Free The Careless Word (#8 - The Craig Crime Series) by Catriona King Page A

called ‘The Belfast Buzz’”
    Liam cut in. “Here. Isn’t that the one Lucia used to work for?”
    Craig nodded. “Years ago. She might know Maria McGovern. I’ll ask.” He waved Davy on.
    “I’m getting McGovern’s financial details and phone and computer dumps now, but s…so far there’s nothing nasty.”
    Annette interrupted with an annoyed look on her face. “Why are we getting all that? Are we treating everyone as a suspect, even if they died?”
    Craig shot her a sceptical look. “We have to, Annette, you know that. Even if it’s only to rule them out. What’s the problem?”
    Annette shook her head, setting her sensible brown bob flying. Craig smiled inwardly at her flat shoes and prim suit. Annette had never dressed casually but nowadays it seemed she was dressing as if someone was assessing whether she was suitable senior officer material. He knew she was ambitious and getting more so but she didn’t need to carry it that far.
    Gone were the days when women had to hide their attractiveness to be taken seriously; feminism was in its third wave. Well, that’s what Lucia and Katy told him if he asked how they walked all day in five-inch-heels.
    Annette’s Maghera tones dragged Craig back from his thoughts. “Well, it’s just… hasn’t the wife suffered enough already without her husband being treated like a suspect?”
    Craig shook his head. “This is behind the scenes work, Annette, and if you’re worried I’ll let you interview Mrs McGovern. OK?”
    Annette nodded, mollified, and Davy picked up his report.
    “The s…shop-owner Jules Robinson is more interesting. He was a civil servant, then ten years ago he bought the shop outright w…with cash.”
    “Retirement money?”
    “Maybe, but I can’t find any s…sign of where it came from and retirement funds would normally be paid into a bank account, w…wouldn’t they? Maybe it was dodgy money?”
    Craig laughed. “So young and yet so cynical. It’s probably perfectly innocent but follow it up anyway. Dig into every corner of Robinson’s finances; personal and business. Anything on his family?”
    Davy shrugged. “Wife, Sarah, s…seventy-two.”
    Liam grinned. “Here. Old Jules was a toy-boy.”
    Annette snorted. “And if he’d been some sad old man with a ponytail and a twenty-year-old on his arm you’d have said ‘good on him’. It might interest you to know that in forty-eight percent of marriages the woman is the same age or older than the man.”
    The way she said it made Craig expect a “So there” to follow. It did, from Nicky. Her husky voice grew louder as she approached the group with more biscuits.
    “Good on her. I hope I’m dating a fifty-year-old when I’m eighty. Joan Collins is an example to us all.” She deposited the digestives with a haughty sniff and left.
    Craig waved the chatter down. “OK, everyone. I know we’re all de-mob happy about John’s wedding but let’s focus, please.”
    Davy focused. “The Robinsons led a quiet life. No children, just a cat and dog. They seemed to put everything into the s…shop. Mrs Robinson helped out there.”
    Craig leaned forward urgently. “Find out how often, Davy, and if she was expected to be there on Thursday. Any changes in her routine, flag it up to me. We need to know if she could have been a possible target.”
    “W…Will do. Do you want to take over for Fintan Delaney?”
    Craig nodded then started reporting on his two encounters with Delaney and his belief that the youth’s amnesia was genuine. “He can’t even remember his own name. The consultant called it global amnesia and said the sooner we find Delaney’s family the sooner his memory might return.”
    Davy waved for attention. “I’ve found them. He has parents, John and Bronagh, and two younger brothers, Dermot and Liam.”
    Liam sniffed proudly. “Great name. Did you know that Liam was William in Irish?”
    Craig laughed. “So we can start calling you Billy?”
    “Not if you