Dead Money (A Detective Inspector Paul Amos Lincolnshire Mystery) by Rodney Hobson Read Free Book Online Page B

demanding the visitor’s name in block letters offered more scope, though the contents were equally poorly written.
    “It couldn’t be John,” ventured the nightwatchman. “I remember. It was a woman.”
    “Joan Thornton, then,” Amos decreed. “That second letter isn’t an E. Did you see her leave?”
    “No, no,” the sentry replied a little too eagerly. “She must have stayed the night and left after the next guy came on duty. I can’t tell you who it was. You’ll have to ask him.”
    “Well, at least we can decipher the flat she visited,” Swift offered in consolation. “That must be 5C. I know the 5 looks more like an S but it can’t be any other number and that letter is definitely C.”
    Swift stopped short.
    “I talked to the woman in 5C myself,” she continued after a moment’s pause. “I could hardly forget her. She was very tubby tummed – pregnant,” she translated quickly as she caught Amos’s enquiring eye.
    “She was so far gone I was afraid the shock of being interviewed in a murder inquiry would send her into labour. I remember she particularly said that no-one ever visited her.”
    “Midwife?” Amos asked. “The baby’s father?”
    “No-one,” said Swift flatly. “She was quite definite.”
    “These people walked in?" Amos turned back to the keeper of the gate.
    "Visitors have to use the two bays outside the barrier to park," the guard responded. "We're instructed not to let them drive in. All the bays inside are allocated, one to each flat."
    "Supposing one of the residents drives in with a passenger. Do they have to be logged in?"
    "No."
    "So non-residents can get access to the block without being recorded?" Amos persisted.
    "Don't blame me," the guard retort. "I don't make the rules. We're only told to take the names of unaccompanied visitors. Residents who bring guests in with them are expected to take responsibility for them. You can't keep a check on everybody."
    "In fact," said Amos suddenly, "you can't even account for everyone who comes in on foot, can you?"
    "It's all here in the book," the guard answered defensively, "like I told you.”
    He was studying the officer's features closely, trying to work out what Amos knew.
    The inspector paused for a few seconds.
    "You were on duty from noon to midnight?"
    “Yes."
    "But you weren't at your post all that time, were you?"
    "The caretaker just kept an eye open while I nipped to the toilet a couple of times. I was only gone half a minute. Blimey, I have to go to the toilet occasionally," the guard added belligerently.
    Amos was unflustered. "It wasn't the toilet I was thinking of," he remarked casually. "How many cigarettes did you smoke in that time?"
    The guard was clearly rattled. "Only one or two. Nick kept an eye on things for me. I wasn't gone long.
    "Look," he added, “you won't tell the security company will you? They don't have to know. I'd get the sack if they found out. We're not supposed to smoke. Some of the residents don't like it so I make sure no one sees me. You don't have to tell the boss, do you?"
     
    By the end of his outpouring the guard was practically pleading.
    "It depends on how far you collaborate," Amos replied coolly. "We could start with the truth about Friday night."
    "Look," said the harassed guard, "I did go for a smoke a few times while Nick was around. He kept watch from under the building so he could spot anyone coming and call me. As a matter fact, he did call me out a couple of times but I got back to the barrier in time to check people in.
    "Look," he added eagerly, opening the red book again. "Here are the entries for that afternoon. You only asked about the evening so I didn't point them out to you earlier."
    Amos was not, in fact, particularly interested in the earlier arrivals, both of whom were recorded leaving before Jones had returned to the block. However, the sentinel's attitude and admission confirmed Foster's revelation that he left his post and disappeared behind the