Rachel Huntsman and the Village of Death

Chapter 4

"I can't reveal any information but he is okay, his nephew has come to stay." Rachel nodded and followed Jones into a small office room, taking the seat opposite him. "This is going to be recorded for documentation purposes okay?" Nodding, Rachel rolled her shoulders, trying to relax. It wasn't like she did it. "Now, when you arrived yesterday afternoon, what was Mrs Shelly Morris state like?" Opening her mouth to speak no words came, so she coughed and tried again. "Umm, her face was blotchy, she had been and was crying. She, I mean, Mrs Morris was upset, we were talking about Jack when she-" Stopping and taking a breath, she continued. "- she asked if I could ring Doctor Jacobs as she wasn't feeling well. That's when I rang 999 and I don't really remember much else, the paramedics arriving and me trying to do CPR. I vaguely remember being in the kitchen and smelling the tea, the poison. Seeing the other cup in the sink. I offered to make her a cup of tea as well." Surprised to feel tears prick at her eyes, Rachel tried to calm down. Tactfully Jones looked away for a couple of seconds, leaving Rachel able to calm herself and wipe her eyes without him watching. "Did she say anything about who had been to see her before you?" She shook her head. Nothing, I didn't know anyone had been there until I saw the second cup, she made it sound like she'd had the cup of tea on her own." He was frantically writing and nodding so she took the time to really look at his face. Chiselled, dark stubble and dark eyes, he was attractive, Jenny was right. How it pained her to say that. "It's okay. Thank-you for coming in, I'll give you my card and then if you think of anything else you can give me a call." Taking the card, she slipped it into her purse and left the station. The day seemed to have changed, no longer overcast and the sun was starting to appear. The haze surrounding the people had evaporated and they were all welcoming as ever, smiling, wishing her good morning and waving. Trepidation is the only word Rachel could use to describe how she felt going into the café, after all she hadn't been there for roughly 24 hours now, she wasn't even sure if anyone had thought to open this morning. To her surprise there was actually quite a few people sat in the café, chatting having a cuppa. Rosie was behind the counter, she looked tired and Rachel felt a pang of guilt realising that she would have worked all day yesterday and then opened this morning. "Rosie! I'm so sorry!" Rosie waved the apology away and gave her a tender hug. "Don't be silly! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Look, why don't you go home and I'll work? I need the distraction!" Rosie tried to protest but Rachel sent her on her way back home to bed with a takeaway hot chocolate and some cakes. It was no surprise when Jenny walked in with a sandwich and a stern look on her face. "Jenny I don't want to hear it. I need the distraction, we can shop after I finish work. Poor old Rosie opened and closed." Jenny handed her the sandwich and helped herself to a chocolate and raspberry cupcake. "I know that. Just Luke Phelps, talking rubbish about Jack all round town. Police have spoken to him twice this morning about it already. Talking of police how was your meeting?" Sticking the kettle on, Rachel recalled Jones face and the stress that she realised had surrounded his eyes. "Okay, couldn't tell him much more than he already knew. Want a coffee with that cake that you're obviously not paying for?"

"Go on then. I've got a lunch meeting and I cannot be bothered to go. But I must, so can the coffee be to go?" Rachel was one step ahead and handed her a large coffee to go and another chocolate and raspberry cupcake. "For after the horrid meeting. My place at 5:30?" nodding, Jenny tried to respond but didn't come out properly due to the fact that her mouth was stuffed with cake. Laughing Rachel turned to her customers and tried to focus on her tasks for the day, baking cakes for the following day – took her three attempts but it made the day pass by more in a blur and kept her busy from having to talk to the locals about what she had seen. She half suspected that that was why business was so busy today. The curious vultures out to feed. Rachel wasn't surprised to find Jenny parked up outside (Rachel had removed the key under the mat last night) ready to go. Getting into Jenny's posh new Mercedes, Rachel wondered when she would be able to afford a car like this, and could get rid of her taped together car. To Rachel and Jenny's surprise they actually had a good time. Jenny ranted about her meeting, Rachel ranted about work and they both shared a small rant about men and money and how narrow-minded the town could be at times. Dropping her off, Rachel suddenly felt a pang of fear being on her own, and that potential figure that she had seen this morning flooded her brain.