Free Christmas Killing by Chrissie Loveday Page A

someone and we shall have to get another outfit. That’s not a problem.’
    ‘Don’t we sell Father Christmas outfits?’
    ‘Well yes but they are rather cheap and certainly not the best look possible,’ Miss Pringle informed them. ‘Don’t worry. I know where we can get one. Do you want me to organise another elf as well? I was thinking having two of them would make a difference.’
    ‘See what you can do. Meanwhile, Sidney and I will look at the toy department and see if there is a corner we can use.’
    ‘Anything else?’ said Mr Green. ‘Or can I go now.’
    Geoffrey looked furious.
    ‘You’d better get off to your wretched golf. There are a couple more matters to be decided but far it be from me to keep you here unwillingly.’ Mr Green growled slightly and sat down again. He glanced at his watch. He’d missed most of the morning by now and might as well stay.
    The rest of the meeting continued and eventually, began to break up. They spoke in small groups and all of them showed their deep concerns.
    ‘Right Sidney. Shall we go and look at the toy department?’
    ‘After you, boss.’ Sidney Foredyce was Geoffrey’s younger brother and was the Chief Accountant. ‘I’m not sure how vital this all is, you know.’
    ‘You can’t have Christmas without Santa, now can you?’
    ‘Perhaps we’re about to find out. Come on then, brother. Let’s go look and see if there’s somewhere to put a new Santa.’
    As they came out of the Board Room, they met DCI Jones, who stopped them.
    ‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘May I have a few words with you?’
    ‘We’re just going to the toy department to see if there’s somewhere the new Father Christmas can sit. I gather you’re the policeman in charge of things here?’
    ‘Indeed yes. Detective Chief Inspector Jones.’ He produced his warrant card to show them. ‘And you are?’
    ‘Geoffrey Foredyce and this my brother, Sydney. I’m the Chief Executive and Sydney here is the Chief Accountant. How can we help?’
    ‘First I must apologise for having to close your Grotto. I realise it must be of great inconvenience to you. However, a couple of days and you can probably use it again.’
    ‘Well, if we can take out the large chair and move that at least, it will be a great help.’
    ‘I’ll need to see if the SOCO team, the Scene of Crime Officers, have finished with it. If not, then I’m afraid it will have to remain where it is.’ He asked them a few more standard questions, deciding they didn’t have much information to help. ‘Thank you sirs. Can we have a list of Board members please? We’d better check all of them before we’re done.’
    ‘Ask Miss Pringle. She’ll have all the information you need. Tell her I’ve authorised it.’
    ‘Thank you.’ DCI Jones didn’t like to say that he was entitled to all information, whether Mr Geoffrey Foredyce authorised it or not.
    The two men left the detective and went along to the toy department. They wandered round it, looking for a place where Santa could be seated.
    ‘I can see why the Grotto was built in the clothes department. There really isn’t anywhere we can put it here, is there?’ Geoffrey was disappointed. ‘You know something? I hate bloody Christmas. It just causes a whole load of extra work.’
    ‘And a whole load of extra profits. Don’t forget that. Without the extra at this time of year, it would be a pretty poor show. Let’s just hope they’ll have finished with the Grotto sooner than they say. We’ll have to keep on at them to see if they’ll clear off sooner than they hope.’
    ‘And now it’s snowing, just to add to the fun. We must make sure the sledges and other snow stuff is brought forward.’
    ‘There you are. More money in the bank for Foredyce’s.’
    ‘Do you think we should cancel the staff party for Christmas Eve?’ asked Sydney. It was the custom to give all the staff a few drinks and nibbles after the store closed at one o'clock on Christmas Eve. It was