Dead Sweet: A D.I. Turnbull mystery by Sally O'Brien Page B

looked forlorn and disappointed.
    "I actually believed him," she said, "There's not many that I do believe but he seemed so genuine."
    "Don't beat yourself up about it Tessa, we've all been taken in at one point or another."
    "I feel like an idiot nevertheless."
    "Well you're a beautiful idiot." Todd smiled then walked over to the counter where a now calm Joseph sat and waited. He jumped up when he saw Todd approaching and began to breath heavily again.
    "Did you get my stuff?"
    "Listen son, pack the panting in, you sound like a bloody dog. Yes we've got your stuff but we also got their side of the story. Now tell me what you think they said?"
    Joseph looked sheepishly at Todd. "Well they're not going to tell you the truth are they." He said.
    "I think they told me a lot more truth than you did son. You have wasted a lot of time and resources this morning."
    "But they held me prisoner." Joseph protested.
    "With good reason," Todd said sternly, "You were trying to get away with not paying rent and you were stealing their property."
    "I wasn't."
    Todd help up his hand to stop Joseph from speaking further.
    "Listen I'm a very busy man and this officer here is a very busy woman. I should be giving you a ticket for wasting police time, but I haven't actually got the time to do that. Your stuff is at Twockford police station. I suggest you go there, get it back and learn never to do this again. If I see you back here, you won't like what I will do to you."
    Joseph began to walk out of the small room that he was in. "Can I have a lift to Twockford?" he asked as he walked out of the door.
    "Are you actually serious?" Tessa asked him incredulously.
    "Worth a try," grinned Joseph.
    "You better start running boy or I'm coming to get you." Tessa moved towards the door.
    "Ha, like you could catch me, you fat cow." Joseph shouted, then darted out of the front door. Todd felt embarrassed for Tessa at the remark made. He toyed with the notion of bringing Joseph Portman back to the police station and making him apologise, but Tessa had begun to laugh off the comment and was already returning to the front counter in order to deal with a new person standing there.
    "I'm sorry Tessa." Todd said.
    "You don't need to apologise," Tessa tsked, "I have a mirror. Its sticks and stones, don't take any notice." Tessa's face mirrored her true feelings, however, but this quickly gave way to resignation before being replaced with her usual beaming smile.
    "Thanks a lot for your help Todd, you saved me a lot of work."
    "No problem Tessa," Todd hesitated; he really wanted to ask Tessa out for a drink. He wanted to get to know her better and also get over this stupid sensation he had in his stomach whenever he saw her. But Joseph's comment reminded him how people viewed Tessa. He didn't want to be the subject of ridicule amongst his work colleagues. Shallow though it may be, his feelings for her at the moment were not as strong as his fear of ridicule. Todd decided to walk away without asking Tessa out. He was too busy anyway with the case he was working on. Maybe when he had more time and more guts he would give it another try.
    -x-
    As Todd walked away from Tessa and along the corridor to the stairs a heavy feeling of guilt and shame now replaced the excitement and butterflies he had experienced on the journey there. He was silently berating himself for being such a coward when Candace came hurtling down the stairs.
    "Looking forward to the meeting I see Candace." Todd smiled at her.
    "Meeting will have to wait Guv, we've got another body."
    "What's happened?" Todd came to attention.
    "Young girl found in her bedsit off St Jim's Road."
    "Same M.O.?"
    "Sherbet and sweets."
    "Tied to her bed?"
    "A chair this time."
    "Who found her?"
    "Her boss; she didn't turn up to work so he went around to her house."
    "That's a bit odd, why didn't he just ring her?"
    "Believe it or not, she doesn't have a mobile phone." Candace shrugged, "She only worked around the corner