A Fool and His Money by Marina Pascoe Read Free Book Online

we’d just heard them having a big argument when we arrived. Did you catch any of that?’
    â€˜No, sir – only the curses.’
    â€˜Hmm – me too. So, where next?’

Chapter Four
    Bartlett and Boase worked their way around the circus site, breaking the news of Clicker’s death and trying to find out how much, if anything, everyone knew. By late afternoon they called a halt to the proceedings.
    â€˜They’re all keeping their cards close, sir.’
    â€˜Maybe they genuinely don’t know anything – no way of telling really. Now, the only people we haven’t managed to speak to are the Warner girls. What time did that groundsman say they’d be back?’
    â€˜Half past five. It’s nearly that now – shall we wait?’
    â€˜I think we should. One of them has to be the girl you saw with the old man that evening – they’re the only females left that we haven’t spoken to. Yes – we’ll hang on.’
    Bartlett and Boase sat on a wall and waited. Twenty minutes later, three young women walked through the gates of the recreation ground. Boase stood up and called out to them.
    â€˜Hello. Are you the Misses Warner?’
    The girls walked across the grass and approached Boase. Betty spoke first.
    â€˜Yes, we’re the Warners – I’m Betty, this is Joan and this is Anne. Can we help you?’
    â€˜I’m Constable Boase, this is Inspector Bartlett. Could we please speak to you about Clicker?’
    Anne, the youngest of the girls, grabbed Boase’s arm.
    â€˜Clicker? Have you seen him? Where is he? Is he all right?’
    Boase immediately recognised Anne as the person he had seen with the clown the night he was at the circus.
    â€˜Have you seen him? Please tell me where he is.’
    Bartlett looked at the young girl who had now begun to cry.
    â€˜I’m sorry, miss, we have some bad news about Clicker.’
    â€˜Oh, no, please, no.’
    Joan stepped forward.
    â€˜What’s happened, Inspector Bartlett? – my sister is very fond of him.’
    â€˜I have to tell you that Clicker has been found dead.’
    At this news, Anne let out a wail and fell to the ground. Betty and Joan picked her up.
    â€˜I will need to speak to all three of you about this – is there somewhere we can talk?’
    Joan pointed to a nearby caravan.
    â€˜That’s ours – we can talk in there.’
    The small group made the short walk to the little caravan and went inside.
    Betty made tea for everyone.
    â€˜Here you are, Inspector Bartlett, Constable Boase.’
    Bartlett sipped his tea and looked at Anne.
    â€˜It’s obvious, Anne, that you were very fond of Clicker. Can you tell us a bit more about him? We’ve been to see his daughter but she was a little unhelpful. I’m coming back to see her tomorrow.’
    â€˜Oh, her. Well, she didn’t deserve him as a father. We lost our parents in a fire – which is why we ended up here; we had nowhere else to go. She’s a hateful and greedy woman, Inspector Bartlett.’
    â€˜What makes you say that, Anne?’
    â€˜Because I know her. Clicker told me everything was fine until she pitched up – of course he was so happy to see her. But then … well, then she started to become demanding.’
    â€˜Demanding? About what?’
    Anne began to cry again.
    â€˜What can you tell us, Anne? This is very important.’
    â€˜I think this may be all my fault. Did he kill himself, Inspector?’
    â€˜No, we don’t think he did. It doesn’t look like it. Why do you think this is your fault?’
    â€˜Because it was me that told Clicker that she was a liar. It was to do with Molly’s mother.’
    Boase stood behind Bartlett with a notebook and pencil, scribbling down everything that Anne said.
    â€˜Go on.’
    â€˜Well, Clicker liked me a lot and I liked him – he was almost like a father to me. He used