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‘Did you share this with Sandy?’
He nodded. ‘I did, and I advised her to cease trading or I would expose her deceit.’
‘And?’
‘She asked to meet to discuss it, begged me not to publish anything until she’d explained.’
‘Did you meet her?’
‘No. We made a few arrangements but things would come up, so I had to cancel a couple of times.’
Kim had counted four broken appointments. She suspected he’d enjoyed the power he’d wielded; the influence over Sandy’s career. He had dangled her on a string for his own amusement and ego.
‘You had a meeting planned last week,’ Kim noted.
‘Did we? Oh, something must have come up. I certainly wasn’t able to make it,’ he said, inspecting his nails.
‘So, if you’re the genuine article, why don’t you read for me now?’ Bryant asked.
‘Because I’m not a trained monkey at your beck and call. And anyway, I suspect that you couldn’t afford me.’
‘You may be wrong,’ Bryant challenged as Kim got to her feet.
‘Well, come back with your chequebook and then we’ll talk.’
Dunhill stood and Bryant did the same. The two Great Danes were up and beside their owner in a flash.
Kim allowed herself to be shown the door despite a vague unease in her bones.
She had the feeling that Monty Dunhill had just told them an outright lie. The latest M in the workbook hadn’t been crossed out. The meeting had not been cancelled.
She suspected that Monty had met with Sandy just a few days before she died. But if so why not just admit it?
What exactly was he trying to hide?
THIRTY-TWO
Penn pulled over as his phone began to ring. He was close but he wouldn’t risk driving while on the phone.
‘Yeah, boss,’ he answered.
‘Your man with the book, local author guy, what’s his name?’
Penn had to search his memory for what she was referring to.
‘Oh, the sceptic guy?’
‘Yep.’
Penn pictured the book on his shelf.
‘Richard Blake – lives in Kinver, I think.’
‘Thanks, Penn,’ she said, before ending the call.
‘Aha,’ he said, spotting the property he’d been searching for. It was an end terrace on the very edge of the Hollytree Estate.
Outside was a battered Fiesta that didn’t look as though it would make it to its next MOT never mind pass it.
