Death under the Dryer

Twelve

“Well, what does that suggest? Why was he there, do you think?”

Jude pinched her upper lip between thumb and forefinger for a moment, then said, “It suggests he’s still got keys to the place.”

“Connie’s Clip Joint?”

“Yes.”

“But Connie said the only spare keys were the ones she gave to Kyra.”

Jude shrugged. “Maybe Martin copied a set before he handed them back to her…? Maybe he handed over the keys to the front, but hung on to the one for the back door…?”

“So what would he have been doing there this morning?”

“I don’t know, but, given the state of armed conflict between Connie and him, I can’t think he was paying a social visit.” A thoughtful smile came over Jude’s features. “Maybe my clumsy approach had some effect…”

“How do you mean?”

“Remember I mentioned to him that Kyra had been planning legal action about her dismissal from Martin & Martina in Worthing. Maybe he was checking out Connie’s Clip Joint to see if any incriminating evidence had been left there?”

“Pretty unlikely that there would have been. And if there were, you’d have thought the police would have found it, and then surely they’d have been on to Martin pretty sharpish to find out what had been going on…The police must’ve spoken to him since the murder, mustn’t they?”

“Yes. Connie said they did…you know when I went to have my haircut before last. She said the police questioned her and Martin quite extensively for the first couple of days, and then seemed to lose interest in them…well, in her, anyway.”

“Right.” Carole sipped at her coffee. It was nearly cold. They’d been chatting too much since she arrived at Woodside Cottage. She’d taken Gulliver back to High Tor after his walk and then gone straight next door. It was early, but the news she had to impart couldn’t wait. “Of course,” she went on, “if Martin Rutherford does have keys to Connie’s Clip Joint…”

“Yes?”

“…then he could have got in there the night Kyra Bartos died, couldn’t he?”

“He could.”

“Because there was no sign of forced entry, was there? So far we’ve been assuming that’s because Kyra invited her killer in to the salon, but if Martin had keys…”

“Yes.” Jude looked at her watch and picked up the card the hairdresser had given her. “As soon as it’s a reasonable hour, I’m going to ring Connie.”

The hairdresser did not seem particularly surprised when she answered the call just after ten. But she did sound sleepy, and Jude felt guilty that the phone had probably woken her.

“I’m sorry to be calling so early.”

“Don’t worry. I should be up. I overslept.” Connie sounded snugly drowsy. “It’s just I…you know, always wiped out at the end of the week.”

“Well, as I say, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“But I thought I ought to ring you, because something’s happened that might have a bearing on the case.”

“Case?”

“Kyra’s murder.”

“Oh yes. Of course.”

“My friend Carole – you remember her?”

“Certainly. ‘Same shape, but shorter’.” Again the impersonation was spot on.

“Yes, her. Anyway, she was taking her dog for a walk on the beach early this morning, and she came back via the service road…you know, behind the shops.”

“Mmm?” Suddenly Connie was alert, the drowsiness gone from her voice.

“And she saw your ex-husband leaving from the back gate of Connie’s Clip Joint.”

“Ah.” There was a long silence. When she broke it, Connie sounded hesitant. “And what’s she going to do about it?”

“Well, tell the police presumably.”

“Why? Is it a police matter?”

“Surely it is? If Martin had keys to the back of Connie’s Clip Joint to get in there this morning, then he probably would have had them if he’d wanted to get in on the night Kyra was killed.”

“Right.” Now it made sense to Connie. “Sorry, I was half-asleep. Yes, of course, I hadn’t thought of it that way. The police must be told. But, Jude, can you think of any reason why Martin might have been round to Connie’s Clip Joint?”

“Well, if one were to go to the extreme hypothesis that he was actually the murderer…”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” Instinctive loyalty for her ex-husband prompted Connie. “I can’t imagine Martin ever doing anything like that.”

“He had a motive.”

“Did he? Sorry, I’m being very slow this morning. I’m not properly awake yet.”

“You told me about it. That Kyra was threatening to sue him for constructive dismissal over the sexual harassment business.”

“Oh yes.”

“Well, it could be argued that he therefore had a very good motive to get her out of the way.”

“I suppose so. Maybe I overstated that, anyway. Kyra wasn’t definitely going to take him to court. It was just an idea we discussed, not entirely serious.”

Why was she backtracking on that? Jude wondered.

She’d sounded fairly definite about it when the subject last came up.

“Anyway,” Connie went on, “I still can’t see Martin killing anyone.”

“All right. Say he didn’t kill her, but he still knew about the threat of legal action…”

“I’m not sure whether he did know about that.”

“Oh, he did.” And Jude was embarrassed to realize that she would have to own up to what she’d said to Martin Rutherford in the Worthing Martin & Martina the day before. She did so, as quickly as possible, with the minimum of apology.

Connie took the news in slowly. “And how did he react?”

“He changed the subject and moved on.”

“Yes, I’m not surprised.”

“But what I’m saying, Connie, is that, having heard about the potential legal action against him, Martin might have let himself into Connie’s Clip Joint this morning, hoping to find and destroy any evidence…you know, papers Kyra might have got together for her case against him.”

“Yes.” Connie seemed very relieved to have a possible explanation for her ex-husband’s appearance at the salon. “Yes, that would make very good sense.”

“But, whatever his reason for being there, I think the police should be told about it. Even if it’s not criminal, it is at the very least rather odd behaviour. I mean, that is assuming that you didn’t know he was going to be there…?”

“Good heavens, no!” Connie responded vehemently.

“Well, I suppose Carole could talk to the police. She has got a connection with the case, after all, having been there when the body was discovered. They did give her contact numbers, but…there’s always a danger that the police will treat her as some nosy local crank. Alternatively, you could do it…”

“That’d make much more sense,” said Connie firmly. “It was my premises he was making an illegal entry into, after all. No, leave it with me, Jude. I’ll speak to the police.”

And she sounded relieved that that decision had been made.