Free English Trifle by Josi S. Kilpack Page B

damaged there for a period of time, something about new window treatments a few months back that resulted in the injury to the wall.”
    “Who suggested that?” Sadie asked.
    The inspector just smiled and tapped his paper. “It’s in my report; no need to worry yourself about it.”
    “Are you a homicide detective, Inspector?”
    His expression didn’t flinch in the slightest. “I’m a recorder,” he said, grinning broadly. “It’s a unique position where I document certain cases and reports.”
    “Document?” Sadie repeated.
    Dilree nodded. “Yes, I take statements, organize reports, manage case files—that kind of thing.”
    “And you were sent here to document this case—not investigate it?”
    Dilree nodded sharply. “Yes, exactly.”
    Sadie let out a breath. “Will they be sending a real inspector?”
    Now Dilree’s face fell a bit. “I am a real inspector, madam,” he said. “A recorder.”
    “I didn’t mean to offend you,” Sadie said, trying to offer a smile she didn’t feel. “I just meant would they be sending a homicide inspector. In America these kind of things are investigated with the assumption that people don’t make up a murder.”
    It was the wrong thing to say. Inspector Dilree’s face hardened. “In England,” he said, “we proceed with a bit more caution, especially when told that those reporting certain circumstances are unreliable. We are proceeding as we see fit.”
    “Someone told you we were unreliable?” Sadie asked. “Who?”
    “That is not information I can share,” he said. “Let’s just say that we do not take such claims lightly—unless given reason to do so.”
    “And has it crossed your mind that perhaps whoever said we weren’t reliable could be the very person who is responsible for this crime? Was it the same person who suggested the damage to the plaster was a result of new curtains?”
    That stumped him, but only for a moment. “If in fact my documents show good cause for there to have been a homicide, a homicide detective will be sent out. It will be determined upon the completion of my investigation. I’ve already taken pictures and samples of the area where you say there was a body. We’ll have those results in a few days.”
    Days? she repeated in her mind. “I see.”
    “Please send in . . .” He looked over the paper in front of him until he found the name he was looking for. “Mrs. Land, please.”
    Sadie stood to leave the room, but had just turned when the door opened. Grant came in holding a large metal bucket, similar to a garbage can. At first, Sadie couldn’t see what was in it. Then Grant reached in and pulled out a fireplace poker, causing Sadie to startle.
    “Pokers?” she said out loud, shocked by the sight before her as she turned back to look at the inspector. “You had him gather all the pokers?”

Chapter 9
    ~ ~ ~
    Dilree came around the front of the desk, looking quite pleased with himself. “Please lay them out on the floor,” he said to Grant who complied, though he didn’t seem to like being ordered around by this man. Sadie watched, shocked, as Grant laid out all the pokers. A total of seven were soon lined up on the library floor.
    “Some of the fireplaces have been converted to natural gas,” Grant explained. “And others have fireplace stands only as decoration, but I brought all of them.”
    Sadie continued to stare at the display he’d set out on the floor. There were three different styles of both handle and the end hook—some had a double hook on the end, others just one—but Sadie’s eyes were immediately drawn to two pokers with brass handles that looked exactly like the handle she’d seen sticking out of John Henry’s chest. She looked carefully at the one closest to her—it had a thin shaft, thinner than the others, and though it did have a small hook on the end, the point was sharper and finer than the others. The longer she looked at it the more it looked like an actual