Conor was shouting against the weather. ‘When you said you were going to sort it out, I didn’t expect you to fecking try and kill him!’
‘What are you on about?’ Sabrina shouted back.
‘He’s in Penrigan General– been poisoned, according to Mrs Harris, anyways.’
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sabrina quickly got dressed and walked up to the market.
Knowing exactly where she would find out all she needed to know, she pushed the door open to Monique’s to see an effusive Linda Harris holding court to Ben the butcher, Nigel the fishmonger and Kara, who was getting her daily pastries.
‘I take it you’ve heard the news, too Jilly?’
‘What news?’
‘Well, Gideon’s new girlfriend, she’s a nurse and, well, yes, Gideon popped in earlier to tell me. I’m not supposed to say anything, of course, so please don’t gossip, but yes, Lowen Kellow has been poisoned, evidently. Weedkiller, of all things! He was rushed to Penrigan General yesterday with terrible stomach pains and nausea. His breathing was affected too. His girlfriend, who runs a hairdressers in Penrigan, was distraught. Screaming the place down, she was. Josie, that’s Gideon’s new squeeze, said anyone would think he was going to die the way she was carrying on.’
‘Shit. That sounds serious.’ Sabrina felt slightly faint. Yes, he was a cheating bastard, but she wouldn’t wish something as terrible as this on anyone.
‘Is he going to be alright?’ Kara’s brow was wrinkled with concern.
‘Yes, it was only a small amount, I think. and I’m sure we’d have heard if he’d croaked it.’
‘He’s a tricky fish, that one.’ Nigel chipped in. ‘But who on earth would want to do that to him?’
‘Jilly, you’ve gone a bit pale. Wasn’t you, was it?’ Linda Harris laughed and then started shuffling around behind the counter. ‘You never know what goes on behind the scenes, do you? Now, what can I get you all?’
With coffee in hand, Sabrina had just started walking down to Tinsel Town when she noticed Conor calling.
‘Monique has just called to say it looks like the old bill have just pulled up outside your shop. If they’re coming to you, say nothing. No comment all the way.’
Sabrina felt her heart skip. ‘Conor, you’re scaring me now.’
‘Say nothing, you hear me.’
She pulled her shoulders back and approached the waiting policemen with a smile.
‘Jillian Swift?’
Shit, they had already done their homework, Sabrina though. ‘Yes, that’s me.’
‘It’s PC Dobbins and PC Greenway from Penrigan Police Station. We’d like a quick chat with you, if that’s OK.’
‘So, what would you say is your relationship with Lowen Kellow?’ Both police officers stood in front of shop the counter whilst Sabrina sat awkwardly on the high stool opposite them.
‘Umm. Relationship? Umm. Well, he’s the market inspector. So, what kind of relationship and I supposed to have with him? I don’t know.’
‘You seem edgy.’ The younger of the two police officers with a neat beard announced.
‘Iamedgy, because I have two policemen in my shop.’ Sabrina shifted her bum on the uncomfortable seat. It made her feel like she was back on set as Polly Malone. Who would have most definitely not seemed edgy at all. Conor’s words of no comment flashed through her mind but knowing the system so well after playing Polly for so long, that ‘no comment’ would make her sound guilty– which she clearly wasn’t. However, what she was guilty of was shagging another man’s woman and pretending to be someone else and disturbingly they already had proof of the latter.
A thought occurred to her, and Sabrina’s mouth fell open. Dom knew people who knew people, but she hadn’t expected him to go this extreme. Maybe the darkness within the man she had been going to marry really did hold no bounds.
‘Has something happened to Lowen? Is that why you are here?’ Sabrina managed to keep her voice level.
‘Would you care if it had?’
‘What kind of question is that?’ Sabrina stood up.
