“Going through so much trouble for what, Gran?” Caroline asked.
Malvina nodded. “Exactly so. He’s going through so much trouble asking me to attend the decorations for his home. Why should he do that? That’s a wife’s job to decorate the home.”
“Gran you know very well the Inspector is unmarried.”
“Yes, Caroline. He is unmarried.”
“So?”
“So, he should leave the decorations to his wife’s pleasure. Unless of course…” Malvina trailed off.
“Unless of course,” Caroline picked up.
“Well unless of course his wife is picking out the decorations in a roundabout way.” She said oddly.
Caroline understood what her grandmother was saying but instead said, “You’re planning on remarrying, Gran?”
Malvina smiled at her granddaughter. “Cheeky.”
???
Val smiled broadly as he made his way home. He had asked Caroline and her grandmother to join him as he picked out the furniture for his new home because he had a plan. He would make arrangements beforehand that everything Malvina liked he would pause to consider and everything that Caroline truly loved would be purchased. He would make her see that her place was beside him. He was almost whistling a jaunty tune when
he arrived at the police station.
Felix was at his normal desk seated outside his own office while a figure was seated at Val’s own desk. When he walked past Felix, he saw his eyes were trained on the figure inside the office.
“Pierce.” The voice greeted him coolly.
Val nodded at the figure of Superintendent Osgood seated behind his desk. “Superintendent.”
“Close the door.” Came the quiet command.
Val did as he was instructed and sat in the subservient position of the chair facing the desk.
“It’s come to my attention that not only is this primrose strangler case dragging on with a string of five bodies to its name, but you’ve been seen in the companion of the lady, the victim’s sister, on several occasions.”
Val was silent.
“What exactly is going on Pierce?” He asked. “And I want the truth. Did the Punch article make up a story or did they simply fill in the gaps?”
Val looked across at the man. “The case is slow moving because it’s that sort of case. The clues have been scant and some have led nowhere. There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors with this one. I am doing my best. As to the lady in question, I will not discuss her.”
Osgood nodded. “I see.”
Both men stared at each other for several moments. Val knew that the Superintendent didn’t like him. Osgood had grown up in one of the worst parts of town and struggled to become what he was. He was a tough man hard on himself and hard on the men that worked with him and Val might have admired him. Except that underneath it all he seemed to have a huge chip on his shoulder for men born of grander circumstances and birth.
If he had worked hard and made himself his own man, then Osgood should understand that Val had done the same thing. Val may not have paid out of pocket for his education, but he still attended the classes, sat in on the lectures and received the excellent grades by merit. Money had not bought that. But for all Val’s hard work, Osgood didn’t see it that way.
He looked down on Val for his money and background and hated to think that one day Val might make Superintendent in his own right.
“Do you need help with the case? Tell me straight.”
“Do you think I need help with the case?”
“Cut the bullshit Pierce! This is a high-profile case with five women dead. Five women dead. The newspapers are full of their pictures and it makes us look bad.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Val said coldly.