Rollover by James Raven Page B

exactly. He kept it in a leather jewellery box in his bedside drawer. I told him he should put it in a safer place but he said he wanted it close to him for sentimental reasons.’
    ‘Can you describe what was in the box?’
    ‘He showed me once but it’s all a bit vague now. There were some necklaces and a couple of brooches. That sort of thing. He said he’d had them valued and they were worth a tidy sum. Thousands of pounds, in fact.’
    ‘And there was nothing else of value as far as you know?’
    ‘There was the cash.’
    ‘Cash?’
    ‘The money for Dessler. Vince left it on the worktop in the kitchen. All in notes.’
    ‘How much?’
    ‘Three thousand pounds.’
    Temple turned to Priest. ‘There was no money in the kitchen. I checked the worktop myself.’
    ‘So whoever killed Vince must have taken it.’
    ‘Looks that way.’
    At that point Jennifer lost it again and started to cry into a wad of tissues.
    Her father squeezed her shoulders. ‘Let’s leave it at that, Jeff. My daughter’s not going anywhere, so she can answer more questions later. I’ll stay here with her for now and call you if she thinks of anything that might help the investigation.’
    ‘Fair enough,’ Temple said. He put his notebook away and got to his feet.
    Jennifer held up her hands and forced herself to stop crying.
    ‘There’s something else you should know,’ she said. ‘I just remembered . It might not be relevant, but I think you ought to know.’
    She swallowed. Breathed through her mouth. Swallowed again.
    ‘Just over a week ago I saw a man watching the cottage,’ she said. ‘It was early evening and he was standing on the edge of the wood out back. He had binoculars.’
    ‘Are you sure?’ Temple said.
    She nodded. ‘I only saw him because I was upstairs in Vince’s study and happened to look out of the window. He was standing next to a tree, staring at the cottage. I watched him for about a minute and then rushed downstairs to tell Vince. But when Vince went outside there was no sign of the man.’
    ‘When exactly was this, Miss Priest?’
    She looked up at the ceiling, searching her memory through the fog of grief and shock. ‘The Friday before last, about four o’clock. I know because it was almost dark and I’d just arrived at the cottage having left work early.’
    ‘Can you describe this man?’
    ‘Not in detail,’ she said. ‘But he had a shaved head and ears that poked out. He was wearing a sheepskin coat. I remember that much. If I saw him again I’d recognize him.’
    ‘How old?’
    ‘In his thirties maybe.’
    ‘Anything else you can tell us? Was he tall or short, fat or thin?’
    She shrugged. ‘Normal height, I think. It was difficult to tell.’
    ‘I don’t understand, Jen,’ Priest said. ‘Why didn’t you mention this to me? I’m a policeman, for Christ’s sake, as well as being your father.’
    ‘I didn’t think, Dad. Vince said not to worry about it so I didn’t. I’m sorry.’
    Priest shook his head, clearly put out, but anxious at the same time not to add to his daughter’s anguish by making a deal of it.
    ‘Did Mr Mayo have any idea who the man might be?’ Temple asked.
    She shook her head. ‘He wasn’t familiar with anyone who looked like the description I gave.’
    ‘I’d like you to help us produce a photofit,’ Temple said. ‘Would that be all right?’
    She nodded.
    ‘I’ll get it sorted then.’ Temple looked at his watch. ‘I’d better go now. But before I do there’s one last question, Miss Priest. Have you any idea why Mr Mayo might have opened a bottle of champagne last night?’
    She looked at him, puzzled.
    ‘No, not at all. Why do you ask?’
    ‘Well, there was a bottle in the kitchen. It’d been opened, but it didn’t look as though any of it had been drunk.’
    ‘Well, he didn’t open it before I left. And I can’t imagine what he might have had to celebrate.’
    Priest showed Temple out. At the door, Priest said, ‘Dessler has to