The Suicides - A Robyn Oak Mystery

Chapter 9

'Paul? I don't know anything much about him. Just a customer, like the rest.'

'Yes, But was there anything... different about him last time you saw him?'

'Not really... He was pretty normal when he first walked in, but then he...'

'He what?' Joy cut in.

'He... started acting funny. He kept on looking behind his back, seeming scared of some sort of invisible thing. He quickly left after that, and, well... you know what happened after that.'

'Thanks. This might be useful, Joy. Note it down.'

'Now, I can't have you tell anyone about Paul's private customer business, or I may have to kill you!' She started laughing.

'Yeah... ha... anyway, we have to go. Can I have your name, for record?'

'Oh, Yeah. Sure, It's Wisteria, but everyone calls me Teri.'

'Surname?'

There was a sudden silence.

'Oh dear, I have to close down now, I'll see you around!' She ushered them out of the shop. 'Bye!' And she swung the door shut in their faces.

'That was strange.'

'Tell me about it.'

'Robyn? Doesn't she seem a little... odd?'

'Yeah, especially when I asked her for her surname.'

'Maybe she doesn't want us to know?'

'Right.. good point. Note that down as well. At least we have her first name, if she wasn't lying.

...

They were walking home, when Joy thought she saw Wisteria on the other side of the road, looking at them. She was about to wave at her, when Teri suddenly saw that Joy was looking at her, and, just as suddenly as she appeared, vanished from sight in the crowd. 'What was she doing there?' Joy asked herself, 'And why did she leave when she saw me looking at her?'

...

They got back to their "headquarters" as Robyn called it, and Robyn started making dinner. Joy was being unusually quiet. Robyn noticed and sat down next to her.

'What are you thinking about?' She have her some coffee.

'Oh, nothing much. I just saw - you know what? Nevermind. It's probably nothing...' She took a big swing of her coffee.

'Okay...' Robyn looked at Joy warily, and sipped her coffee too.

'Yeah... it's definitely nothing, I probably mistook it for something.'

'Well, okay. Anyway, It's pretty late, we spent all day questioning Teri, and we have to be up bright and early to go to the next location so we'd better go to bed soon.' She yawned. 'See you in the morning!'

'Yeah... see you.' Joy was just about to get up when she saw a face at the kitchen window. She ran to the window, but whoever it was was obviously gone now....