A Country Gift Shop Collection: Three cosy crime novels that will keep you guessing!

Everett shook his head. “Sad really. He should just have gotten an education and found himself a real job. Handymen don’t earn that much. Nor do falconers. Those birds should be free anyway. He keeps them in small cages and teaches them tricks. He lets them fly every now and then, but they can’t get far. If they tried to escape, they would just die, because they have never learned to catch their own food. They have to stay with him while he treats them like dirt, because he made them dependent on him. Despicable.”

Vicky was puzzled by Everett’s passion about the subject. “I think Mortimer genuinely loved those birds. That was one of the few things he really cared for.”

Everett shrugged, his eyes already on his computer screen again. “If you say so. Did that answer your question?” His hands hovered over the keyboard. “What is your interest in that phone call anyway?”

“Oh, I just wondered about any calls Mortimer might have made before he died. It could help fix the time of his death. That’s all.” It was a poor lie as Everett could also conclude that Mortimer had been very much alive when he had almost run him off the curb and that particular call had nothing to do with fixing the time of his death. But she didn’t want to tell just anybody that Michael and she had found a list with phone numbers on the scene.

Everett sat motionless. “I don’t see why you’d have to bother yourself with the time of death. The police will know all about it. Mortimer’s home phone got disconnected, you see. He only had a cell phone. If he made any calls before he died, the numbers he called should be in the cell’s memory.”

“Uh, yes, of course.” Vicky could just slap herself. She had wanted to ask Cash if the cell phone had been found when she was at the police station but had totally forgotten to do it. Maybe she could ask later?

With a smile she focused on Everett again. “Just curious. Would you ever be willing to make a statement about what you overheard Mortimer saying when he bumped into you yesterday?”

Everett seemed puzzled. “I can’t see what good it would do. I don’t know whom Mortimer was talking to.”

Vicky struggled to come up with a logical reason without revealing anything. “Well, you know, if the police do have the cell phone, they will know who it was on the other end of the line. I mean, they can look up the number and connect it with someone. Your testimony that Mortimer was threatening someone with exposure could be very helpful.”

“Helpful? Why?”

“To establish a motive for Mortimer’s death.”

“Motive?” Everett looked at her with a worried expression. “Has Danning put you up to this? He should know better. That you were questioned last night was bad enough. Your mother was so upset about it when I talked to her this morning. You shouldn’t get involved any deeper in this ugly murder business, Vicky. It could be very dangerous. I’m sure your mother would be devastated if something happened to you. You’re all she has got left.”

“Yes, I know that.” Vicky felt slightly guilty for being so involved already. After all, she had promised Claire she’d stay away from trouble.