Private Investigation

Unexpected Revelations

"So we're supposed to believe that a man with no real feelings for his wife, kept her handkerchief 'because they hated being apart'? I can see why she wasn't an actress." Hester threw her briefcase behind the door, a thick brown file in her right hand.

"I can't think how else it would get there." Anadil remarked, throwing the curtains of the study open to start a new day.

As they expected Sophie had panicked as soon as they mentioned the handkerchief she began rambling about memories of a time gone by and how he changed Rhian. Nothing of any substance or of any use.

"Maybe she left it before the murder," Dot offered as she set up the type writer on the desk "it could just be a coincidence." She payed little attention to Hester's varying expressions (although it was mainly a silent way of saying you can't be serious) "Not everyone is a murderer."

"They are if they're pushed enough." Anadil remarked so casually, Dot almost missed it.

The white haired detective glanced down at an empty mug on the desk then back to Dot who was now flicking through a short hand dictionary. "Dot, could you make us some coffee?"

"Do I look like a secretary to you?"

Anadil's eyes scanned Dot's black circle dress down to the ivy embroidered hem to her polished leather heels and then back to her short curly hair carrying at least half a bottle of hair lacquer. "Honestly? Yes." Anadil concluded.

"She's trying to impress the chrome-plated killer." The pair turned towards Hester, pinning pictures of the suspects to a board.

"I am not!"

Hester ignored the response from Dot, "black with-"

"More sugar than water?" Hester didn't respond but Dot knew, without looking, she earned an eyeroll even though she was right. It was one of the first things Dot found out about Hester, she had a massive sweet tooth. Before Anadil joined them they would go on a stake out with two hot chocolates and a bag fudge, they would visit the corner shop like two children and fill their pockets with sweet treats. Sometimes it was difficult for Dot to remember that girl when she was terrifying suspects but she always could, deep down it was the same Hester.

She left the other two to finish 'setting up' the timeline (even though she knew very little would get done if they were alone).

The vast size of the manor made it hard for Dot to find her way. She knew once she left the study that hallway would lead to the entrance with the grand staircase and up there were three bedrooms on the first floor, or was it four, with a games room and a sitting room. The second floor contained another two bedrooms and some other rooms she was yet to find out about. Back on the ground floor, the hallway opposite he study took her to a sitting room which then diverged to the kitchen and the dinning room, probably.

With her mind preoccupied trying to form a map in her mind, Dot pushed open the posh white door, and was taken aback by three unfamiliar girls. They all looked like they had fallen out of a fairy-tale, with perfect hair, perfect skin and perfect clothes. Dot thought they made Sophie look almost ordinary, although she would never say that to her face.

"You the scuffers then?" asked the blonde as she stood up, intimidatingly tall in heels.

"I'm sorry?" It would be an understatement to say Dot was not expecting that.

"She's asking if you're with the police." said the girl on the right of the blonde, pulling her raven black ponytail over her shoulder.

"Private Detective Dorothy Sheriff." Before Dot had the chance to say anything else the shortest of the three stood up.