A Clean Murder

Chapter 1

“Here comes trouble,” Ray Rosenthorpe said as he looked up from his weeding.

A tanned man in his early thirties walked along the street towards Ray’s house; a ladder carried effortlessly on his shoulder. He grinned at Ray and said, “I can feel my ears burning. Are you talking about me?”

“I was about to. How are you, Linus?”

“Not so bad.” Linus walked into Ray’s drive and over to the house. He propped his ladder against the wall and put a bucket of soapy water on the ground. “Isn’t it a smashing day? I’m glad I work outside. I couldn’t bear being stuck in an office. Who’s your friend?”

Ray turned to the skinny, young man at his side. “This is Cain. He works with our Julia in her cleaning business.”

Cain nodded at Linus. “Hi. Me and Julia have finished early today.”

Ray added, “And I’ve asked the poor lad to help me sort my garden out. Cain’s got his own part-time gardening business so I thought he could do with the practise.” He grinned at his friend.

“Gardening? That’s another good job to have. Always out in the fresh air. My kind of job. I love being outside. Except when it’s freezing, blowing a gale or pelting down with rain.” Linus laughed. “I can always take cover in my van if that happens.”

“How long have you been a window cleaner?” Cain asked.

“Since I was old enough to work. This is my dad’s round. The business passed to me when he died.” Linus frowned and looked up the street.

Ray and Cain turned their heads to see what he was looking at.

Linus shook his head slightly and looked back at them. “I keep thinking I’m seeing things.”

“What sort of things?” Ray asked.

“Like someone is following me. I keep seeing the edge of a white van. I’m probably imagining it. There are hundreds of white vans around here.” He looked towards Ray’s house. “Am I doing them all as usual?”

“Yes, please.”

Cain walked closer to Linus and peered into the bucket at his side. “Do you have a special detergent for the windows?”

Linus gave him a sideways look. “I might have. I might not.”

Cain explained, “I have a special one that I use for the inside of windows. It’s a recipe my gran gave me. Well, not a recipe like something you’d eat. But it has got ...” Cain abruptly stopped.

Linus grinned. “I’m guessing it’s got ingredients you’d use in cooking.”

Cain looked away. “It might have. It might not.”

“I have something along those lines in mine too. We’re probably using the same secret ingredient.” Linus touched Cain on the shoulder causing Cain to look back. Linus tapped the side of his nose and said, “Your secret is safe with me.”

Ray walked over to the pair. “You should start a secret club. Linus, how’s business?”

“I’m doing all right. It’s difficult being a one-man operation, but I manage.” Linus lowered his voice even though there was no one else within earshot. “Have you seen that new development that’s going up? Over on Woodlands Road? There are going to be fifty new houses.”

“Aye, I’ve seen them,” Ray said. “I’m not keen on new houses. They just throw them up in weeks, and they all look the same.”

“I’m not keen on them either,” Linus said. “But they have windows, and those windows need cleaning. I’ve approached the building company and asked if they could put my name forward to the new occupiers. It’ll mean more business for me. I’m waiting to hear back from the building company.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.” Ray looked at Linus for a second. “Are you sure you’ll be able to cope with extra work? You’re already working every week day. And I’m sure I’ve seen you working on a weekend too.”

“I’ll be fine. My dad managed, and I’ll manage too. I have got someone to help me with the paperwork side of things, but that’s the only help I need.” He made a move towards his ladders. “I’ll get on. I’m not going to make any money by standing here chatting all day.” He glanced towards Cain. “Are you sniffing my bucket?”

Cain’s cheeks coloured. “I was getting a small whiff. It accidentally came my way. Ray, I’ll get back to the weeding.” He scurried away.

Ray chuckled, and said to Linus, “He’s a good lad. He’s had some hard times in his life, but things have turned around for him now. Can I get you a drink of something?”

“No, thanks. I’m going to Berry Street later, and there are a few elderly ladies who insist on making me tea. I always accept and have a little chat with them. I think I’m the only person they see some days.”

Ray reached into his pocket and withdrew a five-pound-note. “I’ll pay you now then you don’t have to come back later.”

Linus took the note, put it in his pocket and gave Ray a ten-pence-coin.

Ray waved his hands. “Keep it. I’m not bothered about ten pence.”

“I am.” Linus pushed the coin towards him. “I charge £4.90 for your windows, and I won’t take a penny more.”

Ray reluctantly took the coin. “You don’t charge enough.”

Linus took out a small notebook and pencil. He opened it and noted something down. “I’ll mark you as paid. I like to keep my accounts up to date.” He looked over Ray’s shoulder and frowned. “That’s the third white van I’ve seen today.”

Ray quickly turned his head. “It’s a plain one. It could be a delivery van.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Linus picked up his bucket and was up the ladder in seconds.

Ray shook his head. Linus didn’t charge enough for his services. Just like his dad before him. Over the years, Ray had received flyers through the post from other window cleaners, and their charges were double what Linus charged. Ray had put the flyers straight in the recycling bin. He wouldn’t want anyone other than Linus Watkins doing his windows. There was something decent and honest about him.

Ray went around to the back of the house and found Cain grabbing a dandelion.

Cain said, “This one isn’t giving up the fight easily.”

“Put your back into it.” Ray walked over to him.

Cain stopped pulling on the weed. “What’s wrong? You’re looking thoughtful.”

“I’m worried about Linus. I don’t know how long he can keep going on his own. He really could do with someone to help him.”

“I bet he sees all sorts of things when he’s cleaning windows. Me and Julia see all sorts when we clean houses. But we would never tell anyone what we’d seen. Julia says we have to respect our clients’ privacy.”

“Quite right too. Linus has told me before that he hears people arguing, but he’s got to pretend he didn’t hear a word. And some people keep their curtains closed when he’s due to clean them. It makes you wonder what they’re hiding inside.”

They were both silent for a moment as they thought about the secrets people might be keeping from their window cleaner.

Linus had Ray’s windows cleaned in ten minutes. He said goodbye before throwing the ladders on to his shoulders and walking away.

Cain looked towards the windows and nodded in admiration. “He’s done a great job. I wonder what he’s got in that detergent?”

Ray’s attention was on the main road. “Cain, there’s that plain white van again.”

“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Chapter 2

Ray and Cain spent the rest of the afternoon working in the garden.

“You may as well stay for dinner,” Ray told Cain when they’d finished. “Do you want to help me make a chilli con carne? Kathleen loves that. She’s having a hectic week at school, and I think that’ll cheer her up.”

“Are you sure I’m not any trouble? I’m always round here.”

“You’re no trouble at all. You’re like part of the family. And you can chop the onions. I hate chopping onions. I know there’s suppose to a method of chopping them so you don’t cry, but it’s never worked for me.”

They packed up their gardening equipment and went into the kitchen to clean themselves up. Ray put the radio on, and the pair were soon singing along to songs as they prepared the evening meal.

Ray switched the kettle on at 4 o’clock. “Kathleen should be here any minute. I’ll get a cup of tea ready for her. Do you want one?”

“I never say no to tea.” Cain wiped the onion tears away that were streaming down his face.

Kathleen hadn’t arrived home twenty minutes later, and Ray began to pace around the kitchen. “I hope she’s okay. I hope she’s not stuck in traffic anywhere.”

“She might have stayed behind at school to have a word with someone. Maybe a parent wanted to talk to her.”

Ray stopped pacing. “Aye, that’ll be it.”

It was another thirty minutes before a harassed-looking Kathleen walked through the door. She was immediately caught up in a bear hug from her husband.

“Where have you been? We were worried about you.” Ray released her. “I made you a cup of tea, but it’s gone cold.”

Cain went over to the kettle. “I’ll make you a fresh one. And we’re making a chilli for dinner. I helped.”

Kathleen extracted herself from Ray’s grip, sank into the nearest kitchen chair and said, “I’ve been stuck in traffic. My phone was in my bag on the back seat so I couldn’t reach it to phone you.” She gave Ray a tired smile. “That chilli smells delicious.”

Ray sat next to her and put his hand on top of hers. “You look all done in. Where was this traffic jam?”

“It was on Berry Street.” Her smile became strained. “Ray, I’ve got some bad news for you. It’s about our window cleaner.”

“Linus?” Ray said. “He was round here earlier. What’s happened to him? Don’t tell me he’s dead?”

Cain came over to the table. “Was he run over by a large white van?”

Kathleen looked at them. “What sort of lives are we leading where we presume everyone has been tragically killed? No, he isn’t dead. But he’s been badly injured. While I was waiting in the traffic on Berry Street, I noticed his van parked on the opposite side of the street. I looked out for Linus because I reckoned he’d know why there was so much traffic today. But then I heard some of the neighbours talking and it didn’t take me long to work out that Linus had been injured. The neighbour said he’d fallen off his ladder. She’d heard him yelling and went to investigate. She said his legs and arms were twisted at funny angles, so she phoned for an ambulance.”

Ray frowned. “Fallen off his ladder? He’s a professional window cleaner. He’s never fallen off his ladder before.”

Cain said to Kathleen, “Did you notice any plain white vans driving around?”

“What’s this obsession with white vans?” Kathleen asked. “I didn’t notice any. But then again, they’re so common that I could have seen one and not registered it.”

Ray shook his head. “Poor Linus. Did the neighbour say how badly he was injured?”

“She didn’t, but I saw him being brought out on a stretcher. You know how tanned he is from being outside all the time? Well, even from down the road I could see how pale he was. I thought the worst for a second, but then he rolled his head to one side, and I could see his lips moving.”

“What was he saying? Could you read his lips?” Cain asked. “Did he mention a van?”

Kathleen gave Cain a stern look. “What’s all this about a van? And don’t even think about lying, young man.” She tapped the table. “Sit down and tell me everything.”

“Yes, miss.” Cain slunk into a seat and told Kathleen about their conversation with Linus.

Ray said, “So, you can see why we’re concerned about this van business.”

“I can see that. But I can also see it’s none of your business. Don’t be getting yourselves involved in anything. You two have got a habit of doing that.” She looked from one to the other. “Am I making myself clear?”

Ray and Cain mumbled in unison, “Yes.”

“Good. I’m going to get changed. Will that chilli be ready soon? And will there be garlic bread to go with it?”

“Yes,” came another mumbled reply.

As soon as Kathleen left the kitchen, Cain whispered, “I don’t like it when she uses her teacher’s voice on me; it scares me.”

“It scares me too.” Ray stood up. “We’d better get on with the meal. We’ll put all thoughts of Linus Watkins from our heads.”

Ray and Cain did just that. They didn’t mention Linus once as they all tucked into their meal later.

It was only when Ray was driving Cain home later that the subject came up again.

Ray said, “It’s a lovely evening for a drive. Are you in a rush to get home?”

“Not particularly. If you turn left here, we could drive past the hospital. It’s an interesting building, and I wouldn’t mind looking at it again.”

“Me too.” Ray drove towards the hospital. “Seeing as we’re so close, we could pop in and see how Linus is doing. What do you think to that?”

“I think that’s a great idea, seeing as we’re just driving past.”

Ray drove into the car park and soon found a space. He paid for parking and then walked with Cain into the hospital.

They asked about Linus Watkins at the reception desk, but the man behind it wasn’t able to give them any information as they were not relatives.

Ray said to the man, “We’re as good as family. I’ve known him for years. And I knew his dad. Can’t you just tell me if he’s okay?”

The man shook his head. “I’m sorry. All I can tell you is that Linus Watkins was brought in here earlier today.”

A woman behind Ray and Cain said, “Linus Watkins? Are you friends of his?”

They turned around to find a young woman standing there. It was clear she’d been crying.

Ray said, “Yes, we know Linus. I’m Ray, and this is Cain. Do you know how he is?”

The woman nodded. “I work for Linus. I do his accounts and that sort of thing. The hospital contacted me as Linus hasn’t got any family.” She swallowed and took a moment to compose herself. “He’s broken his arm and leg. He’s having them seen to now. He was in such a state when I first saw him in his hospital room. He kept babbling on about something. Don’t ask me what; it didn’t make any sense.”

Ray handed her a tissue. “How did the accident happen?”

The woman took the tissue. “I was told he’d fallen off his ladder. But that’s not like Linus at all. He’s so safety conscious.” She sniffed. “He hasn’t got anyone to do his cleaning work for him now. He’s going to lose his business. It’s going to break his heart.” She started to cry.

Ray moved closer and patted her on the shoulder. “Come on, dry those tears. We’ll sort something out. What’s your name?”

“Angie. I don’t see how you can sort anything out. No one can.”

Ray smiled at her. “There’s always a way. I’ve got an idea. But I’ll have to speak to Linus about it.”

Angie gave him a wobbly smile. “You’ll have to speak to him tomorrow. The doctors told me he won’t be in a fit state to see anyone until then. Do you really think you can help him?”

“I’m certain of it.” Ray gave her a bright smile. He vaguely recalled Kathleen’s words about not getting involved, but he pushed those right out of his head.

Chapter 3

The next morning was Thursday, and Cain had to go to work. Ray was planning on going back to the hospital.

Ray had promised Cain he would let him know what Linus thought of their plan to help him.

Before leaving for the hospital, Ray had phoned reception and asked if he could visit Linus. He’d been told he could.

Kathleen had overheard Ray on the phone and had raised her eyebrows in question.

Ray gave her a jolly laugh and said, “I’m merely popping in to see Linus. I’ll take him some grapes.” He hadn’t told her about his talk with Angie at the hospital the previous evening.

“Hmm,” was Kathleen’s reply. “You’re up to something. I suppose I’ll find out what that is in due course.”

Ray now walked down the hospital corridor with a bag of grapes tucked under his arm. His ready smile fell from his face as he entered Linus’ room and saw him lying in bed. His right arm and right leg were in plaster. Purple bruises were the only bits of colour on Linus’ pale face.

“By heck!” Ray exclaimed. “You look awful.”

“Thanks.” Linus managed a wan smile.

Ray took a seat. “I’ve brought you some grapes.”

“You can put them with the others.”

Ray looked towards the bedside table. There was a big bowl of fruit with a bow on it, a chocolate cake, some homemade lemonade and three bunches of grapes.

Ray added his grapes to the others. “You’re popular.”

Linus winced as he smiled. “These are from my customers. I’ve already had three visitors this morning. It’s good of you to come and see me.”

“Think nothing of it. What happened yesterday? People are saying you fell off your ladder. That doesn’t sound like you.”

“I know. But that’s what happened. One minute I was reaching towards an upstairs window, and the next, I was on the grass looking upwards. I must have overreached.”

“That really doesn’t sound like you at all. Where were you when this happened? I know you were on Berry Street, but which house?”

Linus’ eyes narrowed. “It’s all a bit of a blur. I’d just done Mrs Boothroyd’s windows. She’s at number 78. I went to my van with a cup of tea. I told you what they’re like on that street for making me cups of tea.” His eyes widened. “That white van! I saw it again at the top of the street. I stared at it for a while from inside my van, but I couldn’t see who was driving it. The driver must have caught me looking at them because they reversed back up the street.”

“Did you manage to get a registration number?”

“I didn’t. When I finished my break, I got my ladders from Mrs Boothroyd’s house and then went on to the next house. And that’s where I fell off.” He yawned. “Sorry, these painkillers are making me drowsy. I’m sure there was something else that happened. Let me think for a minute.”

Ray reached for the bag of grapes he’d brought and opened it. “Do you mind if I help myself to a few?”

“Go ahead. I’ve got plenty.” Linus yawned again.

Ray popped some grapes in his mouth while Linus’ brow puckered in concentration.

“I know what it was!” Linus declared. “After I saw that white van, I took a few minutes to close my eyes as they were tired. I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

“Why?”

“Oh, you know, this and that.”

“No, I don’t know,” Ray said. “Have you been worried about something? You can tell me.”

“It’s always a worry being self-employed. But that feeling of being followed has been going on for weeks. I was worried that someone was spying on me and watching which houses I go to.”

“A rival company?”

“Possibly. Anyway, I must have nodded off because when I opened my eyes I’d been asleep for thirty minutes. It put me behind schedule. That’s most likely why I fell; I was rushing.” He leant his head back on the pillow. “I won’t be rushing anywhere now. It’s going to take me months to get better. And I can’t expect my customers to wait for me. They’ll get someone else to clean their windows. I’ve lost my business.”

Ray put the bag of grapes back. “No, you haven’t. I’ve got a plan. Me and Cain are going to do your work for you. I’m not good with heights, but I can do the downstairs windows. Cain loves cleaning, and he’s quick. We’ll do your jobs for the rest of this week. Our Julia knows someone who might be able to help you out until you’re back on your feet.”

Linus’ eyes glistened. “I’d argue with you if I wasn’t so tired. That’s incredibly kind of you, Ray, but I can’t let you do that.”

“Nonsense. What would you do if our positions were reversed?”

Linus gave him a half smile. “I’d do the same. And I wouldn’t take no for an answer. At least let me pay you.”

“No. But there is something you can give us. Well, something you can give to Cain.” Ray smiled.

“He wants to know what I put in my detergent? Fair enough. I’ll let you know. I can’t thank you enough for this.” He yawned and his eyes began to close. “Ray, there’s something I have to tell you. It’s about a freezer.”

“A freezer?”

“Yeah.” Linus’ eyes closed, and his head lolled gently to one side.

Ray stood up. He could talk to Linus later about his freezer. Perhaps there was some food in Linus’ fridge that needed putting in the freezer. He quietly walked out of the room.

When Ray got in his car, he phoned Cain. “How do you feel about washing windows for the rest of the day?”

“Yay! He said yes?”

“He didn’t have a choice. Will Julia let you have the rest of the day off?”

Julia’s voice came over the speaker, “Yes. I’ll be glad to see the back of him today. He keeps shouting every time we pass a white van on the road. He keeps ordering me to follow them. Tell me where you are, and I’ll drop him off.”

Ray did so, and Cain arrived shortly afterwards.

As Cain got into the passenger seat, Ray said, “I’ve phoned Angie and told her we’ll do Linus’ round for now. She said we can go round to Linus’ house and pick his van up.” Ray paused. “She sounded scared on the phone and said she needs to show us something.”

Angie was waiting for them at the side of Linus’ van. A set of ladders was on the ground next to the van. Angie twisted her hands together and looked nervously up and down the road.

When Ray and Cain walked over to her, she said in a whisper, “Look at the ladders. These are the ones Linus was using yesterday.”

Ray looked. “They seem brand new.”

“They are. He bought them three weeks ago.” She crouched next to the ladders and pointed to a rung. “Look at this. It’s broken. This must have been why Linus fell. Look closer.”

Ray and Cain crouched down to examine the rung. Ray reached out and touched it.

Cain said, “It’s been sawn through at one end.”

Ray nodded. “Which means Linus’ accident wasn’t an accident. I think someone tried to hurt him on purpose.”

Chapter 4

Angie shook her head. “No! Who would want to hurt Linus? He’s never hurt anyone.”

Ray said, “They could have wanted him out of action.”

“Why? That doesn’t make any sense,” Angie said.

Cain said, “When we spoke to Linus yesterday, he told us about that housing development on Woodlands Road. He’d put a bid in to do the cleaning work.”

“Yes, I knew about that. We still haven’t heard back from them. What’s that got to do with Linus and his ladders?”

Ray explained, “Other companies could be after that contract too. They could have wanted to get rid of any competition. And they might even want to expand and take over Linus’ patch.”

Angie folded her arms. “This is window cleaning we’re talking about, not some big financial company or something.”

“Ah, but there’s money involved. And people get stupid when money’s involved,” Ray said. “Angie, I told you on the phone that Linus agreed we could do his round for now. Do you have a list of his clients?” Ray looked at the broken rung. “And another set of ladders?”

“Yes. I’ll get the list for you. And there’s an older set of ladders in the garage back there.” She walked towards Linus’ house and went inside.

When she’d gone, Cain said, “You think it was an attempted murder, don’t you?”

Ray gave him a grim look. “I do. Linus is lucky he didn’t break his neck. I won’t point that out to Angie; she’s upset enough.”

“Do you think we should tell the police?”

“I’m not sure. What will they say? Anyway, I’d like to have a word with Linus first. He might have already been aware of this broken rung. It might have been something he’d done himself.” A cold feeling trickled down Ray’s back making him shiver. “Cain, I’ve just remembered something. Linus left his ladder unattended yesterday while he had a nap in his van. Whoever was driving that white van could have seen he was asleep, sneaked around to his ladders, performed an act of sabotage and then scarpered.”

“The sneaky things. And then they waited for an accident to happen. How are we going to find out who’s been following Linus?”

Angie came out of the house carrying a sheet of paper.

Ray said to Cain, “I’ll tell you later.”

Angie gave them the sheet. “This is a list of his clients for today and tomorrow. Some of his clients have special requirements.”

“Such as?” Ray said.

“Some only want their front windows cleaned. Some have dogs that you need to watch out for.” A ghost of a smile flitted across her lips. “And some can talk the hind leg off a donkey. Those are Linus’ words. I’ve written everything down for you. You don’t need to collect any money. I’ll sort that out later.” She gave them the sheet. “And here are the van keys. Thank you so much for doing this. It’ll help Linus for now.”

Ray and Cain found the other ladder and put it on top of the van. All the window cleaning items they needed were already in the back of the van.

As they drove away, Cain said, “Did you ask Linus about his secret detergent?”

“Oh heck! Yes, I did. But he fell asleep before he gave the details to me. But he did mutter something about a freezer before he nodded off.”

“He might have put the details in a secret compartment in the freezer. Or they could be taped to the back of the freezer. We’ll find them.” Cain grinned. “I can’t wait to see what his secret ingredient is.”

Ray concentrated on driving the van. He wasn’t used to such a big vehicle.

Cain said, “Where are we going first?”

“To that new housing estate. I want to find out the names of the other companies who are making a bid.”

“Good idea. Can we stop for a sandwich first? I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving.” Ray pulled into a nearby service station. “I’ll wait here while you get yourself something. Get me a Mars bar while you’re at it.”

“Will do.” Cain jumped out of the van and ran across the forecourt.

Ray didn’t want to say anything to Cain, but a large white van had been following them since leaving Linus’ street. The van had driven past when Ray pulled into the service station, and he hadn’t been able to see who was driving.

Cain returned with a ham sandwich, a sausage roll, two packets of crisps and three Mars bars. He said, “The Mars bars were on offer - three for the price of two.”

“Bargain.” Ray set off driving again.

Cain munched away as they drove towards Woodlands Road. They parked near the show house.

When they got out, Ray glanced over his shoulder.

Cain said, “Are you looking for that white van again? The one that followed us from Linus’ house?”

Ray chuckled. “Nothing gets past you. Yes, I was looking for it. I can’t see it.”

“Me neither.”

They went into the show house and entered the living room. They saw a man in a suit sitting on a sofa. Brochures were piled up on the table in front of him.

When he saw Ray and Cain, the man got to his feet and gave them a huge smile. “Welcome to our new development! Before I show you around, let me tell you about the many wonderful features our homes have.”

Ray held up a hand and said, “Sorry, you can save your sales pitch. We’re here for information about window cleaners.”

The man’s face fell, and Ray immediately felt guilty.

“Window cleaners? I’m confused,” the man said.

Ray said, “I’m working for a window cleaner called Linus Watkins. He’s put a bid in to clean the windows on this new estate. We’d like to know who else has put a bid in. Please.”

The man’s face fell even further. “I don’t know anything about that. I only deal with the inside of the houses. Are you sure you don’t want to have a quick look around? This house has got three bathrooms.”

The man looked so eager that Ray was tempted to say yes. But they didn’t have time for that.

Ray said, “Perhaps we’ll come back another time. Are you sure you don’t know anything about the other companies?”

The man shrugged. “No, sorry. But I think they’ll be local businesses. Our developers always support local companies.”

“Okay. Thank you very much,” Ray said. “This is a lovely house. I wish we had time to have a good look at it. We’ll see ourselves out.”

Ray and Cain returned to Linus’ van, checking for lurking white vans as they did so.

Cain said, “That wasn’t very useful.”

Ray gave him a smile. “It could be. If anyone is watching us, they’ll see us in this van and know we’re going to carry on Linus’ work. They can’t get rid of his business that easily.”

Cain was silent for a moment. Then he said, “If they’re watching us, won’t that put us in danger too?”

Ray stared at him. “I hadn’t thought of that. You’d better pass me that Mars bar; I’m going to need my sugar intake.”

Chapter 5

Ray and Cain set off on their cleaning work. As they approached each customer’s home, they knocked on the door first to introduce themselves. Some people weren’t at home, but the ones who were decided to have a little chat with Ray and Cain. They had heard about Linus and were concerned for his welfare. Ray and Cain did their best to assure people that Linus was on the mend.

Ray asked some of the customers if they’d been approached by other window cleaning companies. They had, but they had no intention of changing because they were happy with the personal service that Linus provided.

Two company names kept coming up: Crystal Clear Window Cleaners and Jeremy’s Window Washers. Ray made a note of their contact details.

By the time they had reached their third street, Ray was beginning to tire and was thankful for Cain’s boundless energy.

He said to Cain, “I don’t know how Linus manages to do all this work on his own. It’s exhausting.”

As was becoming usual, they knocked on the door of the first house they came to on the new street.

An elderly woman answered and peered out at them.

“Good morning,” Ray began. “We’re here on Linus Watkins’ behalf. We’re going to clean your windows today if that’s okay with you? I’m Ray, and this young man is Cain.”

The woman frowned and said, “Clean my windows? They’ve already been done this morning.” She moved her hand in the direction of the front window. “Can’t you tell?”

“Who cleaned them?” Ray asked.

“Just a minute; they left me their details.” The woman turned around, went into the house and returned a second later with a piece of paper. “They’re called Crystal Clear Window Cleaners. They told me Linus wouldn’t be able to clean my windows anymore, and that they were going to do it instead.” She lowered the paper and looked at Ray. “Is that true? Has Linus stopped his cleaning business?”

Ray’s chest puffed out. “He certainly hasn’t! When did these people do your cleaning?”

“About thirty minutes ago. And it’s not just me who they’ve been talking to this morning. They’ve been talking to all my neighbours, and I think they’ve cleaned all their windows too.” The woman pressed her lips together and looked as if she was considering her next comment. “I didn’t like how they carried out their work. There were two of them, and they attacked my house as if they were on a mission. They didn’t even use ladders; they had these jet powered brushes that shot water at my windows. And they didn’t even stop for a chat. Not like Linus always does. Is it really true about Linus? Those Crystal Clear people told me he’d never be able to clean windows again.”

Ray could see how upset the old woman was so he gave her a friendly smile and said, “I’m afraid you’ve been told some lies. Linus is out of action for now, but you know what he’s like, he’ll be up and about in no time. I’ve got you down on his client list, shall I keep you on it?”

The woman’s chin trembled and she said, “Oh, yes, please. I feel such a ninny for being taken in so easily. I should have known that Linus would never let his customers down. I feel as if I’ve betrayed him.”

“You don’t need to feel like that at all. It’s not your fault.” Ray held his hand out for the paper. “May I take this, please? I’d like to have a word with these people.”

The woman gave him the paper and said, “I don’t think they’ve even done a good job on the windows. I can see some smears.”

Cain said, “They’ve missed the corners too. We could go over them for you. It won’t take us long.”

The woman shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ve already caused enough trouble this morning for Linus. If you see him, please let him know I’m very sorry about letting someone else clean my windows.”

Ray said, “Linus will understand. This isn’t your fault at all. Don’t spend another second feeling bad. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. If you change your mind about us going over your windows, just let us know.”

They said goodbye to the old lady and began to walk down the street.

Ray said to Cain, “I’m furious about this. How dare that company come here and steal Linus’ clients? It’s outrageous.”

“Try not to get too upset, Ray. Think about your blood pressure. Not everyone might have succumbed to the new company and their fancy ways. Shall we knock on every door and see who else has had a visit from them?”

Ray nodded. He was too annoyed to speak.

It didn’t take them long to discover the same situation had been played out at each and every house along the street. Every customer told Ray and Cain they’d been advised by Crystal Clear Window Cleaners that Linus was no longer working. And each person was now visibly upset at being told that wasn’t the case.

As they walked back towards the van, Cain said, “At least we’ve kept everyone on Linus’s client list.”

“For now,” Ray said. “Who knows what this despicable company are going to do next?”

They stopped at the van and looked at the front tyre.

Cain said, “This is what they’ve done next. They’ve sabotaged Linus’ van.”

“What’s the point of letting our tyres down? That’s not going to stop us. This shows us what kind of people we’re dealing with. Cain, I saw a foot pump in the back of the van. Go and get it, please. I hope it’s just air that’s been let out, and the tyres themselves haven’t been damaged.” He looked up and down the street. “I bet the cowards are watching us right now. What are they going to do next?”

Chapter 6

Cain soon had the tyres pumped up, and they were quickly on their way to the next street on Linus’ list.

Crystal Clear Window Cleaners had not been down this street, and the duo were busy with their window cleaning activities for the next forty minutes.

Ray managed to chat to some of the clients, and they told him they hadn’t been approached by any other cleaning companies.

As they got halfway down the street, they noticed a blue van parked outside a semi-detached house.

Cain said, “Look at the name on that van. It’s ‘Jeremy’s Window Washers’. They’ve been approaching Linus’s clients as well as those Crystal Clear people. Do you think they had anything to do with Linus’ accident?”

“I don’t know, but we’re going to talk to them. Come on, Cain. The other side of that semi-detached house is on our list.”

Ray walked down the street holding the bucket in one hand and a cleaning cloth in the other. Cain had the ladders on his shoulders and walked at Ray’s side.

The other window cleaners walked up the street towards them. There were two of them also, and they were holding their equipment in exactly the same position as Ray and Cain were.

The window cleaners took slow, steady steps towards each other, keeping eye contact with their rivals as they did so.

Cain hissed to Ray, “It’s like we’re in some old Western film and we’re about to have a showdown.”

Ray hissed back, “I know. If this wasn’t so serious, it would be hilarious.” He gave Cain a quick grin.

The four men reached the house they were to clean and turned into their respective gardens, still keeping their eyes on each other.

Ray gave the men a curt nod and said, “Morning. This is a lovely day for cleaning windows, don’t you think?”

The older man of the couple said, “Yes, it’s perfect. I heard you were helping Linus Watkins out.”

“You heard right. Have you got a problem with that?” Ray said.

The man continued, “This town is big enough for more than one window cleaner.” He looked towards the house. “We don’t have time for pleasant chitchat; we’ve got work to do.”

The two pairs of window washers got to work, keeping a steady eye on each other.

As Cain came down the ladder a few minutes later, he whispered to Ray, “You can feel the tension in the air. They keep staring at us. They’re sizing us up. I think they’ve got something to do with Linus’ accident. Or they know something about it. When are we going to confront them?”

“As soon as we finish cleaning this house. Don’t you worry, I won’t let them get away without being questioned.”

Ray and Cain finished cleaning their windows first and then waited on the street for the other cleaners.

The older man who had spoken to Ray earlier walked towards them and said, “Is there something I can help you with? If not, move away from my van.”

Ray said, “There is something you can help me with. Have you heard about Linus Watkins’ accident?”

“Of course we have. The news is all over town.”

Cain said, “What would you say if we told you it wasn’t an accident?”

The man’s eyes narrowed, “What are you getting at? I don’t like how you’re looking at me.”

“Yeah, well? I don’t like how you’ve cleaned that window over there,” Cain said. “You’ve left a tiny little smear in the bottom right-hand corner.”

Ray noticed the man’s hand clenching around his bucket so he stepped forward and said, “Are you Jeremy, as in Jeremy’s Window Washers?”

“I am.”

“I’m Ray, and this is Cain. Can I ask you how long you’ve known Linus?”

“I’ve known Linus for years. We might be rivals, but we’re friendly rivals. I would never wish him any harm.” He gave Cain a direct look. “And I mean that so stop giving me the evil eye.”

Ray asked, “Have you heard about the new housing development on Woodlands Road?”

Jeremy said, “I have. What of it?”

“Have you put a bid in for the cleaning contract?” Ray said.

“What if I have? It’s none of your business.”

Ray stared at Jeremy.

Jeremy stared back.

An empty crisp packet rolled across the road.

Ray broke the silence by saying, “Look, I’ve known Linus for a long time too. And I knew his dad. Let’s just be honest with each other. Linus’ accident wasn’t an accident. We think someone is after him, and trying to take his business away. Tell me straight, are you trying to take his business away?”

Jeremy put his bucket down. “I would never do that to him. I’m not that kind of man. How is he anyway?”

Ray said, “He’s doing okay. He’s still in hospital. We’re helping him out for the next few days, and then we’re going to try and sort something out for the future. If you know him, you’ll know what he’s like. He’s desperate to get back to his work. But that’s not going to happen for a while.”

Jeremy considered the matter and then said, “I’ll go and visit him at the hospital. I’ll take him some grapes. And I’ll offer to help him out too. I know he’d do the same for me. Who do you think is behind this accident that wasn’t an accident?”

Ray said, “From what we’ve gathered so far, the company we suspect is Crystal Clear Window Cleaners. Have you heard of them?”

Jeremy’s face twisted in disgust. “Window Cleaners? They’re not proper window cleaners. They treat customers as commodities rather than people. They don’t even use ladders. They’re a disgrace. They keep approaching my clients and giving out their information.”

Cain said, “Have you seen any plain white vans driving around here? We’ve noticed a van following us, and they were following Linus too.”

Jeremy shook his head. “I haven’t, but now that you’ve told me, I’ll keep a lookout for one. Is there anything else I can do to help Linus?”

Ray gave him a brief smile. “You can ask him that when you visit him in hospital. We’d better be getting along. It was nice to meet you.”

Ray and Cain walked back to their van.

When they were far enough away from the other window cleaners, Cain said, “Do you believe what Jeremy just told us? That he had nothing to do with Linus’ injury?”

Ray said, “I’m not sure. He seemed honest enough, but did you notice the man at his side? He couldn’t meet our gaze. And he kept shuffling from foot to foot. I’ve watched enough police shows to know those are the signs of a guilty person; someone who’s got something to hide.”

Chapter 7

Ray and Cain spent the rest of the day cleaning windows, and by the end of the afternoon Ray’s back was protesting loudly about the unaccustomed exercise.

Despite the aches and pains which were shooting around his body, as soon as they’d finished their last job Ray said, “Let’s go down to the hospital and see how Linus is getting on. We’ll have to mention that damaged ladder rung to him. I wonder if he did know about it?”

Linus was looking much better when Ray and Cain saw him later. There were many gifts piled up around the room, and Linus explained his customers had been coming in to see him all day.

Linus indicated his head towards the chairs at the side of the bed and said, “Sit down. I want to hear all about your day. Leave nothing out. I want to know what my customers said about me not being there, and if any of them have changed to another company.”

Ray took a seat. “Are you sure you want to hear everything? Are you strong enough? You still look very pale.”

“I’m fine. My business is my livelihood, and I need to know if I still have a business.”

Ray told Linus briefly about their day, and then about the damaged ladder rung. He waited for Linus’ reaction.

Linus’ eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t notice a damaged rung. And I always check my ladders before I set off in the morning. That’s something my dad taught me. He said my ladders are my best friend, and I need to treat them with respect. And I bought that new set of ladders from the same company that I always use. Are you sure it had been sawn through?”

Cain took out his phone and showed Linus the picture he’d taken.

Linus frowned. “Who would do that? And when did they do it? I lock my van in the garage every night.”

Ray said, “You left your ladder unattended when you were having a little sleep in your van. It could have happened then.”

“That’s true,” Linus said. “But someone took a risk by damaging my ladders when I was so close by.”

Ray nodded. “They certainly did. They must have been desperate. We bumped into one of your friends today, Jeremy from Jeremy’s Window Washers. He told us you were rivals, but friendly rivals. Is that true?”

“It is true. He has his side of town, and I have mine. We have the occasional street where we overlap, and we’re always friendly to each other. I can’t imagine it was Jeremy who damaged my ladders.”

Ray said, “And what about the people who work for him? We met a very sullen-looking chap today who works with Jeremy.”

Cain added, “He looked very suspicious, didn’t he, Ray?”

“He certainly did.”

“And he didn’t make a good job of the windows, did he, Ray?”

“He certainly did not.”

Linus smiled at the pair. “You two make quite the double act. I hadn’t noticed it earlier. I honestly don’t think Jeremy is behind this. What about the white van? Have you noticed it at all today?”

They filled him in on the white van situation.

Ray said, “We haven’t noticed it this afternoon, but we’ve been busy with our cleaning.” He leant forward and rubbed the small of his back. “I don’t know how you manage to do all those windows on your own.”

“I manage,” Linus said with a note of irritation in his voice. “Dad managed on his own, and I can manage too.”

Ray changed the subject and said, “Have you ever heard of Crystal Clear Window Cleaners?” He explained they’d approached Linus’s clients, and had even cleaned some of their windows.

Linus looked towards the window, and Ray could see a muscle twitching in his cheek. Linus said, “Yes, I’ve heard of them. But I don’t think they’re behind all this trouble. That ladder rung was probably defective. I don’t think it was sawn through.”

Ray shared a look with Cain. There was something going on here, something Linus was hiding from them.

Ray looked towards the food that had been piled up on the bedside table. “Linus, would you like us to take any of this food home? We could put it in your fridge.”

Linus looked back and gave them a smile. “You can take it for yourselves. I’m never going to get through it all. I’ve already got food in my fridge which will no doubt be going off.”

“Ah, that reminds me,” Ray said. “You muttered something yesterday about a freezer.”

“A freezer? Did I?”

“Yes. I wondered if it’s because you wanted me to put your perishable food into the freezer.”

Cain said, “Or is it because you’ve got your secret detergent recipe in the freezer? Or on a bit of paper behind it?”

There was a knock on the open door, and the three men looked towards it.

A group of elderly ladies were standing there, and each one was holding something in her hands.

The woman at the front spoke, “Excuse us for interrupting. Linus, we wanted to see how you’re doing. We’ve got a few presents for you.”

Linus gave them a kind smile. “That’s very kind of you, Mrs Black. Please, come in.” He looked towards Ray and Cain and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to speak to my visitors. Is there anything else you need to tell me, or can it wait till later?”

Ray got to his feet. “It can all wait until later. You just concentrate on getting yourself better.”

Linus said, “I can’t thank you enough for helping me out today. It means so much to me. Do you think you might be able to do it again tomorrow? If you can’t, I totally understand. You’ve done enough for me already.”

Ray said, “You leave everything to us. We’ll come back to see you soon.”

Ray and Cain left the room, and the elderly ladies shuffled in.

Ray said to Cain, “We need to find out more about this Crystal Clear company. They must be behind Linus’ accident, and now they’re after his clients. And it looks like Linus has a history with them which he’s not telling us about.”

Cain nodded. “I’ll ask Julia about that company. She knows loads of people in the cleaning business. Ray, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get the day off again tomorrow. You can’t manage all those houses on your own.”

A spasm of pain shot through Ray’s back, but he ignored it. “I can do the downstairs windows at least. Don’t you worry about that. I’ll have a good soak in the bath tonight, and I’ll be right as rain in the morning.”

Cain said, “Don’t be doing too much. Between us, we’ll find out what those Crystal Clear people are up to, and we’ll put a stop to it.” He gave Ray a confident smile.

Ray wished he felt as confident as Cain. He had a feeling that something else was at play here.

Chapter 8

Despite having a long soak in the bath, and taking painkillers, Ray didn’t feel any better the following morning. He decided he’d better give window cleaning a miss for a few hours until he felt better.

Ray had the address for Crystal Clear Window Cleaners, so decided to pay them a visit while the painkillers got to work.

Ray arrived at their office building which was set in an industrial estate. There were no white vans parked outside, although there were plenty of parking spaces.

The woman who looked at him from behind a desk when he entered the office gave him a smile. Ray couldn’t quite give her a genuine smile in return as he was still annoyed at the thought of such a large company taking on a one-man business. It just wasn’t fair.

Ray made up a story about needing to change window cleaners, and that he’d heard good things about Crystal Clear Window Cleaners.

The woman asked him to take a seat and said, “We have many satisfied customers on our books. I’d be happy to show you some reviews. Where do you live? Have you got a window cleaner at the moment?”

“Yes, we’ve been using Linus Watkins.” He paused to see what reaction came from the woman. Her left eye twitched slightly, but she maintained her smile. Ray then gave his address.

The woman said, “Yes, we can accommodate your needs. In fact, we’re thinking about expanding the business, and your street and the others surrounding it are on our radar. Let me get you a list of our prices.” She reached into a drawer.

Ray’s eyes narrowed. So, they were thinking of expanding on to his street were they? What a blooming cheek!

The woman passed him a sheet of paper and Ray let out a low whistle when he saw the prices.

He said, “How many windows do you think I have? My present window cleaner charges a third of what you charge.”

The woman smiled smugly. “We have all the latest hi-tech equipment to ensure an efficient and speedy cleaning system. Our prices reflect that.”

“You only need ladders, some hot water and a cloth. What’s so special about your system?”

“I can’t possibly divulge our secrets. For all I know, you could be working for a rival company.”

“A rival company? Why would you say that? I’m retired. I’m not working at all, on anything, in any shape or form.”

The woman couldn’t meet his direct look. She pulled another piece of paper from her drawer and pushed it towards Ray. “Fill in your details here, and we’ll get someone round to start cleaning your windows as early as next week.”

Ray pushed the paper back towards her. “I haven’t made a decision yet. I want to know more about your company. How long have you been trading?”

“We’ve been trading for over five years, and we are a professional business. We’re constantly expanding and looking for the best ways to give our customers great value for money.” She put a finger on the sheet and moved it back towards Ray.

Ray ignored the paper and said, “How many people work here? And what sort of vehicles do they drive?”

“We have twenty people who deal with the cleaning process, and some admin staff. Of course, as we expand, we will be looking to employ more people. I’m not sure why you need to know what our vehicles look like, but if you look at those photographs to your right, you’ll see our staff standing in front of our vehicles. If you recommend us to a friend, we can give you 10% off your first bill.”

Ray turned his head to look at the photographs. They showed smiling people in white overalls standing in front of large white vans. The vans had the company logo splashed all over them. So, no plain white vans in the photos. But that didn’t mean anything.

Ray turned his attention back to the woman. He had another question for her. “We’re thinking of moving in the future. We’ve been looking at those new houses on the Woodlands Road. If I took you on as my window cleaners and I move, would you still be able to clean my windows at the new address?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. We’ve as good as got the contract for the new housing estate on Woodlands Road. You can pay your bill weekly, or we can set up a monthly direct debit. Would you like a pen?”

“No, I don’t need a pen. Could I have a look at your list of customers, please?”

The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you need to see that?”

“I’d like to see if you are cleaning any houses nearby. I’d like to see the quality of your cleaning work.”

“I can’t give you that information; it’s confidential. But I have a list of reviews that you can have a look at. Our customers are very happy with our service.”

“I’d like to see where you’re cleaning at the moment, and I’d like to know if your customers are happy with your service, as you say. No disrespect, but reviews are not always genuine.”

The smile on the woman’s face vanished completely. In a cold voice, she said, “You’re making a lot of fuss over the cleaning of a few windows.”

“It’s a serious business. I wouldn’t want just anyone looking through my windows. It’s a very personal thing, and the person we’re using presently is very trustworthy. Are you sure you haven’t heard of him? His name is Linus Watkins.”

Her left eye twitched again, but the woman shook her head. “No, I’ve never heard of him.” She got to her feet and walked over to the door. “You can take our information with you, and should you decide to make the right decision, complete that form and post it back to us.” She opened the door wide.

Ray gathered the papers up, got to his feet and walked towards the open door. “Thank you for your time.”

As he walked towards his car, Ray saw a plain white van driving into the industrial estate. He peered at it and tried to make out who was driving it. As if sensing his attention, the van suddenly stopped, performed a U-turn and drove away.

Ray cursed himself for not being quick enough to look at the registration number. He knew the van was somehow connected to Crystal Clear Window Cleaners, and it was only a matter of time before he made that connection.

Chapter 9

Ray phoned Cain as soon as he returned home and told him about his visit to Crystal Clear Window Cleaners.

Cain said, “That woman sounds as if she’s hiding something. Her left eye twitching gives away her guilt.” He paused, and then added, “Unless she’s got a medical condition which makes her eye twitch.”

“She definitely looked guilty about something. I don’t like how that company operates, and I wouldn’t put it past them to use underhand activities to expand their business. And that van turned up again. I don’t like this, Cain, I don’t like this at all.”

“I don’t either. What are we going to do about it, Ray? I feel bad that I can’t take any more time off work, but me and Julia are really busy today.”

Ray said, “I don’t expect you to take any more time off. Leave Linus’ business problems to me. I’ll sort something out.” He sucked in his breath as a spasm of pain shot through his lower back. “I’ll speak to you later. Have a good day.”

Ray took some more painkillers and thought about Linus’ business. He had told Linus he would deal with the cleaning for the next few days, and he wouldn’t let a silly thing like pain stop him. He might not be able to do the upstairs windows, but he could certainly tackle the downstairs ones. And perhaps he would get lucky, and some of Linus’ clients would live in bungalows.

Ray had a quick cup of tea and a sandwich, and then drove over to Linus’ house to collect the van. He still had the van keys and the list of customers.

As Ray approached Linus’ house, he saw Angie rushing down the driveway. She waved her hands madly at him.

Ray came to a stop and got out of his car. “Angie, whatever is the matter?”

“Oh, Ray! Thank goodness you’re here. I was just about to phone you. The hospital has been in touch.” She began to tremble, and her legs gave way.

Ray caught her just in time. He took her around to the passenger side of his car and placed her in the seat. He crouched in front of her and said, “Take a few deep breaths before continuing.”

Angie did so, and after a minute she was able to speak again. “The hospital phoned me. Linus has taken a turn for the worse. He’s,” she gulped, “slipped into a coma. The nurse told me the doctors are watching over him right now and doing what they can. This is terrible news. That poor man has been through enough already.”

Ray said, “A coma? How could that happen? He’s only suffering from broken bones.”

“I don’t know how it happened. I went to see him last night, and he seemed drowsy. I thought it was the painkillers. He kept mumbling something about a freezer. He didn’t make any sense, and I thought it was the effect of the painkillers.”

Ray frowned. Something about a freezer was obviously bothering Linus.

Angie looked down at her jeans. “I should have known something was wrong with him when he started talking nonsense. I should have contacted the nurses immediately. Instead, I went prattling on about how you were dealing with his customers, and how people had phoned me to wish him a speedy recovery.”

Ray said, “You can’t blame yourself. No one would expect someone with broken bones to go into a coma. The doctors and nurses will take good care of him. Do you want to go down to the hospital now?”

Angie nodded. “My car’s just over there.” She attempted to stand up, but her legs gave way again, and she collapsed back into the passenger seat.

“You’re not in a position to drive. I’ll drive you to the hospital.” Ray jogged round to the driver’s side of the car, got in and was speeding away within seconds.

Angie began to sob quietly as they drove towards the hospital.

Ray said, “There are some tissues in the glovebox. Help yourself. There’s a fresh bottle of water too. Help yourself to it. Did the hospital tell you anything else about Linus?”

Angie reached into the glovebox and retrieved the tissues. “It’s such a mystery. How could it happen? It’s almost as if he was given the wrong drugs, or if he’d been poisoned somehow. But that’s not possible, is it? He’s in a hospital. You’d think they’d control the drugs they give him.”

Ray gripped the steering wheel as an image came into his mind. He recalled the gifts that had been brought in for Linus. There had been cake, homemade lemonade, biscuits and other edible items. Any of them could have been tampered with.

Ray’s grip tightened as he remembered speaking to Jeremy the previous day. Jeremy had said he would pay Linus a visit in hospital.

He glanced over at Angie and wondered if he should share his concerns with her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, so he decided to keep his worries to himself. She had enough to deal with.

Another terrible thought came to Ray. Angie must have been one of the last ones to see Linus the previous day. Was it possible she’d given something to Linus to make him go into a coma? Ray didn’t know much about Angie and what her background was. Was she secretly working for one of Linus’s rivals? He hoped not. But anything was possible.

When they arrived at the hospital, Ray said, “I’ll drop you at the entrance and then try to find somewhere to park. It might take me a while; it’s busy. I’ll come and find you soon.”

“Thank you so much.” Angie got out of the car and ran towards the entrance.

Ray began to circle the car park looking for a space. His heart sped up as he spotted a plain white van parked in the next row. He drove towards it and stopped right behind it. He didn’t know whether this was the same van that had been following him, but there was only one way to find out.

He got out of his car and marched over to the driver’s side of the van. He rapped on the window.

The window lowered, and a young woman looked out at him. She looked vaguely familiar.

Trying to control the anger in his voice, Ray said, “A white van has been following me these last few days. Was it this van?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. And were you driving it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Right.” The wind had been taken out of Ray’s sails, but he carried on. “And did you let the air out of Linus Watkins’ tyres?”

“Yes. Well, no. It wasn’t me, but someone who worked for me. And it wasn’t on my orders.”

Ray folded his arms. Her honesty was unnerving him. “Did you, or did you not, attempt to kill Linus Watkins?”

“I didn’t. I wouldn’t. He’s my brother.”

Chapter 10

Ray stared at the woman. “Pardon? Can you say that again?”

“Linus is my brother; my older brother. I’m Crystal, as in Crystal Clear Window Cleaners.” She frowned. “Are you all right? You’ve gone a funny colour. Why don’t you get in and I’ll explain everything?”

Ray hesitated. “How do I know you’re not going to kidnap me?”

Crystal smiled. “I won’t be going anywhere with your car blocking me in. Please, get in. I’d like to tell you everything. Things have got out of hand.”

Ray still wasn’t sure, but he wanted to know what Crystal was going to say. And she did look like Linus; they had the same eyes.

Ray walked around to the other side of the van and climbed in.

Crystal said, “You probably don’t remember me. I used to go on rounds with my dad when I was little. I remember coming to your house as you always stopped for a chat. And you used to give me biscuits.”

Ray let out a laugh. “Yes! Of course! You used to hold the ladder for your dad when he cleaned my windows. You were like his shadow. I haven’t seen you since you were about five or six.”

“I loved going to work with Dad. I tried to help him, but I wasn’t much use at that age. He let me hold the ladder even though I wasn’t strong enough to keep it steady. I couldn’t go on rounds with him as I got older because I had school work to do.”

Ray said, “I remember you telling me you were going to be a window cleaner too. Your dad laughed every time you said that.”

“He never took me seriously. I loved the job that Dad had. When he wasn’t looking, I’d climb up and down the ladders. I wasn’t scared of heights at all. I told him I wanted to be like him when I grew up. But he said window cleaning wasn’t for women.”

“Well, you’ve certainly proved him wrong. You’ve got a successful business.”

Crystal’s mouth twisted to one side. “I know, but it isn’t the business I wanted. I wanted to be part of Dad’s business, but he wouldn’t let me. And when he died, he left the business to Linus. And he was just as stubborn as Dad. He wouldn’t let me work with him either. So, I had no choice. I had to set up my own business. I’ve got plenty of employees, but I still clean windows too. I find it therapeutic.”

“Why have you been following Linus?”

“We haven’t spoken to each other for years, but I still worry about him. He seems to think he can do all the cleaning work himself, just like Dad did. But Dad didn’t have as many customers, and he didn’t work weekends. Linus has too many customers now, and I’ve seen him working all hours on the weekends. And I know he’s put a bid in for that new housing estate. I’ve been following him to make sure he’s okay.” She looked away. “And I hoped one day I’d be brave enough to approach him and try to sort out our differences.”

Ray said, “I can understand why you’d want to keep an eye on him, but why did you let the tyres on his van down? And why are you poaching his customers? That’s hardly the road to reconciliation.”

Crystal looked back. “I knew about the tyres. The idiot who did it bragged about it. He thought he was doing me a favour. People I work with know there’s a bad feeling between me and Linus, but they don’t know why. They don’t know he’s my brother. I fired the man who let the tyres down. I don’t want people like that working for me. I didn’t know about the poaching thing. Where did that happen?”

Ray told her.

Crystal pressed her lips together. “I know who’s responsible for that. I’ll be having words with them. I’ve been too busy following Linus to keep an eye on my business. I’ll make sure nothing like that happens again.”

“What about his accident?” Ray asked. “Did you have anything to do with that?”

“No. I would never harm him. I did see him that day, though. He was in his van. I saw him drinking something, and then he closed his eyes. I came back to that road about an hour later and saw the ambulance. I found out from a neighbour what had happened. I thought my heart was going to stop. It proved to me that Linus had been doing too much. He was tired, and I thought he’d started to make mistakes.”

“Have you been to see him?”

Crystal gave him a small smile. “Not yet. That’s why I’m here today. I’m trying to gather my courage. I’m sorry for following you around. I wanted to make sure someone was carrying on Linus’ business. I recognised you straight away, and I knew you’d do a good job. Which you did. That man who helped you is excellent at cleaning. Is he employed at the moment?”

“He is. He works for my daughter, Julia.” Ray thought for a moment, unsure whether to say the next thing. But it was better that she knew. “Crystal, the accident wasn’t an accident. Someone had sawn through the rung.”

“What? No! Who would do that?”

“That’s what we’ve been trying to find out. And, to be honest, you were our number one suspect.”

Crystal’s eyes welled up. “I can’t believe this. Who would try to hurt Linus? And who would do that to his ladder? He could have been killed.” The colour drained from her face. “He really could have been killed. And I would never have had the chance to make things right between us.”

“There’s something else you need to know.” Ray told her about Linus slipping into a coma.

Crystal closed her eyes and leant her head back. Ray thought for a second she was going to faint.

Ray said, “The doctors will take good care of him. I’m sure he’ll be okay.” He wasn’t sure at all, but it seemed the best thing to say.

Crystal opened her eyes. “I have to go. I have to see him.” Her hands shook as she reached for the door.

“I’ll come with you. If you feel like you’re going to faint, let me know.” Ray hoped his back would be strong enough to support Crystal’s weight if needed.

Ray helped Crystal out of the van, and over to the hospital entrance. The nurse on reception took Crystal to one side and spoke to her.

Crystal then went over to Ray and said, “He’s going to be all right.” She gave him a wobbly smile. “He’s going to be all right! I’m so relieved. I’m going to see him right now, and we’re going to put all this nonsense behind us.”

Ray smiled. “I’m relieved to hear that.” He handed her a bit of paper. “Take my number and let me know how he gets on. I’ll carry on with his cleaning work.”

Crystal took the paper. “Thank you. I don’t expect you to do all his work. I’ll sort something out, whether Linus agrees to it or not. He can hardly stop me from his hospital bed.” She took a step closer to Ray. “I don’t know whether the damaged rung is a police matter or not, but do you think you could find out who did it? You could talk to some of the people on Berry Street. Someone must have seen something.”

“Return to the scene of the crime? That’s an excellent idea. I will do. Give my regards to Linus. I’ll pop by later.”

She put a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

Ray cleared his throat. “There’s no need for thanks. I’m just helping out a friend.”

Chapter 11

Ray drove back to Linus’ house to collect the van. The comment about a freezer passed through his mind, and he peeped through the kitchen window at the back of the house.

It was a nice kitchen, and everything was laid out neatly. There was a combined fridge/freezer, and Ray couldn’t see anything untoward with it. Ray only had the keys for the van so was unable to go inside. He sighed. Whatever was bothering Linus about his freezer would have to wait.

Ray had the list of customers in his pocket. He checked the list. They weren’t far away. He hoped they’d be understanding about him only being able to clean the bottom windows.

The customers were understanding. They were more concerned for Linus’ welfare than the state of their windows.

Ray’s back began to play up, but he did the best he could to keep going.

As he took a moment to rest, he noticed a vehicle parked nearby. He saw two faces watching him.

They were friendly faces. Ray raised a hand in greeting.

Julia and Cain got out of the car and walked towards him.

Julia said, “Dad, you look exhausted. You’ve been doing too much.”

“I’m fine. I’m not used to all this exercise; that’s all. What are you two doing here?”

Julia jerked her thumb in Cain’s direction. “This one is getting on my nerves. All he’s done all morning is worry about you. And he keeps coming up with theories about who would be after Linus. I can’t take it anymore. I’d rather work on my own than listen to him. No offence, Cain.”

“None taken.” Cain grinned at her. “Does this mean I can stay with Ray? He looks like he could do with some help.”

Julia laughed. “How can I say no? You’ve worked hard this morning, and we’re already ahead of schedule. I’ve only got one more house to do, and then I’ve finished for the day.” She looked at her dad. “Do you want him or not?”

“Of course I do.” Ray grimaced. “I don’t think my back can take much more stretching today.”

Cain jogged over to his side and took the bucket from his hands. “You’re not to lift another finger. I’ll do everything.”

“Thanks, lad. I appreciate it. How did you two know where I was?”

Cain said, “I remembered the list from yesterday. We’ve driven along all the streets on the list.”

Julia walked over to her dad and gave him a hug. “I bet Mum doesn’t know you’re doing all this work. Let Cain do everything now. And when you’ve finished, go home. You can let the police know about that broken rung. Leave everything to them. Okay?”

Ray smiled. “You’re a fine one to say that. How many times have you got yourself involved in police business?”

“Hmm. I wonder where I got my rebellious streak from? Seriously, Dad, you need to leave this matter alone. Okay?”

“Okay, my love. I’ll catch up with you later. Take care.”

“You too.” Julia gave the pair a stern look before she walked back to her car.

Cain and Ray waved as she drove past.

Ray said, “Well, you heard what she said. I can’t get myself involved any further.”

“I heard.” Cain smiled. “But she didn’t say that to me. I can get involved, but I’ll need you as my driver. What’s our plan of action?”

Chapter 12

Cain whizzed through the cleaning work on the next few streets, and Ray filled him in on what Crystal had told him.

Cain said, “It makes sense to return to the scene of the crime.” He put the ladder on his shoulder. “All done. Shall we go to Berry Street now?”

“We might as well. I don’t know what we’re going to discover. Let’s hope the neighbours are in a chatty mood.”

They drove over to Berry Street and parked halfway up the road.

Ray said, “Let’s go to number 78 first. That’s where Linus was before the accident happened.” He took out the sheet of paper with the customers’ names on it. “It’s Mrs Boothroyd at 78. Perhaps she saw someone suspicious hanging around.”

They got out of the van and walked over to number 78.

Ray knocked on the front door, and a nervous-looking woman in her mid-fifties answered.

“Yes? Can I help you?” she asked in a timid voice. She glanced nervously over her shoulder.

“Sorry to bother you. I’m Ray, and this is Cain. We’re looking after Linus Watkins’ cleaning round while he’s in hospital.”

“Oh, yes. I heard about Linus. How is he?”

“On the mend. We’re trying to find out more about his accident, and we wondered if you saw anything out of the ordinary the other day.”

A man’s voice abruptly yelled out, “Shut that door! You’re letting a draft in!”

Mrs Boothroyd jumped. She gave them a wobbly smile, and said, “That’s my husband. He’s just got up. He works nights. Sorry, what did you say?”

“We’re wondering if you saw anything out of the ordinary,” Ray repeated.

“I don’t think so. Linus had finished my windows, and I paid him. I was rushing about, as usual. I’d finished one of my jobs for the day, and I was on my way out to the next one. I’ve got three jobs.” She swallowed and looked over her shoulder again. “I’m on my way out again now.”

The man’s voice bellowed, “Get back in here and get my dinner ready! Now!”

Ray felt anger rush through him. He said, “Does your husband normally talk to you like that?”

Mrs Boothroyd looked away. “He’s tired; that’s all. He doesn’t like his sleep pattern to be disturbed. He’s like a bear with a sore head when he hasn’t had enough sleep.” She let out a nervous laugh.

“This is my last warning! You know what will happen next!”

Mrs Boothroyd began to close the door. In a low voice, she said, “I’m so sorry I can’t help you. I hope Linus feels better soon. I really have to go.” She closed the door.

Ray’s hands clenched at his side. He said to Cain, “How dare he talk to her like that? It’s a disgrace.” He saw the thoughtful look on Cain’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s something the husband said.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Something’s bothering me about it.”

They began to walk away from the house. Ray took the customer list from his pocket and looked at Mrs Boothroyd’s name.

“Look, it says here that Linus shouldn’t clean the rear bedroom window as Mr Boothroyd will be sleeping.” Ray frowned. “I wonder if Linus cleaned it by mistake, woke Mr Boothroyd up, and then the obnoxious man took his revenge on Linus. What do you think about that theory?”

“It could have happened.” Cain glanced back at the house. “Can we go back to the van for a moment? I need to think about what the husband just said. It’s really bothering me.”

“Of course. I’ve brought a flask of tea with me. We can have a quick cuppa.” Ray put the sheet away.

They returned to the van, and Ray poured some tea for them. They watched the street as they sipped their hot drink.

Cain nodded in the direction of number 78. “Look, Mrs Boothroyd is going out. She must be going to work.”

Ray tutted. “See how her head is bowed. She looks like a woman who’s weighed down with problems. It must be hell living with a man like that.”

They continued to drink their tea.

Ray said, “Any luck yet with those thoughts of yours?”

“Nearly. It’s weird, but I think I’ve heard those words before.”

“Which words?”

“The ones Mr Boothroyd shouted.”

“That is weird.” Something caught Ray’s eye. “Now what’s happening?”

A large, delivery van pulled up outside number 78. Two men got out and walked over to the door. One of them knocked. The two men waited for a while, and the first one knocked again.

Ray put his cup down. “We’d better warn them about Mr Boothroyd. If he’s gone back to sleep, he won’t be happy about being woken up again. And if he did sabotage Linus’ ladders the other day, who knows what he’ll do to those delivery men?”

Cain put his cup down and followed Ray back to number 78.

The first delivery man looked over at them. “Hi. Do you live here? We’ve got a delivery. We’re a bit early, but we were in the area.”

“No, sorry. We don’t live here,” Ray said. “The woman who does, Mrs Boothroyd, has gone out. Is it something we can take for her?”

The man looked at his clipboard. “No, thank you. It’s a large item. And we’ve got special instructions to take it upstairs and put it in the back bedroom. Which is strange.”

Ray said, “Why is it strange?”

“Because it’s a freezer. One of those large chest ones.”

The other delivery man spoke, “And this is the second freezer we’ve delivered to this address in the last twelve months. They must be running some sort of food business inside.”

Ray could only nod. He was unable to speak.

The first delivery man said, “Never mind. We’ll come back later. Thanks for your offer of help.”

The two delivery walked away, got in their van and left the street.

Ray said to Cain, “Did you hear that? A freezer. You remember Linus talking about a freezer, don’t you? This is beyond a coincidence. There’s something funny going on here.”

“I know. And, Ray, I’ve remembered where I’ve heard those words before.”

Chapter 13

“Where have you heard them?” Ray asked.

“In a film. I watched it the other night. It was an old film from years ago. There was a horrible man who kept shouting at his wife. I swear he used those exact same words.” Cain’s eyes widened. “And, one day, the wife just snapped. She murdered him, and buried him in the garden.”

They looked towards the front lawn.

Ray said, “Are you sure about that?”

“I am. The husband had a distinctive low voice, it was almost like he was growling. I think Mrs Boothroyd, or her husband, has recorded those words from the film. And when someone comes to the door, Mrs Boothroyd plays the recording. It makes visitors think her husband is inside.”

“That sounds far-fetched to me. Not that I’m doubting your word. But why would she do that?” Ray looked towards the house. “I’d like to have a word with Mr Boothroyd. Let’s see what happens when we mention Linus’ name.” He knocked on the door.

There was no response, even after four more knocks.

“He might be in bed,” Cain said. “If he’s actually in. Shall we have a look around the back?”

“We might as well.”

They went around to the back of the house and stared up at the bedroom window.

Ray said, “The curtains are closed. But there’s a gap. If only we had a ladder, we could have a little peep through.”

Cain said, “I’ll get the ladder.” He walked away.

Ray gazed at the curtained window. What was going on here? Why would anyone put a freezer in a bedroom?

Cain returned with the ladder and placed it against the wall. He took three steps up, paused, and came back down.

“What will I do if Mr Boothroyd stares out at me?”

“Tell him we’re cleaning his window.”

“Okay.” Cain set off up the ladder again. He came back down.

“What if he gets angry and pushes me off the ladder?”

“I’ll catch you. Go on; you’re only having a look through the window.”

Cain went back up. He stopped at the window and peered through the gap in the curtains. After a few seconds, he came back down.

“Ray, Mr Boothroyd isn’t in that bedroom. There aren’t any beds in it.” He hesitated. “But there are two big freezers in the room.”

Ray let this information sink in. So did Cain.

Cain said, “Have you ever watched ‘Desperate Housewives’?”

“I have. There’s a lot that goes on in Wisteria Lane.”

“I’ve watched it too. Did you ever see that episode with the old woman, Mrs McCluskey, and her husband?”

“I did. I don’t like where this conversation is heading.”

Cain said, “Me neither. But do you remember what she did with her dead husband?”

“I do. She put him in the freezer so she could keep collecting his pension or something.”

They looked back at the window.

Ray said, “The top part of the window is ajar. It would be easy to reach in and open the other part of the window.” He gave a casual shrug. “If someone wanted to, that is. If a person wanted to have a look in those freezers to put their minds at rest, they could easily do that. It’s not like they’ll be breaking in. The window is already open.”

“I’ll do it.” Cain went back up the ladder. It didn’t take him long to open the larger part of the window and climb inside.

Ray waited for a minute. He hissed, “Cain! What can you see?”

Silence.

“Cain!”

There was a loud thud.

Ray leapt on to the ladder and was at the top in record time. He climbed in through the window and saw Cain lying on the carpet next to an open freezer.

Ray dashed to his friend’s side and patted him on the cheeks. “Cain! Speak to me! Are you all right?”

Cain’s eyes opened. “I’m all right. It was the shock. I must have fainted.” He sat up and pointed to the open freezer. “I’ve found Mr Boothroyd. We’d better close that lid before he starts to defrost.”

Chapter 14

Linus Watkins stared at Ray and Cain from his hospital bed. “Tell me that again. Everything. I want all the details.”

“That’s not much to tell,” Ray said. “Mrs Boothroyd poisoned Mr Boothroyd and stuck him in the freezer. She was claiming his pension.”

Linus shook his head. “I can’t believe it. Mrs Boothroyd, of all people. And who was the man in the other freezer?”

Cain said, “Her second husband. She’s been busy. Would you like a bit of Kit Kat?”

“No, thanks. But how? And when?” Linus shook his head again. “I can’t take it in. Tell me again.”

Cain unwrapped the Kit Kat, gave half to Ray, and said, “When I looked in the freezer, I saw a man’s face staring up at me. And when we looked in the other freezer, we found another man. Staring up at us through the fish fingers.” He bit into the chocolate bar.

Ray continued with the tale. “We called the police, of course. And while we waited, Mrs Boothroyd came home. We met her in the hallway, and she knew immediately we’d discovered her secret. She seemed relieved, and said she was glad it was all over.” He broke the Kit Kat in half and put a bit in his mouth. “She offered us a cup of tea, but we said no. You don’t want to be having a cup of tea with a serial killer.”

“Why did she do it? Why did she kill them?” Linus asked.

Cain said, “She told us her first husband was a bully, and he’d treated her like a slave. She put up with him for years and made sure he had a good insurance policy. She waited for him to die, but it was taking too long, so she slowly poisoned him instead.”

Ray added, “She stuck him in the freezer, collected his pension, and carried on with her life. Her husband didn’t have any family or friends, so no one noticed when he went missing.” He put the rest of the chocolate in his mouth.

Linus said, “She killed him for his pension? It must have been a good pension.”

Cain said, “It wasn’t enough for her, so she had to find another husband. She went online and looked for men with good jobs who were about to retire. It’s quite a good plan if you think about it. She even sorted out a false name and a different postal address for herself.”

Ray nodded. “She used her own address for her Boothroyd name, but her sister’s address for husband number two. She told her sister she was having trouble with her post. Husband number two’s pension details went to her sister’s house. And, again, no one noticed when he went missing. Mrs Boothroyd’s a clever woman. Despite being a murderer.”

Linus frowned. “I never saw Mr Boothroyd. I heard him shouting at her now and again, but I never saw him. And I only cleaned the rear bedroom window when she specifically asked me to.”

Ray held up a finger. “Ah. But she didn’t ask you this time, did she? According to Mrs Boothroyd, you decided to clean the back window yourself a few days ago.”

“I did. It was grubby, and I thought I’d give it a quick going-over. I wasn’t going to charge her.” Linus paused. “And that’s when I saw those freezers.”

“And your mistake was mentioning them to Mrs Boothroyd,” Ray said.

“I only asked her why they were upstairs. It’s an unusual place to keep such large freezers.”

Ray said, “It worried her that you’d spotted them. She panicked and made you a cup of tea with some poison in it.”

“Yes, I remember the tea. I took it to my van. I only had a little bit before I fell asleep. I suppose I’m lucky that I didn’t drink it all.”

“You’d be dead if you had,” Cain helpfully pointed out. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar. “Snickers?”

“No, thanks. So, was it Mrs Boothroyd who sawed through my ladder?”

“It was,” Ray said. He looked at Cain. “I’ll have a Snickers if you’ve got a spare one.

“I have.” Cain handed him a bar. “Mrs Boothroyd wasn’t sure she’d put enough poison in your tea. So she had a go at your ladders too.”

Ray unwrapped the bar. “And it was her homemade lemonade that poisoned you here.” He looked towards the empty bedside table. “Where has all your food gone?”

“The doctors suspected I was poisoned by something that had been brought in. They were right. When did she bring it in? I never saw her.”

“She asked someone else to bring it in,” Ray said. “You were lucky you didn’t die. Again.”

Linus leant his head back on the pillow. “This is unreal. We don’t have serial killers around here.” He looked over at Ray. “Hang on, didn’t you say there was another freezer on its way to her house?”

Cain nodded. “Yes. The police got to husband number three before he died. Mrs Boothroyd’s been very busy. No wonder she looked tired.”

“Like I said, she was glad it was all over,” Ray said. “She’s going to confess to the police about everything. No doubt the police will be in touch with you soon. By the way, how are things between you and your sister?”

Linus smiled. “Better. We had a good chat. We’re going to set up a business together. We’ll keep the personal touch, but make use of modern technology too. Not that I need anything other than a ladder and hot water.”

Cain pointed his half eaten chocolate bar at Linus. “You never did give me that recipe for your detergent.”

“No, I didn’t. You don’t need it now. You don’t need to do any more cleaning for me. Crystal’s taken over my round until I’m better.”

“Are you sure you don’t need us to do anything? We don’t mind,” Ray said.

“No, thank you. You’ve done a wonderful job. And, before you argue, I’ll be cleaning your windows free of charge.”

“But,” Ray began.

“No buts. I insist.” Linus shook his head yet again. “I still don’t understand why she’d kill her husbands.”

Cain grinned. “She was a desperate housewife.”

Ray chuckled. “Good one, Cain.” He got to his feet. “We’d better leave you now. I can see elderly ladies making their way down the corridor. And they’re bearing gifts again. Let us know if you need anything else.”

Cain gave Linus a pointed look and said, “Or if there’s anything you want to tell us, anything you want to share with us.”

Linus laughed. “Cain, I’m not going to give you my secret recipe. Thanks again for all your help.”

Ray and Cain left Linus’ room and walked down the corridor.

Ray said, “I’ll tell you what, Cain, I won’t be cleaning any more windows soon. My back’s killing me.”

Cain nodded. “And I’ll tell you what, Ray, I won’t be eating any fish fingers for a while.”

The pair shivered and walked away, munching on their chocolate bars.

A note from the author

I hope you enjoyed this story. If you did, would you be able to post a quick review, please? Thank you, I really appreciate it.

Julia Blake appears with Cain as amateur detectives in other stories I’ve written – Julia Blake Mysteries. Ray makes an appearance now and again. You can find details of those stories on my website.

This story has been checked for errors. If you do spot any errors I would love it if you could email me to let me know about them – thank you.

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