Don't Feed the Rat! Read online

Jacob got dressed and fed Spike. Then he made a bowl of oatmeal porridge for himself. He loved porridge in the morning. It helped him think.

  As he ladled the porridge from the saucepan to his bowl, Jacob realised that it had been a while since he had had time to work on his big project. He hadn’t even thought about it much, until Emily had asked him about it the evening before. Life seemed to have spiralled out of control. Would it ever get back to the way it was before? He hoped so, for the past few days had been far too exciting.

  The streets were still quiet when Jacob left his house. Soon the rush hour would start, however, so he’d better enjoy being alone as long as it lasted.

  There was no one at the allotments. Well, unless you counted the dog walker who disappeared around the corner of Ian’s allotment with rather big strides. She was probably in a hurry to get to work.

  Jacob sauntered past Ian’s privet hedge. Would there still be clues to find on Godric’s allotment? He hoped so.

  Then he noticed something strange. Was there someone sleeping on Ian’s allotment? He looked over the hedge at the man who was lying very still across Ian’s carrot plot, crushing the feathery leaves. That was a strange place to sleep.

  Jacob entered Ian’s allotment. He now saw that the man’s face was covered by a swat of horticultural fleece. Who used horticultural fleece in May? It wasn’t cold enough for that any more.

  As Jacob came near he realised that the man wasn’t sleeping. He didn’t move at all. Jacob carefully lifted up the fleece and stared at the face of Ian Fraser lying dead among his own prize winning carrots.

  Jacob’s blood ran cold. He dropped the fleece and took a step back, his breathing shallow. Oh dear. This wasn’t good. What should he do? He looked about him but he was alone. What if McDermott found him here? That would make him look very suspicious again.

  ‘What have you done?’ Dave’s urgent whisper was in Jacob’s ear. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

  ‘I didn’t do anything!’ Jacob motioned towards Ian’s lifeless body. ‘I found Ian. He’s dead. Looks like he was smothered with the fleece. What do we do?’

  Dave looked about him and quickly took stock of the situation. ‘Don’t panic. Did anyone see you?’

  ‘No, I don’t think so. There was a dog walker, but she went around the corner.’

  They heard sirens in the distance.

  Dave gave Jacob a push. ‘Get out of here. I will stay and pretend I was here first.’

  ‘But that will make you a suspect.’

  ‘No it won’t. Now go!’

  Jacob walked off Ian’s allotment and made his way to the top of the hill. He fervently hoped no one would see him. Jacob didn’t doubt that Ian was murdered. But of course the big question was, who would have wanted to kill him?

  At the top of the hill, Jacob walked past his own allotment and out the entrance at the top. His hands were still shaking from finding Ian. He definitely didn’t want to get trapped on the allotments, as he was sure the police would close them off again.

  Back on the road, Jacob slowly made a large circle back to Milbury Road and the bottom of the hill. He walked past quiet houses where people were only just now waking up, unaware of what had happened. Trying to gather his thoughts, Jacob wondered about the connection between Godric and Ian. There had to be a connection, as it was too much of a coincidence that both men were killed on the allotments within a week. There had to be something more than Hoes & Rakes that connected them. Perhaps it had something to do with both of them having Scottish ties?

  Was Ian’s death actually the breakthrough that he had been hoping for? But then he could’ve done without Ian being murdered. The man hadn’t really been his friend, but he certainly didn’t deserve to die.

  Jacob sat down on a bench that overlooked the football fields at the top of the hill. Some people were about, walking their dogs or playing fetch. In the distance he could hear more sirens. Southbound traffic out of York was crawling past the fields on the other side. The rush hour had started.

  After some time Jacob got up and made his way back to Milbury Road. It was now more than an hour since he had found Ian. It should be safe to show his face, without making himself suspicious.

  He arrived at the entrance of the allotments again, experiencing somewhat of a déjà vu to some days before, seeing all the police cars and flashing blue lights. They were all haphazardly parked near the entrance to the allotments, a crime scene tape already spun across the path leading up to the allotments. The inevitable crowd had already gathered.

  Feeling nervous, he neared the gaggle of curious onlookers that peered across the tape. Despite the early hour, the Jeffersons had made an appearance. Emily was among the onlookers as well.

  ‘Jacob! Have you heard?’ Emily’s face lit up when she saw him. ‘Ian Fraser was murdered. They just took his body away in the back of an ambulance.’

  ‘Really?’ Jacob tried to supress a shiver and hoped he seemed surprised enough.

  ‘You! Come with me!’ McDermott came walking towards them with long strides. He pointed at Jacob and beckoned him with his finger to enter the allotments. Jacob looked at Emily. She looked worried.

  ‘They’re not going to arrest you for this one as well, are they?’ Her whisper was unfortunately overheard by the onlookers and there was a murmur in the crowd.

  ‘Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.’

  The policeman who guarded the tape held it aloft for Jacob to pass under. Jacob joined McDermott, who, without a word, jerked his head towards a point further along the allotments. In silence they walked away from the prying eyes of the crowd.

  ‘You’ve probably already heard that Ian Fraser was found murdered on his allotment this morning,’ McDermott said.

  Jacob nodded. He looked at his shoes. ‘Do you think there’s a connection between Ian’s and Godric’s murders?’

  ‘We don’t know yet if there is a connection,’ McDermott said.

  ‘Of course there is.’

  McDermott glared at Jacob. ‘Where were you last evening?’

  Jacob groaned and held his head in his hands. ‘I was at the pub with Dave and Emily. Many people saw me there.’ He sighed and looked McDermott right in the eye. ‘Now tell me. Why would I hold a grudge against Ian Fraser? I hardly knew the man, other than that he won the straightest carrot competition three years in a row. Stop mucking about and find the real killer, before he tops off all the tenants.’

  McDermott’s nostrils flared. ‘Maybe I should take you in for questioning.’

  They were distracted by the arrival of a policewoman who guided Georgie Wilcrick to McDermott, then walked off. Georgie was wearing a dressing gown and flip-flops and was covered in bruises and scratches. She looked pale and small. There were traces of recent tears on her face.

  ‘And where were you last night?’ McDermott said, studying her face and arms.

  ‘I was at my son’s house all evening,’ Georgie said. ‘He lives in Clifton.’ She wrung her hands.

  McDermott glared at her. ‘So neither of my prime suspects were on the allotments at the time of Ian Fraser’s death. That still doesn’t prove you weren’t in cahoots for killing Godric Ainsworth.’

  Jacob snorted. ‘In cahoots? Georgie and me? Why would we be?’ He couldn’t believe this stupid man was still hell-bent on trying to fit him into the slot of murderer. ‘I’ll tell you again, Ian’s and Godric’s murders had something to do with each other. It would be too much of a coincidence if they hadn’t.’

  McDermott crossed his arms and was silent for a while. ‘Well, perhaps you’re right,’ he said and glared at Jacob, then Georgie. ‘Don’t leave town. Either of you.’ He stormed off.

  Georgie smiled a weak smile at Jacob and walked away.

  Jacob looked about him. What should he do? He was inside the crime scene tape, right next to Ian’s allotment. Could he go and snoop around for clues? He craned his neck to look over Ian’s privet hedge, but then from the corner of his eye saw something blue
sticking above the roof of one of the parked cars on the allotment car park. He squinted at it. She hadn’t, had she?

  Emily came running up to him, bent double, as if that made her any less visible for the police and crime scene people that hovered around. She grinned from ear to ear. Jacob shook his head.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ he said under his breath to her. ‘How dare you sneak under the crime scene tape!’

  Emily shrugged. ‘I came to see if you needed my help.’

  ‘We’d better get out of here, before we get into trouble,’ Jacob said, looking over his shoulder at the crime scene people. Emily wasn’t listening. She’d darted off and picked something up from under the hedge that surrounded Ian’s allotment. Jacob stared at her. What was she doing now!

  McDermott strode out of Ian’s allotment. He nearly bumped into Emily and his face turned a bright red. He pointed down the path at the exit of the allotments. ‘Get out of here, before I arrest you!’ He looked up and spotted Jacob. ‘And that goes for you as well!’

  Emily hesitated for a moment, then pocketed whatever it was she’d found. She held up both hands to McDermott. Eyes wide in innocence. ‘Relax. We’re going.’

  They quickly made their way back under the crime scene tape. A lot more people had gathered. A group of them stood around the Jeffersons, listening to what they had to say. ‘...murdered last night... smothered by horticultural fleece...’

  Jacob and Emily ignored them and crossed the street to the green. There they sat down on a bench.

  Emily pulled an object out of her pocket and held it up. ‘Look what I’ve found.’ It was an elaborate gold brooch with a large dark precious stone in the middle. Jacob took the brooch from Emily and studied it up close.

  ‘It looks old, doesn’t it?’ Emily said.

  ‘It does.’ Jacob held it up to the light. The stone in the middle turned a deep glowing dark red. ‘And you found this under the privet?’

  Emily nodded.

  ‘It could be evidence in Ian Fraser’s murder case.’

  Emily grabbed the brooch back from Jacob and put it in her pocket. ‘I know, but McDermott is such a horrible man. Perhaps we can look into it first?’

  Jacob looked at Emily’s eager and pleading face. He had to smile. Of course she was right. McDermott was a horrible man, and who knows, he might not be interested in solid proof either, like that bobby, who wasn’t interested in Robbie’s button.

  ‘Okay, we’ll look into it,’ Jacob said. ‘But we’re handing it in if we can’t find anything useful.’

  * * *

  Paddy

  I woke up and didn’t know where I was. I listened for a little bit to the sounds coming from the bottom of the hill. There was something going on again. What was it with these two-leggeds? Why weren’t they able to just live quietly and enjoy it? I sighed deeply. Then I noticed Pete staring at me through the bars of the cage. I sat up. Oh, yes... the cage.

  ‘Some guards you are,’ Pete said. ‘You all fell asleep.’ There was a light panic in his eyes. ‘I’m hungry. Please get me out!’

  Vinnie now also woke up and together we searched the cage again for a way to open it. Without any luck.

  ‘Sorry, Pete,’ I said. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

  ‘But I need to eat!’

  Eddy came running up with a snail in his mouth. His fur was standing on end and as soon as he reached the cage, he spat it out. ‘Yak... horrible, slimy creatures.’ With the tip of his toe he pushed the snail closer to the cage, where Pete managed to grab it and pull it through the bars.

  ‘Thanks, buddy.’ Pete started eating.

  Vinnie and I went out looking for food as well. We quickly found two worms and a slug and pushed them through the bars. Pete gobbled them up.

  Vinnie watched Pete eat. ‘Let’s face it, we can’t keep feeding Pete like this. We have to feed ourselves.’

  I nodded in agreement. ‘We have to find a way to get Pete out.’

  Suddenly there was a voice behind us. I looked around into the grinning face of Cecil. ‘Well, well, what happened here? The fat rat got himself trapped, did he?’ The posse swarmed around the cage, laughing and pointing. Pete’s whiskers drooped and he looked at the ground.

  My blood was boiling. I confronted Cecil. ‘Why don’t you help us get him out? Do something good for a change?’

  Cecil laughed in my face. ‘You must be joking. Help you stupid old guys?’ He pushed past me. ‘Okay, everyone. Let’s grab the cage and take it somewhere.’ He grinned at Pete through the bars. ‘Let’s make fun of him some more. Near a pond, perhaps, or near Moe.’

  Pete’s eyes were wide in fear. ‘No!’

  The posse cheered and ran up to the cage.

  ‘Oh no you don’t,’ I said. I tripped Patch and he slammed into the cage head first. Vinnie bit another posse member in the tail. Eddy picked up a snail he just found and threw it at a young female posse member. It was to no avail. There was simply too many of them. The posse overran us and started pulling at the bars of the cage. Cecil cheered them on from a distance. Luckily for Pete, the cage didn’t move an inch.

  I was feeling helpless and hoped that the posse would soon get bored. Then I noticed a two-legged walking on to the allotment. It was Little One. She walked up to the cage.

  We all scattered.

  ‘Ah, I’ve caught one,’ she said and lifted up the cage. She studied Pete with interest. He looked back at her, eyes wide.

  Little One turned and walked off the allotment, cage in hand. She made her way down the path to the garden wall. Vinnie, Eddy and I followed at a distance.

  Pete spotted us. ‘Help! Stop her! Get me out!’

  At the garden wall, Little One clambered over the wall with some difficulty. We climbed to the top of the wall and watched as she sneaked across the back garden.

  ‘This is Mad Maggie’s garden,’ I said.

  The kitchen window was open. Little One walked up to it. She pushed open the little door of the cage and held it against the open window. Pete jumped out and disappeared from view into Mad Maggie’s kitchen.

  ‘Let’s hope the dog isn’t around,’ Vinnie said.

  Little One returned to the wall and climbed back over, taking the cage with her. Now we were alone and waited for Pete to reappear.

  ‘Are you okay in there?’ I said, hoping he could hear me.

  Pete’s voice floated out through the kitchen window. ‘You guys! There’s lots of yummy food here!’

  I rolled my eyes and Vinnie sighed and shook his head. This had disaster written all over it.

  CHAPTER TWENY-TWO

  The doorbell tinkled when Jacob opened the door. Magnus Cotterill looked up from behind the counter, where he was repairing a watch, peering through an eye loupe. He took the device from his eye when he saw Jacob and Emily come in.

  ‘Good morning, Jacob,’ he said. ‘What brings you to my shop this morning?’

  Jacob and Emily made their way to the counter through a maze of display cases filled with watches, bracelets, rings and necklaces. Cotterill’s Jewellers was the only shop of its kind on Woolaston Road.

  ‘Morning, Magnus,’ Jacob said. ‘We found a brooch and were wondering if you could tell us something more about it.’ He indicated to Emily, who took the brooch out of her hoodie pocket and handed it to the jeweller.

  Magnus put the eye loupe back to his eye and studied the brooch. ‘Interesting.’ He looked up at Jacob for a few seconds, one eyebrow arched. ‘Where did you find this?’

  Jacob blinked. ‘Well, um...’

  ‘On Milbury Green,’ Emily said. ‘Next to a bench. Perhaps someone lost it and we were thinking you might know who it belongs to, so it can go back to the rightful owner.’

  Magnus now stared at Emily. ‘Okay. I understand.’ He studied the brooch again. Then he put it on the counter in between them and crossed his arms.

  ‘I’ve seen this brooch before. A man came in a couple of days ago and asked for an evaluation of it.’<
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  Emily glanced at Jacob. ‘What did he look like?’

  ‘He was in his forties, big and burly with dark hair and enormous eyebrows. There was another man with him, but he kept some distance. Neither looked too trustworthy.’ Magnus looked from Jacob to Emily. ‘I hope the brooch wasn’t stolen. I’d have to report it to the police if it was.’

  Emily snatched the brooch from the counter. ‘I’m sure it’s not stolen. The man simply lost it. Maybe he bought it for his mother and is now sad he can’t give it to her.’

  Jacob gently took the brooch from Emily and put it back on the counter. ‘As you know, Magnus, strange things have been going on in Milbury lately, but the likelihood that this brooch has anything to do with it is small.

  ‘Talk about strange things.’ Magnus leant forward towards them. ‘There was a second murder today. Have you heard of that?’

  Jacob nodded. ‘Yes, we have.’ He coughed. ‘And perhaps you have heard that I’m a suspect for those murders.’

  ‘I can’t deny that I heard of it.’ Magnus picked up the brooch and fiddled with it.

  ‘I can assure you that I have nothing to do with it.’

  ‘Of course not,’ Magnus said. ‘I never believed a word of that. You wouldn’t hurt a fly.’

  There was a bit of an awkward silence.

  ‘Um... Is it a valuable brooch?’ Emily said.

  ‘I told the gentleman that it’s worth about one hundred and fifty pounds. It’s probably more like an heirloom than actually being worth a lot, but if you like I could do some research online.’ He opened a drawer and took out a smartphone. ‘Let me take a picture of it, then I will get back to you after I find out more.’

  ‘Thank you, Magnus,’ Jacob said. ‘Much appreciated.’

  Jacob put the brooch in his pocket and they made their way out of the shop. Back on Woolaston Road they both started talking at the same time.

  ‘The henchmen had the brooch!’ Emily said.

  ‘Hal and Clyde Simms have dealings in York after all,’ Jacob said. ‘Why else would they have asked for the value of the brooch?’