Paint the Town Red (Fox & Oakby Murder Mysteries Book II)

Nug-a-Nug Aplenty

Imogen finished the email, checked it twice, and hit the 'send' button. She checked the time and wistfully sighed. She'd slept in that morning and had had no breakfast. Lunch couldn't come soon enough.

She pulled the menus out of the drawer of her desk and picked up the phone to ring the Mayor to ask what he wanted, when her mobile shrieked somewhere in her handbag.

She put the office phone down and picked up the call on her Samsung.

"Imogen, dear, this is Petra," the archeologist's jolly voice rang in Imogen's ear unexpectedly loudly. "I'm near your Town Hall, I'm waiting for you. It's your lunch break, is it not? Come out quickly, we have work to do, my dear Sherlock."

Imogen stared into nothing.

"Work?"

"C'mon, dear, we don't have much time. We'll just about manage to get you back on time."

"But--"

"We can't let the Titan's efforts go to waste! We need to investigate."

Imogen rose from the desk and picked up her bag.

"What efforts? Titan? Do you mean--"

"Yes, yes, Mr. Oakby Not So Exciting Senior." Petra laughed in the phone. "But perhaps, there is some potential there."

Imogen walked down the stairs and headed out. On the way she quickly rang up the chippy shop and ordered the Mayor his favourite. There was no need to starve the man just because she had suddenly been pulled into this ridiculous affair.

Petra was sitting in her bright blue Yaris, drumming her hands on the steering wheel. Imogen climbed inside.

"Look!" the archeologist exclaimed excitingly and shoved her mobile into Imogen's hands before starting the car.

Imogen quickly read what seemed to be an email from Mr. Oakby Snr to Dr. Nenadovich.

The subject line contained the words 'Pertaining to your hobby', and the body consisted of an address.

"What's this?" Imogen asked.

"It's an address! And it has something to do with our investigation, I'm certain!" Petra announced happily.

"Bu why would Mr. Oakby send you information related to the double murders? And how does he even know? And why would he--" Imogen continued mumbling only to be interrupted by Petra's laughter.

"I know! I was just as surprised! I was certain he wasn't even listening. And again, that's quite a gesture from the man! Perhaps, he's not as disgusted by my nose pressing escapades as he tries to seem."

Imogen would ruffle her hair and rub her temples as she normally did to stimulate mental activity in her barmy brain, but at the moment she was busy holding the door handle. Dr. Nenadovich drove like a maniac.

"What?" she asked weakly.

"I had tea with the Titan the other day," Dr. Nenadovich finally decided to provide poor confused Imogen with some additional data. "You should have seen his jumper! I sort of assumed the man slept in one of those posh three-piece suits of his. Maybe even standing up. Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed, as if an idea most ingenious had just visited her.

"Yes?" Imogen asked weakly, giving in to her fate. "Did you remember what the address has to do with our investigation?"

"No, no, of course not! I have no idea what the address is about," Petra dismissed. "I just had a peculiar image in my head: the Titan in pyjamas. But not that serious kind you buy in the Connaught Village. More like rubber duckies pattern. Yellow would suit him."