A Brush with Death: A Penny Brannigan Mystery - By Elizabeth J. Duncan Page 0,77
you ever meet a Detective Inspector Davies?”
“I remember a Sergeant Davies. You didn’t want to get on the bad side of him, but he treated you fair, like.”
“Well, good,” said Penny, reaching into her handbag for her mobile. “I’m glad you liked him because you’re going to be meeting up with him again in a few minutes.”
“Aw, now, wait a minute, Penny,” said Jimmy. “Steady on. I was just trying to help, that’s all. And now you’re calling the cops on me.”
Penny looked aghast.
“God no, Jimmy! Not you! Milllicent. Gareth’s going to be very grateful to you when I tell him what you did.”
“Oh, Gareth, is it now?”
Penny nodded as she spoke a few words into her phone.
“He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“Well, in that case, here’s your credit card back.”
He looked a little sheepish.
“And your bank card. Oh, and the twenty pounds I owe you.”
Penny laughed.
“Jimmy, you’re incorrigible! I’ve had my purse with me the whole time. How did you do that?”
He cracked his knuckles and grinned at her.
“Kind of exhilarating, isn’t it?”
Twenty
Penny looked at the list of clients in the appointment book. “Thursday already! Another week almost gone. Mrs. Lloyd was right when she said it would be Christmas before we know it.”
Eirlys peered over Penny’s shoulder as she set her coffee down.
“Mrs. Lloyd’s coming in this morning, see,” Eirlys said, pointing to an entry. “And she’s bringing her friend with her. They’re both to have a manicure, then they’re going shopping, and tomorrow they’re going to Manchester for the weekend. She told me all about it when she rang up for her appointment.”
Penny nodded and smiled at her.
“And Mrs. Lloyd said she hoped you would not mind too much, but she would like to have her manicure with me today.”
“Eirlys, where would we be without you?”
She glanced at her watch.
“Our first client won’t be here for another fifteen minutes, so I’m going to leave you in charge while I nip up to the library. I’ve been meaning to photocopy something, so you keep an eye on things here, and I’ll be right back.”
Eirlys looked dismayed.
“But what about your coffee? I made it just the way you like it.”
Penny took a small sip.
“It’s delicious, Eirlys, and it is just the way I like it, but a wee bit too hot. By the time I get back, it’ll be just right. Just leave it in the back so it doesn’t get spilled on the appointment book. Won’t be long.”
She snatched up her purse and bolted out the door while Eirlys browsed the selection of nail varnishes, looking for one or two that would appeal to the salon’s most discerning client.
Mrs. Lloyd made her grand entrance right on time, accompanied by a small, pleasant-looking but nondescript woman of similar age.
“Now, Bunny, let me introduce you to the girls,” said Mrs. Lloyd. “Penny, Eirlys, this is my friend, Bunny. Well, I say Bunny—her name’s really Mavis, but we’ve always called her Bunny.” Penny showed Bunny where to sit, and the filing and soaking of the manicure ritual were soon under way.
The two clients chatted with each other about their weekend plans for a few minutes, and then Mrs. Lloyd looked across at Penny.
“Now, Penny, we’ve known each other a long time, and I know you’ve been looking into the accident of Alys Jones. I must say, I was rather surprised you haven’t consulted me yet, but never mind. I have done something on your behalf. I had a word with Morwyn.” She turned to look at Bunny. “You remember Morwyn, Bunny, my niece who works for the newspaper. She went through the archives or whatever you call it, old newspapers and she found an item that relates to this. She made a copy for you,” she told Penny.
Mrs. Lloyd pulled her wet hand out of the soaking bowl and looked at it.
“Oh.”
She smiled at Eirlys.
“Eirlys, love, just fetch my handbag, would you, dear?”
When Eirlys returned with the bag, Mrs. Lloyd asked her to open it, remove a folded piece of paper, and give it to Penny.
“I think you should read it later, Penny, not now. Read it when you get home tonight. And now, Bunny here has something she wants to tell you. You’ll remember I told you that she used to drive the post office van. She was on her round that morning and she saw something.”
Feeling the pit of her stomach clench, Penny raised her eyes from Bunny’s hand to her face. The tension in the room rose,