‘Hmm,’ says Elizabeth, and turns to her husband, happy to see the spark in his eyes, so often missing now. ‘Kuldesh the type to get mixed up in things?’
Stephen nods. ‘Oh, absolutely. Kuldesh? Absolutely. I saw him the other day, you know?’
‘We saw him together, Stephen,’ says Bogdan. ‘He was very helpful. Very nice gentleman.’
‘Whatever you say, old chap,’ says Stephen. ‘Always up to something though.’
‘And they’d broken into his shop too?’ says Elizabeth. ‘Did I hear that correctly? Before or after they’d killed him?’
‘After they killed him, says Donna.’
‘Didn’t find what they were looking for,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Still, strange to kill him. What else did Donna have to say for herself?’
‘I’m not allowed to tell you,’ says Bogdan. ‘Is police business.’
‘Nonsense,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Won’t do any harm to have another brain on the job. Any witnesses at the shop? CCTV?’
Bogdan holds up a finger. ‘Wait!’ He takes out his phone, scrolls to a voice note and presses play. Donna’s voice fills the room.
‘
‘Absolute cracker, that one,’ says Stephen.
‘
‘Tricks …’ says Elizabeth, offended.
‘
Stephen raises an eyebrow at Bogdan, and Bogdan nods in confirmation.
‘…
Bogdan puts down the phone and gives Elizabeth an apologetic shrug.
‘Bogdan, she’s bluffing. If I were having sex with you, I would be shooting myself in the foot to withdraw it, look at you. No offence, Stephen.’
‘Oh, none taken,’ says Stephen. ‘Look at the man.’
‘I gave my word,’ says Bogdan. ‘Is my bond.’
‘God, men can be so noble when it suits them,’ huffs Elizabeth. ‘Bogdan, will you be here for the next couple of hours?’
‘I can be,’ says Bogdan. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I’m going to pick up Joyce, and pay a visit to Kuldesh’s shop. I don’t see that I have an alternative.’
‘You could just leave it to Donna and Chris?’
‘Honestly,’ says Elizabeth, pulling on her coat. ‘What a perfect waste of everyone’s time.’
‘Darling, you will enjoy it,’ says Stephen.
‘That is beside the point,’ says Elizabeth.
‘Give Kuldesh my love,’ says Stephen. ‘Tell him he’s an old dog from me.’
Elizabeth walks over to her husband and kisses him on the top of the head. ‘I will, my darling.’
Kuldesh’s shop is unrecognizable. Ransacked, smashed to pieces. Someone was looking for something, and hadn’t been in a good mood about it. Donna doesn’t want to think too much about everything that must have been lost here. She wants to think happier thoughts.
‘Any resolutions?’ she asks Chris. Donna’s New Year’s resolution is to pretend to learn Polish, putting in just enough effort for Bogdan to understand when she eventually gives up.
‘I’m going to go sea-swimming every day,’ says Chris. ‘Unbelievably good for you. Circulation, joints, the lot.’
‘You’ll never do that every day,’ says Donna.
‘You underestimate me,’ says Chris. ‘Big mistake.’
‘You’re going to go sea-swimming today?’
‘Well, no, not today,’ says Chris. ‘We’re working, aren’t we?’
‘Did you go yesterday?’
‘We were uncovering a murder scene, Donna,’ says Chris. ‘So no. But every other day I will.’
They walk through to the back office, also upended: they find drawers pulled out, papers strewn across the floor and a large, green floor safe forced open.
‘Jesus,’ says Donna. In her mind she can still see the corpse of Kuldesh Sharma, in his suit, silk shirt unbuttoned rakishly low. In truth she had recognized him from behind, that shiny head still intact. Last time Donna had seen him – and indeed the first time – had been in this very shop, with Bogdan and Stephen, asking for his help in tracking down some rare books. Was Kuldesh dodgy? Certainly. Involved in drugs? Donna couldn’t see it. But here they were, in a smashed-up shop, investigating his very professional murder.
Subtle signs that perhaps he was involved in
‘Someone was looking for something, eh?’ says Chris.
