Bad Blood by Geraldine Evans Page B

– to have built around herself.'
    'I understand you've only recently moved to this apartment block,' Rafferty said. 'Did your friendship with Mrs Mortimer only start when you moved here?'
    Hal Oliver nodded, then added enigmatically, 'Though, in a way, you could say we've known one another for years. I mean in another life, of course. I was just beginning to make Clara – Mrs Mortimer – appreciate that fact. Now-' He broke off, then made an expansive gesture from hands in which the veins stood out prominently. 'Well, you know the rest.'
    After they had confirmation that he had been away from home at the time of Clara Mortimer's death and could give them no information, once he had supplied them with an alibi, they left.
    'Rum character,' Rafferty commented as they walked down the stairs and stood chatting at the entrance. 'Did you notice he didn't seem as shocked as might be expected when we told him what had happened to Mrs Mortimer?'
    Llewellyn nodded. 'Though Mr Oliver's appearance gives the impression he's knocked around the world a bit and is pretty much inured to shock.'
    'He certainly seems to have lived a full life and seen the world. His photo collection makes Amelia Frobisher's look that of a lonely stay-at-home for all her determination to convince visitors to the contrary. Anyway,' he said as he reached his car. 'Let's get back to the factory, We still have the rest of the reports to read before we can pack it in for the evening. Tomorrow, I shall want to speak to Clara Mortimer's old neighbour, Mary Soames and see what she can tell us about Mrs Mortimer's family.
    'I'll also want to speak to all the residents myself as soon as possible. They may recall something after a night's sleep. Not forgetting Mrs Mortimer's loving daughter and her boyfriend. I want to learn more about the recent row he had with the victim. If the row was about money, as seems possible to judge from the pair's circumstances, it's not difficult to suspect Jane Ogilvie might have been encouraged to ensure she got her inheritance early. Although she denied that she had keys to her mother's home, I noticed a set of keys hanging on a hook in their hall. The keys to the entrance door and to the individual apartments are very distinctive. I wonder why she should choose to lie about it?’
    ‘Could be nothing - simply that she guessed we would learn of the argument Jesmond had with her mother and thought it better to err on the side of caution. Though when I asked Bill Beard to run Mrs Ogilvie's and Mr Jesmond's names through the computer, he discovered that both have criminal records for drug abuse and assault. It's possible she suspects her boyfriend's involved in her mother's death and decided to protect him.'
    Rafferty nodded thoughtfully. 'That's something I shall certainly question her about tomorrow.'
    Llewellyn's checks had also revealed that Jesmond's latest fine had been for a drunk and disorderly conviction, the latest of several, during which he had assaulted Jane. Their records indicated that both had ready tempers and were prone to violence.
    'But before we question the pair again, we'll see this Mary Soames; she might provide us with some valuable leverage, especially as she seems to have known the victim for some years.’
    With the hopeful thought that the morrow might bring the case to an-all-too squalid and predictable conclusion, Rafferty got in his car and returned to the station, with Llewellyn, in his own car, falling in behind.
    It was an hour-and-half later before they had got abreast of the remaining reports. Rafferty bid Llewellyn good night and headed for the hospital to offer his niece the belated congratulations or condolences the intrusion of that morning's murder had delayed.
    He knew his new love, Abra, would be there. He hoped she would be in a more reasonable frame of mind than she had been on the previous evening when she had told Rafferty her news.
    Even now, Rafferty felt shocked that Abra could have