with the housekeeper to find some way of tracking down the elusive Mr. Howard. We need to eliminate him from our enquiries or to follow up anything that could link either him or the mill to the murder scene. It may also be productive to make a more detailed inspection of Lara's room at her home. Pay Mrs. Crawford a visit and ask permission to check it out. In the meantime, I'll make a fresh start on exposing the real Lara Crawford.”
“Her friend, Fiona or her mother?” asked Roker.
Massey shook his head. “Her mother appears to have a rather biased view of her daughter. You could almost say that she perceived her as a stereotype. Her friend, Fiona Wilson, appeared to have limited knowledge of Lara, despite confessing to being her best friend and her employer, Donald Kimberley, was too besotted by her to give an objective opinion. No, I'm going to have a chat with her aunt Caroline.
It's against my normal routine to go off at a tangent, but what did Einstein once say? ‘Logic will get you from A to B, but imagination will take you everywhere.’ I formed the impression that Lara was closer to her aunt than to her own mother. I think that assumption is worth exploiting. In the meantime, let's hope that forensics come up with some useful info.”
“I take it that our discussion is now over,” said Turner. “If that's the case, let's have another round.”
Massey looked at his watch. “Count me out. The chance of an early finish can score me some ‘brownie points’ with your sister. Call me tomorrow with an update following your visit to the mill.”
The inspector left, watched closely by Sean, still agonising over his own situation. What did the detective know…if anything?
*****
“Inspector, what brings you back here?” asked Caroline Finch as Massey approached the bar. “Have you some news?”
Massey shook his head and smiled courteously. “Is there somewhere less public where I can have a word?”
There were only two people drinking in the main bar, but the inspector was mindful of some privacy. The licensee nodded towards a side room, which appeared devoid of customers.
“We'll be fine over there. It's fairly quiet today after the bank holiday weekend, but I'll be able to keep an eye on the bar, just in case.”
They sat at a small dark oak table in a snug room, beyond which lay the restaurant.
“In answer to your question,” began Massey, “we're waiting for further forensic evidence and sifting through various statements. Has your sister spoken to you since she left?”
“Yes, several times. I'm now fully aware of Lara's pregnancy and the intended abortion. I already knew that she was pregnant…she had confided that in me, but not the decision to terminate. However, I can understand her reasons. She was determined to carve out a modelling career, despite her mother's apprehension. I was fully behind my niece. She had all the attributes. Her meaningless death was such a waste. I take it that it was her boyfriend's baby?”
“We're supporting that view since we have no evidence to suggest that there were other men in her life, according to statements which we have taken. However, if you know differently…”
“Lara knew that she had the pick, as it were. She was so beautiful. I believe that Andy was merely a token boyfriend to keep others at bay, but I find it difficult to understand that she would allow herself to become pregnant by him. I take it that he isn't a suspect, since Diana told me that he was on holiday in Spain at the time.”
“I think that we can eliminate him from our enquiries.”
“So, why the visit?”
Massey leaned back against the padded upholstery of the fixed seating. Set in a freestanding chimneybreast, the flames of an ornamental gas fire flickered upwards from a wrought iron basket. The room exuded an ambience of warmth and comfort. The inspector found the atmosphere extremely relaxing.
“An investigation is like a jigsaw puzzle,” he said. “Each
“Her friend, Fiona or her mother?” asked Roker.
Massey shook his head. “Her mother appears to have a rather biased view of her daughter. You could almost say that she perceived her as a stereotype. Her friend, Fiona Wilson, appeared to have limited knowledge of Lara, despite confessing to being her best friend and her employer, Donald Kimberley, was too besotted by her to give an objective opinion. No, I'm going to have a chat with her aunt Caroline.
It's against my normal routine to go off at a tangent, but what did Einstein once say? ‘Logic will get you from A to B, but imagination will take you everywhere.’ I formed the impression that Lara was closer to her aunt than to her own mother. I think that assumption is worth exploiting. In the meantime, let's hope that forensics come up with some useful info.”
“I take it that our discussion is now over,” said Turner. “If that's the case, let's have another round.”
Massey looked at his watch. “Count me out. The chance of an early finish can score me some ‘brownie points’ with your sister. Call me tomorrow with an update following your visit to the mill.”
The inspector left, watched closely by Sean, still agonising over his own situation. What did the detective know…if anything?
*****
“Inspector, what brings you back here?” asked Caroline Finch as Massey approached the bar. “Have you some news?”
Massey shook his head and smiled courteously. “Is there somewhere less public where I can have a word?”
There were only two people drinking in the main bar, but the inspector was mindful of some privacy. The licensee nodded towards a side room, which appeared devoid of customers.
“We'll be fine over there. It's fairly quiet today after the bank holiday weekend, but I'll be able to keep an eye on the bar, just in case.”
They sat at a small dark oak table in a snug room, beyond which lay the restaurant.
“In answer to your question,” began Massey, “we're waiting for further forensic evidence and sifting through various statements. Has your sister spoken to you since she left?”
“Yes, several times. I'm now fully aware of Lara's pregnancy and the intended abortion. I already knew that she was pregnant…she had confided that in me, but not the decision to terminate. However, I can understand her reasons. She was determined to carve out a modelling career, despite her mother's apprehension. I was fully behind my niece. She had all the attributes. Her meaningless death was such a waste. I take it that it was her boyfriend's baby?”
“We're supporting that view since we have no evidence to suggest that there were other men in her life, according to statements which we have taken. However, if you know differently…”
“Lara knew that she had the pick, as it were. She was so beautiful. I believe that Andy was merely a token boyfriend to keep others at bay, but I find it difficult to understand that she would allow herself to become pregnant by him. I take it that he isn't a suspect, since Diana told me that he was on holiday in Spain at the time.”
“I think that we can eliminate him from our enquiries.”
“So, why the visit?”
Massey leaned back against the padded upholstery of the fixed seating. Set in a freestanding chimneybreast, the flames of an ornamental gas fire flickered upwards from a wrought iron basket. The room exuded an ambience of warmth and comfort. The inspector found the atmosphere extremely relaxing.
“An investigation is like a jigsaw puzzle,” he said. “Each
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