Free Christmas Killing by Chrissie Loveday

begin. Miss Pringle, we’d like you to stay to inform us of what you know. Oh and you can take minutes, please.’
    ‘Very well sir.’ Miss Pringle was relieved that she wasn’t about to be thrown out of the meeting.
    ‘Bit formal taking minutes isn’t it?’ asked Mr Green. He was met with a glare from Geoffrey.
    ‘Right,’ he began. ‘I think you’re all aware that two grisly murders have taken place in our Christmas Grotto.’ There was a murmuring round the large table. ‘The police seem to have no idea of who has committed this crime and so most people are under suspicion. Miss Pringle. Can you tell us what exactly happened during this week?’
    ‘Yes indeed. I have been working closely with the police and assisting them wherever possible.’
    ‘Yes, yes, I’m sure you have. But we need the main facts please.’
    ‘I’m sorry. Well, on Wednesday afternoon, the elf was thought to have gone home about four o’clock. Sadly, it turned out she’d been strangled and thrust into her locker. They have a locker to keep their clothes in, you understand. On Thursday morning, when Jimmy North ... he’s the man playing Santa, when he came in, he noticed a piece of green fabric sticking out of the elf’s locker. When he opened it, there was the poor elf, crammed in there and strangled. He couldn’t remember seeing the piece of fabric from her costume on Wednesday night.’
    ‘Terrible business. No suspects, you say?’ another member of the board asked.
    ‘Not that I’ve heard.’
    ‘Go on Miss Pringle,’ Geoffrey urged her.
    ‘Well, he went home for the rest of Thursday and came back on Friday. We found a replacement elf to work with him. She was called Matti something or other. I forget now but her father works in Goods Inwards. A reliable sort of man and when he offered his daughter might do the job, we took her on till Christmas Eve.’
    ‘What happened after that?’
    ‘It was a fairly normal day. Then on Saturday, Jimmy came in and went to the canteen, where he had a cup of tea or coffee, I don’t know which. He went to the changing room and put on his costume. I think he was a bit early for his shift actually.’
    ‘Yes, yes. Get on with it please.’
    ‘Sorry. The next thing I knew was when the elf, the replacement elf came in and started screaming that Santa was dead on the floor. I was called and went along to see what was going on. Poor Jimmy had been stabbed. You couldn’t really see it at first with him wearing his red costume. Then the police arrived and everyone was shut out of the room. They say it must be kept closed for a while and the Grotto is to be left closed for as long as necessary. There is only one more Saturday till Christmas and then we start our sale the following Monday. It’s all very upsetting.’
    ‘Thank you for an excellent account of the various happenings,’ said Geoffrey. She nodded. ‘What we have to decide now is what we do about this wretched Santa Claus. The Grotto being closed for a while means he’d have to sit somewhere else. Assuming we can find someone to play the part. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be the most popular role for anyone to play under the circumstances. I understand the elf has also resigned.’
    ‘Yes indeed. She said she wouldn’t play the part any more though I suspect it was merely her reacting to the situation. She may possibly be talked round.’
    ‘If we don’t have a Santa, will it make a lot of difference?’ asked Mrs Jenkins, one of the older members of the board.
    ‘Oh, I think so. It’s always such a big feature of Christmas at Foredyce’s.’
    ‘How practical would it be to place Santa somewhere else?’
    ‘Perhaps we could put him in the toy department somewhere. Make an alcove for him to sit in. Stick some fairy lights around and there you are.’
    ‘Perhaps that would be better than nothing. We still have to find someone to play the part however. Miss Pringle? Your thoughts?’
    ‘Leave it with me. I’ll find