, exactly?” said Cowgill.

Lois felt around on the shelf and then turned to Josie. “Put the light on, dear,” she said, and then, blinking in the light, they all stared.

“They’ve gone,” said Lois. “Josie! They’ve gone! Where on earth—? Who could have got in here?”

“Let’s look round,” said Cowgill. “Someone might have moved them.”

They were nowhere to be found, and Miranda looked at her uncle. “You know what this means, don’t you?” she said. “They’ve been stolen, or retrieved. What a pity.”

“Yes, a pity you couldn’t see them,” said Lois, “but it does mean Mum was right. They were clearly valuable enough for someone to want to steal them. As for retrieving them, I reckon either Justin came back during the night, or he asked someone to collect them for him. Someone who has another key? There’s only one key, isn’t there, Josie?”

“Two,” said Josie. “I had another one cut for Justin, so he wouldn’t have to bother me every time he wanted to go in there. I suppose he could have got a spare cut from his, and given it to somebody.”

They returned to the shop, and Josie took down the notice. “Sorry, Inspector. I didn’t even suspect anyone would do that. Sorry your journey has been wasted, Miss Cowgill.”

“No bother,” said Miranda. “Always a pleasure to see Uncle Hunter! But I’ve just been thinking. Did you get a good look at them? Could you identify them, if I sent you a picture over the internet?”

“Brilliant idea,” said Lois. “Send it to me on an email. Then me and Josie can look at it together. Derek’s guess was, as I said, a shrew of some sort, and I reckon that’s the nearest we’ve come.”

Lois and the two Cowgills walked back up to Meade House, and waved them off, then returned to the house.

“Well, what were they?” said Gran. “They weren’t white mice, that’s for sure. Are you going to tell me now?”

“Don’t know, I’m afraid,” said Lois. “They’re gone. Lost, stolen or strayed. I felt a right fool, with Cowgill’s niece there, an’ that.”

“What d’you mean, gone? The shed was locked, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was. I watched Josie unlocking it. So someone got in with a key, or picked the lock, and made away with them. Anyway, all is not lost. Miranda Cowgill is going to send me a photograph of one of those little animals to check out. If it is that one, then Justin is going to be in trouble.”