Strawberries and Sheep

By Milly Reynolds

With DI Mike Malone's wedding only two weeks away, the last thing he needs are a series of unexplained murders. However, when two women also disappear, then Mike finds that not only is his wedding at risk, but his own happiness.
This is the ninth in the Mike Malone mystery series where quirky plots and humour go hand in hand.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Milly Reynolds
• Release date: Mar 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310092022

Milly Reynolds

As you may have already guessed, Milly Reynolds is not my real name. Like my 'hero' Detective Inspector Mike Malone, I also hide my real identity. Having 'retired' from my job, I was a full-time teacher in a secondary school, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a writer. So why Mike Malone? I love all things detective and wanted to create my own series. However, I decided not to go for the deep, dark thriller - I could never compete with the masters of that genre, like Jo Nesbo whose books I adore? Therefore I came to the decision that the Mike Malone series would be off-beat. I like to think that there is humour in my books; I don't want to scare people, I want to make them chuckle - there is not enough laughter in the world at the moment. As the series has progressed, I have become very attached to Mike; he is the comfortable pair of slippers that I put on at night. My husband has also become attached to Fi and I am under strict instructions not to let anything happen to her - yet. Living in Lincolnshire, I love the flat, endless landscapes and want these to be seen in my books alongside places that I know and love. Mike Malone has moved from the city to Lincolnshire and has fallen in love with the place; me, I was born here and can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be. However, although Mike was my first creation, he is not the only one. I have also created Jack Sallt, another Detective Inspector. Jack is grittier than Mike and there is not the humour in his stories that there is in the Mike Malone stories. I wanted to write a more 'grown-up' detective story. When time allows this will be developed into a series as well. With two male detectives under my wing, I also decided that it was time for the girls to take centre stage and 'Scorpion's Tale', my first novel featuring Liv Harris, a character in the Jack Sallt novels, was published in 2013. I am hoping that Liv will make another appearance at some point in the future. Not content with crime, I have also wandered into the realms of romance; my first stand-alone novel 'The Unseen Sky' was published August 2011. I'm lucky, I enjoy writing and find it just as relaxing to sit and create as it is to read, although sometimes a good book can get in the way of my writing. I read on average 50/60 books a year and always keep my blog updated with reviews. Anyway, I hope you like my novels. I have fun coming up with ideas for Mike -...

Book preview

Prologue

Jana Sienko stamped her feet, trying to get as much snow as she could off her boots while her breath formed little white clouds which twirled around her head. She sighed, sending them skywards. Lukasz had been furious when he had got in from his night-shift at the local factory this morning; another argument with the local youths who resented his presence in the town and in their factory. Why couldn't everyone get along? She and Lukasz had come to this little town five months ago looking for work and a new life. The factory hadn't been what Lukasz had wanted, after all he had been an accountant back in Poland, but it was all that he could get. Cleaning hadn't been her first choice either, but at the moment there were no jobs in schools. One day.

Jana pushed open the door of the salon and stepped in, wrinkling her nose as she did so. What on earth had Toni been doing, the place smelt awful. Locking the door behind her, she flicked on the lights and looked around. The reception area was tidy; everything was in its place and even the shampoo bottles on the shelves were all standing to attention. It was all as it should be, but even so Jana felt the hairs on the back of her neck start to tingle. Something wasn't right. She could feel it. In the main salon, the chairs were in front of their mirrors, all waiting for the days' clients to grace them. Again, there was not a thing out of place, so why the awful smell? Deciding finally that it must be a problem with the drains, she headed towards the cupboard behind the Color Bar to collect her cleaning products, pulling her phone from her back pocket to ring Toni as she walked. Her phone never made it as far as her ear. It hovered at shoulder height while Jana tried to make sense of what she was seeing. A sheep was in a chair in front of one of the wash basins looking as if it was waiting to get its wool washed. Tentatively, Jana moved closer and saw that the basin had been filled to the brim with soapy water and the poor sheep, which must have been terrified, had defecated all over the chair and floor.

Jana! Jana! What's the problem? Jana! Toni's disembodied voice broke the silence.

1

I reached out an arm to switch off the alarm and then rolled over to nuzzle Fi's neck. Saturday morning and for once I had no urgent cases that needed my attention. I was going to lay here cuddled up to Fi's soft warm body all day.

What time is it? Fi's voice emerged from under the folds of the duvet.

Six-thirty. Go back to sleep. I held her tighter.

What did you set the alarm for? It's Saturday.

So that I could switch it off.

You're an idiot.

But you love me. I planted little butterfly kisses along the back of her neck while my hands set out on their voyage of discovery.

Mike, it's six-thirty.

And you're awake.

I'm not.

The buzzing of my phone stopped any further discussion and pulled my hands back to harbour.

Malone.

It's Grayson, Sir. You're needed at Antonio Ricci's.

Why? It's Saturday, Grayson. Send someone else.

You'd better go, Sir. Someone's murdered a sheep.

In a hair salon?

Yes, Sir.

I sighed deeply. Ring Shepherd and tell him I will pick him up. If I can't have a Saturday off, neither can he.

I put the phone down and felt Fi inching her way up the bed.

What's that about a hair salon?

Toni's. There's a dead sheep there apparently.

For goodness sake. The duvet was ripped from me as Fi sprang out of bed and stood before me, hands on hips. You'd better get it sorted out. Now.

Fi, calm down. It's a sheep.

I've got an appointment with Katie and Toni at eight-thirty. Katie's going to do a colour and then the three of us are going to discuss ideas for the wedding. So you'd better get this mess cleared up now.

I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. I don't think that Toni will be able to open the salon today, Fi.

Why ever not? It's a sheep, not a person. It's got four legs not two and it doesn't even have any bloody hair!

Fi, calm down. I won't know till I get there what sort of mess there will be, but there's bound to be some. Then the forensic team will need to go in. I'm sorry, but you'll have to re-arrange.

Fi flopped down on the bed, defeated. Tears had crept into her eyes and were glistening.

How can I re-arrange? I'm working all next week and the wedding is in two weeks. How can I take time off from the surgery to spend two hours in a salon having my hair coloured and styled. Everything's ruined.

The tears trickled slowly down her face and rested momentarily on her chin before leaping off into the great unknown. I took hold of her hand and stroked her fingers.

Let me see what the situation is. I'll have a chat with Toni and we'll see what we can come up with. It'll be ok. Trust me.

Fi looked up at me with a watery smile.

I just want everything to be perfect for our wedding day.

It will be, sweetheart. With me at your side, well, it can't be anything other than perfect can it?

Fi tried very hard to stop a giggle escaping, but it managed to break free. You're an idiot, Mike Malone. But I love you.

Toni Ricci was waiting by the door when we arrived, his hand running through his perfectly styled hair. I glanced in the rear mirror and hastily flattened my own, grimacing. How did he manage to look so good at that time in the morning?

Mr Malone, he was pulling at my car door. I am so pleased that you are here. Who on earth would attack me in this way?

That's what I'm here to find out, Mr Ricci.

Toni, please.

He opened my car door and I slid out inelegantly, all hope of matching Toni Ricci's grace flying off into the early morning air. I looked up at him, all six foot something of him, and felt like a hobgoblin. His carved features, his blue eyes and olive skin. He might have been born in England, but he looked as if he had just stepped off a Milan catwalk. I hated him.

This way, please.

He led the way into the salon, gliding like a panther over the threshold, his well-toned body stretching his v-neck sweater to the limit. It was bound to be a designer label, Armani or something like that. I pulled at the collar of my Marks and Spencer shirt.

The stench from the salon quickly overpowered Ricci's aftershave and dragged my mind back to the matter in hand. The murder.

Shepherd had left my side and was examining the floor. My attention was drawn to the poor innocent creature that had been so cruelly killed.

Did you find the sheep, Toni?

No, it was Jana. He pointed to a young woman who was sitting in one of the chairs in the main salon. Jana cleans the salon for me and she found ...

I went across and pulled over a chair, making sure that I positioned it so that I could see Jana and not my reflection in one of the many mirrors in the salon.

Tell me what happened, Jana.

She raised her head and I was taken immediately by her dark eyes which shone with intelligence. I guessed that she was in her late twenties and she was actually quite attractive; I could imagine her dark hair cascading over her shoulders once it had been released from the severe ponytail that it had been crushed into.

I arrived at just after six o'clock, let myself in and found the sheep.

Her English was excellent with a trace of an accent.

Did you touch anything when you entered the salon? Did you see anything strange?

Apart from a dead sheep? A smile floated across her eyes. No, everything seemed normal and I didn't touch the sheep at all. I just phoned Toni and he phoned you.

Did you notice any signs of a break-in?

The door was locked, but I never checked the back. Sorry. I just left the sheep and came back in here to wait for Toni.

That's fine. Tell me, where do you come from?

Bielany, it's west of Krakow.

So why move here?

A better life. We had hoped so but... I raised my eyebrow, about to wonder why it was better to clean in England than Poland, but a flash in her eyes stopped me. I am a teacher, but your English schools do not want me. So I am cleaning. My husband is an accountant, but he works in a factory. We are still waiting for this better life. Jana's head dropped again.

Can I ask you to come to the back with me now to see if you can spot anything … different?

Jana got to her feet and led the way through to the back of the salon where she stood in silence as she looked around her.

Anything?

Towels. Toni always makes sure that the towels are in the washing machines when he closes. One of my jobs is to take them out and stack them ready for the morning. But look, there are several just thrown by the machine.

As Jana put out a hand to open the back door, I stopped her.

Let me, just in case there are fingerprints on there. I pulled on a glove and pushed down the handle. The door opened effortlessly.

It's not been forced. Either Toni forgot to lock it or someone let themselves in. Who else has keys, do you know?

No.

Ok, Jana. Thank you.

What shall I do now?

"Well, it will be a while before we can let Toni open the salon, so do what he says. I don't think I need to ask you anything else,