Left Luggage

By Milly Reynolds

DI Mike Malone and his friend and colleague, DS Alan Shepherd, initially think that they have another one of their bizarre cases to solve. The local townsfolk are reporting that letters are being shaved into their cats' fur. However, when a particularly gruesome murder is discovered, Mike Malone realises that he must forget about the cats and concentrate on finding a killer. And on top of all this, he is to be best man for his friend. A DI's life is never dull.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Milly Reynolds
• Release date: Oct 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005308209

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

June Jennings opened her bedroom curtains and looked out onto the garden. Although frost was still painting the lawn and the shed roof, last night’s weather forecast had predicted some sun for later. She stretched. This was her time. John was in the shop where he had been for the past couple of hours sorting out the deliveries for the paper-boys and greeting his regular early morning customers. Therefore, with the house being wonderfully peaceful, she could sit and read for half an hour over breakfast before going to join him. The Book Club choice was not particularly inspiring her. Nigel had chosen it and as it was the first time since joining that he had ever made a suggestion, they had unanimously voted for it. She supposed it made a change from some of the crime and romances that they had read but Sci-Fi survival was not for her. She found that she didn’t really care whether or not Mark ever got back home. Hopefully the next book would have her binge reading again. She was about to turn from the window when something caught her eye. Misty was trotting over the white grass to the house. Evidently the little cat had spotted movement and had decided that it was time for breakfast. But it wasn’t so much the fact that the cat was walking across the whitened grass that had caused June to look twice, it was that fact across her back someone had shaved a letter ‘G’.

1

Audrey Rice finished her coffee and picked up her bag. Nick was on duty tonight so she would ring Tilly later and invite her for a drink or a bite to eat. Her treat. She was feeling guilty about Tilly. Since getting together with the handsome Nick Flowers, she had rather neglected her friend. To tell the truth she was feeling more than guilty. Tilly had been her shoulder when Mark had left her and now, as soon as a new man had come along, she had deserted her friend. In her heart she knew that Tilly wouldn’t even have thought about it, her social life was pretty full on. It wouldn’t even have crossed her mind. Sometimes Audrey wondered what made their friendship work, they were so different. Tilly was all clubs and dancing while she preferred country walks and quiet meals. When she wasn’t in a dark club, Tilly could always be found in a gym working up a sweat while the only sweat that Audrey tolerated was a sauna on a spa day. Maybe it was their differences that made them friends. When Tilly had applied for a post at Field Fare, Audrey had employed her without hesitation; she had felt an immediate connection. Although Tilly had now left and had her own office working as an independent mortgage advisor in Holbeach, they had kept in regular contact until PC Nick Flowers had come onto the scene. She’d phone her when she got to work. They had some catching up to do.

Remember that I won’t be here when you get home, Fi said as she took my plate from me and put it in the dishwasher.

Don’t worry, I’m only coming home to get changed and maybe grab a coffee. I’ll be fine, you go and live the high life.

A pamper session and a nice meal is not exactly the high life. Poor Sally had trouble even getting Nina to agree to that. She was adamant that she didn’t want a Hen Party, that she was too old.

Nina is one for the quiet life. Just think of us out with Bob tonight, I grinned.

I hope Bob enjoys what you have planned for him. Just make sure he has a nice time, Mike. In his own way, he’s very like Nina. They are both very quiet people.

Bob will be fine. You can trust me.

Actually, it’s not really Bob I’m worried about. I remember the last time you were let loose. I think I still have the tassel in a drawer somewhere, she laughed. I’m trusting Alan to keep you in check.

You don’t have to worry about me, I’ll behave. I kissed Fi’s cheek as I grabbed my jacket. What time tomorrow will you be back?

Mid morning, Cat’s picking the children up from Tanya’s about eleven - if not earlier. Will you be here?

I should be.

Well, have a good night and please don’t do anything stupid, Mike.

I won’t. Enjoy yourself tonight. Is Nina’s niece still hoping to come down?

Yes, it’s all arranged. Sally is picking her up and dropping her at the hotel before coming back to pick up Nina. Nina will be over the moon to see Vicki, she didn’t think she’d be able to make it. It will be a lovely surprise for her.

I just hope young Vicki can keep up with you racy ladies.

She can try.

Dan Marshall wiped down the table and headed to the reception area to call his next patient.

Dan, got a mo? a voice called.

He stopped at the door of his partner’s consulting room. Neil Britton grinned up at him.

You did say when I joined you to always expect the unexpected.

What’s happened? Dan’s first thought had been that a defenceless animal had suffered unspeakable injuries, but the smile on Neil’s face showed that this was probably going to be another of Mike’s odd cases. Don’t tell me, Mike Malone has phoned.

No. Mrs Jennings. Someone has shaved a letter ‘G’ into her cat’s back.

Dan laughed. This town gets you every time. Is the cat hurt?

She says not, but I told her to pop the cat in and we will check her over. Although, it just sounds as if someone has been playing a prank.

The mystery is, Dan pondered as he rubbed his chin like any number of TV detectives, what does the letter ‘G’ mean?

I’ll get the magnifying glass, Holmes.

The station was quiet when I arrived, no lost dogs, no graffiti, no stolen milk bottles. Everything was peaceful. Too peaceful. It left me with my thoughts and how all the surveillance that we had put in over the past months had come to nothing. The powers that be had been unable to link Harvey Powell to anything drugs related. His car had been empty, all thanks to DI Doades who was now facing charges himself. As for our own little gang, Joe Trevor’s place was empty, Alistair Poole had injured himself in an accident and Tony Corrigan was still missing. Everyone seemed to have got away scot free which was galling. As for keeping up the surveillance and catching our own boys red-handed, well that was proving a lot more difficult. The distribution method had changed. The drugs were no longer being held at The Fox and Ricky Johnson was no longer making his trips to the coast. Even Alistair Poole no longer seemed to be involved. It looked as if these three were no longer on the payroll. Everything had changed and we were back to square one. We had to start all over again trying to track where the drugs were coming in. DI Doades had really messed things up. I sighed deeply and decided to think of better things, things that I could control so I instructed my thoughts to check on arrangements for tonight. Bob Archer had been a difficult man to arrange a stag-do for. He was, in truth, quite a private man. Not for him raucous parties and heavy drinking sessions. So that ruled out nightclubs and pub crawls. He was not the most physically active man so an afternoon spent firing paint-balls like I had arranged for Shepherd would also not have fitted the bill. Add to the mix the fact that Bob had no real close friends and I had been handed a Gordian Knot. It was only Fi’s gentle probing of Nina that had finally solved the problem. Bob had never been in a helicopter and that experience was actually easier to arrange than I had imagined. Shepherd had contacted one of his uncle’s old friends who just happened to own his own helicopter and he had agreed to take Bob up. As it was Shepherd who had arranged it all, he was going to pick Bob up and accompany him. The intention was to fly out to the coast and back, a nice round trip. I had told Shepherd that he had to take photos of the trip for Nina and to make sure he got some of Bob’s face when he realised where he was going.

So, part one was taken care of. Part two had been trickier to arrange but I hoped that I had got it just right. Although Bob was not particularly outgoing like some pub landlords, his regulars did have a lot of time for him and they wanted to do something for him as well. So, Fred Greengrass and Nigel Henson had come up with the idea of a food crawl. The wives had all got together and come up with a lavish menu of good home cooked food. So, all Shepherd and I had to do was get Bob to each residence for each course. As it meant one of us being the chauffeur, Shepherd had elected to be teetotal for the night. In this way, each of Bob’s regular customers would welcome him into their home, share in his evening and show him just how much he was regarded. I just hoped he enjoyed it. I knew I would. My stomach had been in training for days.

Shepherd arrived carrying the mandatory mug of tea. No biscuits today, not with the evening to look forward to. As Katy was now nearly six months old, Shepherd was looking more like his old self. The disturbed nights were now more or less a distant memory. She was such a sweet little thing and each time she held her arms out to me, my heart would just go all squidgy. Not that I would ever tell Shepherd that, I had my reputation to keep intact.

Everything still ok for later? I asked.

I’m picking Bob up just after three. It should only take about forty five minutes to get to Geoff’s and we should be in the air by four.

I want to know Bob’s reaction.

I’ll get photographic evidence.

Betty Greengrass is expecting us at seven, I told him.

Not a problem. We’ll be there by then. Do you think Bob will enjoy himself?

I hope so. It will show him how well he is thought of. You know, lad, I’m quite looking forward to seeing another side of Bob tonight. Apart from talking to him behind the bar, have we ever had a conversation with him?

"No. I actually have no idea about his likes and dislikes. It