Three Little Maids by Patricia Scott Read Free Book Online Page A

was always taking off on trek into the countryside when he was small. You know that yourself, Mr. Turner. The times I’ve had to call you when I’ve been worried about him.’
    The Sergeant nodded. ‘That’s right, Mrs Perkins.’ He took a sip of his tea it was how he liked it strong and sweet. Best to let the old girl get it off her chest.
    ‘They found him on the top of a double-decker bus in Tonbridge Wells of all places when he was only six, Inspector Kent.’ She reached forward to pat Raymond’s hand fondly. He withdrew it quickly. ‘It was lucky he had his name printed in his school blazer jacket. Said he wanted to go to London like Dick Whittington. I took him to see the pantomime Puss in Boots only the week before. Sorry, Inspector. I must let you get on, mustn’t I?’
    ‘So where else did your long stroll take you last night? Was it along the cliff path near Lover Leap?’
    ‘What are you suggesting?’ June Perkins burst in. ‘That he has had something to do with that poor girl’s death?’
    ‘We have to establish his movements, Mrs Perkins,’ Turner said with a reassuring smile.
    ‘So where did you go other than the walk along the front and the bowling alley?’
    ‘On the pier and stayed awhile then walked back through the town centre home. Nowhere else.’
    ‘So if you did this can you remember meeting anyone on your travels who can verify that in the bowling alley for instance? What about the bingo stallholder on the pier? Would he remember you?’
    ‘Might do. Doubt it though.’ He shrugged. ‘Can’t honestly say. There were lots of other people playing on it. And it was late.’
    ‘He might remember if you won a prize.’
    ‘Suppose so...’
    ‘Think hard now, son. We have to question everyone who knew the Carey girl personally.’
    ‘Maureen, you mean? Was she the girl found on the cliff top?’ June Perkins burst in again. ‘Why didn’t you say so before?’
    Raymond stared back blankly at them for a second or so. ‘She can’t be - not my Maureen,’ he said in a strangulated voice.
    Kent nodded. ‘Afraid so, son, we have to find the person that Maureen was planning to meet last evening, Raymond, and if it was her killer ; we have to catch him.’
    ‘I bloody well know that,’ he said tearfully.
    ‘Raymond! Watch your language! She was a silly little girl, Inspector,’ June Perkins said. ‘Fancy arranging to meet someone on the cliff tops so late at night. She was only fifteen. She was asking for trouble.’ She shook her head. ‘They won’t be told anything these young girls. They think they know what they’re doing till it’s too late.’
    ‘Gran!’
    ‘It’s her parents that I feel really feel sorry for. Mr. Carey is a good man. He lives by the good book. Her mother, poor soul, I daresay will never get over it. I clean for her two days a week. Even when my back plays me up something chronic. She simply idolised that girl.’
    Raymond’s answer to this was to bury his face in his hands and sob loudly. Turner sighed, popped a sweet into his mouth, and closed up his notebook. The grandmother was at the boy’s side immediately. She put her arms round him to give him a hug and a kiss as he tried to push her away. ‘There, there, don’t take on so.’
    ‘So you can’t think of anyone who can give you an alibi for last night? Answer me please.’
    Raymond raised his tear stained face to mumble, ‘Not offhand, I can’t. I met up with n-no-one I knew - not last night.’
    ‘Can’t you see how my boy’s suffering? He’s taking it real bad. He wouldn’t harm a hair of that girl’s head. Even though the little tart played him up something cruel. I’ll send him along to the police station if he can remember anything useful later, Mr. Turner.’
    Kent studied Raymond’s miserable face thoughtfully. There was angst there too. ‘Do that, son, if you can recall anything at all about what Maureen said about her date last night. Any tip offs she might have given