11. An Alibi

The DC has to check up on Taknie's alibi

“This is way above my pay grade,” muttered DC Amelia Pincher to herself as she made her way to the supermarket where Tania Beaufort worked. After all, she told herself, she was only DC and yet was being ordered to investigate the possibility of a woman who she believed to be completely unrelated to the sudden appearance of dead bodies despite the fact the one of them was found in her recycling bin. Yet her understanding was that her DI was convinced that the woman had more than a passing interest in the accumulation of corpses.

She was in luck. Just as she approached the enquiries desk she saw Tania looking as if she was about to take her lunch break, either that or she could be going on some errand outside the shop.

“Excuse me, Tania,” she said, approaching her purposefully, “a word if I may?”

“I’ve not got long,” replied a surprised Tania Beaufort, “why don’t you come with me to the cafe? The one down the road from here? Where I usually get a bite around now?”

“It isn’t much,” Amelia told her, “it’s just that my Inspector wants to get a picture of where everyone was around the time three murders were detected? We know you and the bin lorry was one of them, but what about after then?”

“You’re asking me for an alibi?” asked a surprised Tania, “well, when the bin lorry had gone and your lot had spoken to me I hurried to the shop and only just arrived on time even though I ran. They don’t like it when we’re late because it costs them money and you know what businesses are like these days: after every penny they can get their hands on.”

“And can you prove you arrived on time? And that tou didn’t go anywhere near the Brumpton Academy?

“Why would I want to go there?” demanded Tania, annoyed that her short lunch break was being spoiled by unnecessary and intrusive questioning.

“Well, my Inspector, and don’t tell him I said this, but he’s not the brightest match in the box, and he’s got it in his mind that the three murders were committed by a jealous woman. I know it doesn’t make sense, but if I’m to keep my job then I must follow his orders.”

They entered the cafe and the woman behind the counter waved at Tanie. “Your usual, duck?” she asked.

Tania acknowledged with a brief signal and frowned at Amelia. “So that’s your game?” she asked, “following orders in the hope that some innocent person like me will trip themselves up so you can fit her up?”

Amelia shook her head quite vigorously and a hair clip flew out and landed under the table they were about to sit at. “I know what it seems like,” she said quietly, reaching down and feeling for it, “and I hate it as much as you do. Ah, here it is! But three people were murdered this morning and it’s part of my job to exclude possible suspects from wasting out time.”

“Then can I make a suggestion?” asked Tania, “the young bloke who lives in the house next door to me has been behaving in the oddest way. If I were in your line of work I might even call it suspicious. And the woman whose carcase was in my wheelie bin, my bin, mark you, was described by him as his mother, though she could have been anyone and not related to him at all. I didn’t really know her or her husband, but seem to remember her saying some time ago she had a son, though at the back of my mind I seem to remember her saying he died a year or so ago. Look, you can check up on me all you like and if you do you’ll find out that I’ve done absolutely nothing I shouldn’t; have done. So there.”

“So the young bloke who you find suspicious? Can you tell me where I might find him?”

“At the school you mentioned, Brumpton Academy. He teaches less able kids, I believe, you know, those struggling with their reading and maths, because it was in the papers before he moved in next door to me that one of them went missing and never turned up. Still hasn’t, as far as I know.”

“I see. That’s a good lead, if ever I heard of such a thing! I‘ll leave you in peace, then, though I might have to be nosey and satisfy myself that you’re telling me the truth about what time you arrived for work. I know it’s a pig and gets in the way of living a peaceful and honest life, but I’ve got an ogre of an inspector to satisfy…”

Tania sniffed. “Be nosey, then, and tell that boss of yours that he’s made a young woman weep!”

“I’ll do that, Tania! And thanks for taking it so well. But I’ll follow up on that teacher, who rumour has it has gone missing.”

“There you have it, then! Either he’s your killer or you’ll trip up on another corpse round any corner you chance to go round.”

Amelia nodded. “I hope not,” she said seriously, “three stiffs is enough for any one day, and I’ll leave you in peace But before I go, are there any vacancies in your supermarket? I’m getting fed up with this job and the way I’m supposed to follow the insane brainwaves of my boss.”

“There are always people leaving.,” smiled Tania. “But the job’s not the best paying in the world and not many stay for long.”

“But I’ll bear it in mind,” acknowledged Amelia, and she made her way out of the cafe, leaving a bemused Tania staring at her lunch and wondering what on Earth she had to do to make sure that the woman in her bin wasn’t seen to have anything to do with her.

The DC moved as quickly as she could towards the supermarket where Tania worked and found the supervisor, Jane Ridley who, fortunately, had been on duty at the start of the day.

Amelia produced her warrant card and asked whether Tania Beaufort had arrived on time that day.

“Tania?” asked Jane, “you need have no worries about our Jane! And of course she made it on time. She always does, not like some of the lazy monkeys who enjoy a naughty lie-in. But truth to tell she was only just made it on time today.”

Amelia perked up at that. “You mean, she was almost late?” she asked.

“Well, you’d know all about that,” nodded Jane, “she said she had some trouble when her bin was emptied. She said that a little old woman was found dead in it. Slowed her down, that did, and she was fair breathless when she signed in.”

© Peter Rogerson 30.05.24