18 Talking of Tapes.

Christie’s Detective Agency Two part 18 THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY

“After I check on who may have donated that old video tape I want to have another word with our librarian friend,” said Jenny to Horace hoping it wouldn’t upset Cyril if he perceived her treading on his territory, “and I’m going to hand that tape in to the D,I. first, because it’s a clue of sorts if we’ve interpreted motives correctly, and he won’t want to be left in the dark.. Come along with me. I don’t think that I’ll need any help but it’ll still be good training for you.”

She led the way down the stairs and onto the street, where a fine drizzle was soaking their corner of the world.

“Quick!” she said, “it’s almost lunch time and with this weather wetting everything he’ll be in the Nark if he’s the man he used to be. Holding forth to his bevy of adoring nymphets at a guess, hoping his wife never finds outs, though I’m pretty sure she knows his predilection for little lass worship!”

“He can’t be that bad,” replied Horace, pulling his jacket over his head and scurrying along.

“I was in the force once, don’t forget, and I was not the ugly old crone that I am now…”

“You’re not much older than me!”

“Ten years, actually. Ten years during which time two failed marriages have stolen the better part of my youth and left me as the crone you see withering before you.”

“I can’t understand how a beautiful woman like you can have one failed marriage let alone two!”

“Are you creeping round me? Well I have. Now tell me truthfully, what did you make of this video, or the bit you saw?”

“Soft porn, nothing nasty, just naked bodies doing what naked bodies sometimes do, but under the glare of a spotlight.”

“Do you do it, with or without illumination?”

He pulled short. “At the moment,” he said, “I don’t have a girl friend but when I did have I did nothing like that! I even found myself squirming if I caught a glimpse of her knickers when she was wearing something short on top of them!”

“You poor innocent young mite!” She grinned at him. “There’s nothing wrong with nakedness at all. But if it becomes traded for cash I don’t think it’s so pleasant. It becomes sort of sleazy, at least in my mind.”

They reached the shelter of a bus stop outside their destination, and paused there while Jenny tidied her now damp hair and he pulled his jacket straight.

“So you’re dead against prostitution?” he suggested.

“As a crime? Certainly not, but I’d get rid of hangers-on making their living in the way the pimp does.!I’d have pimps and the like flogged until they begged for mercy! But a girl, if it’s her choice, is all right by me, making a few pounds to supplement her more regular income, especially in times like these when every penny counts even if she has another job. But it must be her choice. No sweaty muscle-man taking a percentage. Come on, I’m tidy enough now, let’s go in.”

She’d been right when she’d suggested the Detective Inspector would be in the pub, and she was right when she’d mentioned the company he might be keeping.

“Not you again,” he groaned when she saw her.

“It’s a free country and this is a free house,” she grinned back, “and I come bearing gifts.”

“What now?”

She fumbled in her bag and produced the video tape. “Now I warn you, this is for adult eyes only and these sweet young things might go blind at the sight of one or two of the scenes on this film,” she said, “suffice it to say the cast list might fascinate you. Now, Number Two, I paid last time so it’s your turn to buy the drinkies. Mine’s half of shandy.”

Horace went to the bar while she continued talking to her old boss. “Now, Cyril, you might find a couple of characters on this tape, which was shot around thirty years ago at a guess, a tad familiar. In particular, take note of the male character and if that’s not to your taste take a peep at the upper inner thigh of the lady. Then draw conclusions of your own.”

“What are you on about?” asked the D.I.

“People have pasts. I wonder, Cyril, in your youth were you ever tempted to strip off for a cameraman making nature films? And if you were, do you hope that every copy of that film has succumbed to the forces of entropy? Or might one end up where I found this one, in a charity shop? And it cost me a couple of quid, so count it as your birthday present.”

Horace returned from the bar with two shandies and concentrated on what was being said.

“What are you waffling about, woman?” barked Cyril, feeling that he was being reduced in the eyes of his companions by the forceful woman bearing an unexpected gift. But he liked her, always had, especially when she’d been a raw recruit with innocent eyes and a sharp brain.

“Watch the film, Cyril, but I’d advise that you don’t let your good lady wife see what’s fascinating you. She might get ideas about how to improve beddie-byes time! And meanwhile, is it okay by you if my Number Two and I have a chat with Mr Leslie at the library? Nothing important, just how is he getting on without the ever loving Damsel and was he aware that she had a particularly interesting birthmark?”

“What birthmark?” he asked.

“Watch the fil-um, Cyril, and learn,” she smiled, and she could see the confusion in his eyes.

She turned to Horace. “Come on, Number Two, the book man might be at his counter now that his chief aid has gone off with the angels,” she said, smiling.

Horace hurriedly finished his drink and followed her out.

The weather had picked up slightly in that it was still dismal but the drizzle had petered out.

“I could tell that the D.I. hadn’t a clue what I was on about, but I want to get to Mr Leslie before he does,” she said. “At least now that I’ve passed that tape on to him he won’t have cause to complain that I’m operating behind his back. First of all, I’ll pop into the cafe come charity shop on the way there abd ask the big question. Come on, sunshine, there’s work to be done before the day’s over!”

She led him to the small charity shop and threaded her way past rows of second hand frocks and slightly worn tee-shirts to the counter at the far end.

“Want a few more films?” one of them asked with a knowing look at her, “the one you got hold of earlier looked too juicy for the lad to be allowed near!” Saying that, she indicated Horace with a grin and a nod of her head.

“It’s that one I’ve come about,” replied Jenny, “you wouldn’t remember who donated it by any chance, would you?”

“That I can!” the assistant replied, eagerly, “you know that sleazy bloke, the one in some T.V. adverts because he got famous eating, if you’ll excuse the reference, animals’ testicles? I hope they were animals jobbos anyway? Well, it was him. Dropped it in not an hour before you bought it. Was in any good? Could me and my ladies enjoy it?”

Jenny smiled and shook her head. “Not really,” she said, “the bloke in it keeps his boxers on I’m afraid. Or he did in the bit I watched, but I didn’t catch all of it.”

“Too strong for you, was it?” cackled another of the women.

“No,” she replied, “too weak!”

“And what did the lad make of it?”

Horace might have blushed, but he didn’t. “Educational,” was all he said.

At that Jenny led Horace back out of the shop.

“What did you make of that?” she asked.

“Well,” he said slowly, “at least we know who had the tape. And that’s a bit of a coincidence, don’t you think, because somehow he’s got something to do with the stabbing in the library?”

“It is,” she replied, “and where murder’s concerned I don’t believe in coincidence… Come on, let’s go and have a wee word with the librarian, but we’ll not mention the tape unless he does first. The last thing we need to do is cast all our clues to the wild winds before we know all of the answers…”

© Peter Rogerson 13.10.21

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