Relatively Deceased: The 27th Murray Barber P . I . Case

By Julie Burns-Sweeney

Julie was born in 1968, lives in Cornwall and her writing is her hobby. She is influenced by the tracing of her family tree back over 500yrs.
Murray is a private investigator with a difference, he can hear the dead speak! Along with his friend Jeff from C.I.D. and the 'late' Jake, Murray solves a number of cases.

RELATIVELY DECEASED

The man standing accused of Melissa’s murder has just been acquitted. Hired by her mother, can Murray break his alibi or find the real killer?
Albert Tamblyn-Ward wants to find the illegitimate descendants of his late brother, William, who was killed in action during the Second World War.
And how can a simple escort job to Bristol, accompanying Alex who’s hiding from her husband, go wrong?
Coincidences? Or are they all relatively deceased?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780244704322

Book preview

Relatively Deceased: The 27th Murray Barber P . I . Case

RELATIVELY DECEASED

THE 27th

MURRAY BARBER P.I.

CASE

by

Julie Burns Sweeney

Copyright: 2018

ISBN: 978-0-244-70432-2

Published by: Lulu.com

CHAPTER ONE

Murray glanced slowly around the coffee shop and back at Rhea Lockett.  She was emotional and he could understand why. Her seventeen year old daughter had been strangled and left up on the Moor, over a year ago now, but the man both she and the police believed had killed her, had just walked free from court. Acquitted. Not guilty. Murray could certainly use his ‘contacts’ to find out the truth but just how he would explain his ‘techniques’ to this woman, he wasn’t sure. Having a ‘gift’ for hearing the dead wasn’t that easy to explain to people!

I can’t let it rest Mr Barber. Everything led to this man. He knew Melissa, his son was in her class at school. His car was seen on the Moor road that day. They even found a school tie still around her neck! I can’t believe he has been acquitted…. Please…. Please break his alibi, he had to be lying.

If the police couldn’t break it, I’m not sure I can. But… I will look in to this for you. I have a contact on the Force. I’ll do some digging over the weekend and see if there’s anything new I can unbury. Maybe… if he really is innocent… I can come up with a new lead?

Thank you…

Otherwise… before you thank me, I’ll save you some money and not take the case. He tried to sound as reassuring as he could.

I understand. You have faith in the police investigation. I just need to know the truth. She looked him straight in the eyes. Whatever it is. And I’ll pay you for your time regardless. She pushed the folder over towards his side of the table. Murray sighed and shuffled the papers together. He picked up the folder and smiled one last time.

If Thomas Thornton is guilty of murdering your daughter, I will find out.

He left her sitting in the coffee shop and headed back to the carpark. A quick glance at his watch told him it was five o’clock already and he had an hour to drive the thirty miles and find the elderly Albert Tamblyn-Ward at the Restaway Nursing Home. It wouldn’t normally take him an hour to drive thirty miles but it was Friday night and he was about to hit all the rush hour traffic!

Work was busy. He had an insurance job to stake out over the weekend and he couldn’t just leave that to the ‘late’ Jake Kelly as he needed photo evidence that Andrew Trembath was not as injured as his claim stated. Murray had been given a tip off by the insurance company that Mr Trembath was going to attend an auction on the Saturday afternoon. It was a good starting point. And now, with his phone ringing like it was bell ringing practice, he had Mrs Lockett and Mr Tamblyn-Ward on his books.

As he got through the Friday night traffic and headed out of town along the coast road it started to rain. The air-con in his car had packed up so he had to open his window to stop his windscreen from steaming up. It was getting dark, it was cold and now he was getting wet as well!

It was three minutes to six when he parked up in the small carpark in front of Restaway Nursing Home. The Victorian looking building was hidden under a layer of ivy which rustled as the rain streamed down over its leaves. Murray ran to the front door and rang the doorbell. An intercom system fizzed and a woman’s voice spoke from a small plastic box attached to the right side of the door.

Hello?

Ah.. hello. My name is Murray Barber. I believe Mr Tamblyn-Ward is expecting me.

Oh yes… I’ll buzz you in… There followed the sound of a long buzz and Murray pushed open the door and stepped inside the lobby. The warmth of the narrow room was more than welcome and the smile on the young blonde woman’s face at the desk even more so. Mr Barber… The woman had got to her feet and was already moving towards the interior door to take Murray to meet the elderly gentleman. He’s ready and waiting for you. Barely touched his dinner, not that he eats much these days! I will warn you, he is very frail. He is on medication but he also drifts off every now and then, please don’t let it bother you, he’s fine… for now. She led him along the ground floor corridor and into a communal lounge at the end. Various elderly people were sat in armchairs around a television watching the evening news. One lady was sat in the window with a cassette player and earphones in her ears. The cassette case on the small table next to her showed she was listening to an audio book by the one and only Agatha Christie. Albert, your guest is here! This is Mr Barber. She turned to Murray and offered him a small armchair next to the frail man in a dressing gown and slippers who was sat, a little slumped, in a chair in the corner. He lifted his head and smiled at Murray as he offered a shaking hand. Murray took the hand in both of his and sat down. I’ll bring some tea. Do you take sugar Mr Barber? Murray nodded and thanked her.

I’m so glad you came. Albert’s pale blue eyes lit up.

No problem, you said something about tracing your niece on the phone? Murray took out his notebook.

Yes, well, it could be a niece… could be a nephew. I’d better explain. He sat forward holding one shaky hand in the other. I have no family. My dear wife died seven years ago now. We never had children of our own. My wife had been an only child and she always said her parents had never been interested in her. I had only one brother, William, but he was killed in the War. He wasn’t married but he did have a sweetheart and from one of the letters that were passed on to the family after his death, well, this lady friend tells him she was expecting their baby! Murray let a smile cross his face as he watched the twinkle in Albert’s eye. Unfortunately, we never kept in touch with this lady… what with the War and everything. She had lived in Portsmouth and it was heavily bombed. We never knew what became of the baby either. His twinkle disappeared. I imagine she has left us now but hopefully the baby grew up and is doing ok somewhere.

You’d like to find this baby? Murray asked.

Need to leave my worldly goods to someone! The twinkle returned. Now… He reached into his dressing gown pocket. I’ve got the letter here. He pulled out an old faded envelope and handed it to Murray. It has her address on but I don’t think that even exists anymore I’m afraid.

Murray carefully opened it and read the name at the bottom of the page.

Florrie.

"Her full name was Florence Jayne Kiddlesfield. We knew that from his letters to her. They were logged before they were sent from his posting. But