Under Suspicion by The Mulgray Twins Read Free Book Online Page B

curved glass, their branches swayed in the cool, temperature-controlled air, casting restful green shadows on the starched white tablecloths below. In the centre, under the cupola, a huge gilded cage was home to tiny songbirds twittering and chirping a musical accompaniment to the muted hum of conversation.
    Victoria Knight selected a strawberry tart and handed me the plate of cakes. ‘I did so enjoy yesterday’s Outing. I do hope there’s going to be another one before Christmas.’
    ‘That’s what I’ve come to discuss with you.’ Untrue. I’d really come to find out more about Rudyard Scott’s hoard of cash. I bit into my choice, a squishy chocolate éclair. ‘Delicious,’ I murmured.
    After a pause while we demolished our respective cakes, I brought the conversation neatly round to villasand their purchase. ‘With the villa visits there won’t be enough time to fit in another Outing before Christmas. I just want to check that you’ll be free on the 27 th .’
    ‘Let me see.’ She produced her diary and flicked through it. ‘Miss Devereux will be taking me to the first villa tomorrow, and to another one on the 21 st . Then there’s a gap over Christmas.’ She turned the page. ‘The next villa appointment is on Friday the 28 th .’
    Just the opening I’d been angling for. ‘Tell me, Mrs Knight, did you come to Tenerife with the firm intention of buying a villa, price no object?’
    ‘Oh no, dear.’ She poured out another cup of strong English Breakfast tea. ‘At the money he’s asking, the property will have to be just right. I’ll know it if I see it.’ A faraway look came into her eyes as she sipped her tea. Just as I was pondering the best way to ask her directly about Rudyard Scott, she put down her cup and added, ‘But Mr Scott definitely made up his mind before he came.’
    ‘Really?’ I said, injecting surprise with that subtle underlying hint of doubt that makes the speaker rush to expand on what has just been said.
    ‘Yes, he’s got the cash ready to hand over.’
    ‘Well, it’s a good idea to have your finances in place if you intend to purchase property. Banks can take ages to transfer money.’ That should bring out what I wanted to hear. It did.
    ‘I mean cash as in “cash in hand”.’ Though the competition of the birdsong from the gilded cagemade it unnecessary, she lowered her voice. ‘He’s come with bundles of notes.’
    ‘No! I can’t believe anyone would be so—’
    ‘That’s exactly what I think, but I’ve seen the money. When we arrived at the Alhambra, Mr Scott – he’s such an impatient person, you know – couldn’t wait for the luggage to be put on a trolley. He grabbed his small airline case from the porter’s hands and marched off to reception, leaving us all standing. So rude.’
    Mustn’t interrupt the flow. I sipped my tea.
    She eyed me over the rim of the cup. ‘I didn’t realise – and neither did he, obviously – that my case looked exactly the same as his. And who actually bothers to check labels on cabin baggage, dear?’ Victoria was enjoying telling her tale to a receptive listener. ‘When I got to my room and couldn’t open the combination lock of my airline case, I took it down to reception. They were so helpful when I told them that my heart pills were inside. The maintenance man came with lopper things that just sliced through the padlock. And off I went back to my room. And then, and then,’ her eyes grew round with recollected wonder, ‘I opened the case and saw all that money.’
    It’s a common money-laundering practice for a network of couriers to make frequent transfers of cash between Europe and the UK to avoid using the banking system with its restrictive financial controls. If Scott’s cash was in pounds sterling, he could be Vanheusen’s courier. I leant forward.
    ‘You mean it was full of euros ?’
    ‘Oh no, dear. English notes! Definitely English notes. And definitely not mine! There was a label on the