Page 40 of Murder in the Winter Woods
When their explanations of what insider training actually involved smashed against the rocks of improbability, flailed in the shallows of ignorance, then petered out entirely on the shores of resignation, Hester sighed and said, ‘We’ll just ask Mr Ardmore to explain why this is all legal.’
They pulled up at the address on the emails, and Julia’s heart sank. Instead of an office development or a shop or even a house, the address was home to what looked like a deserted warehouse. One of the windows was boarded up, and there was no sign of life.
‘I suppose they need somewhere to store the plants,’ said Hester, looking at it.
‘Or maybe they even make the medicines on the premises,’ said Coral, hopefully.
‘Maybe,’ said Julia.
The three women climbed out of the car, and knocked on the large doors of the warehouse. Nothing happened. Tentatively, Julia tried the handle of the door, and to her surprise, it opened. The creak of the hinges as she pushed it open echoed around the space, and behind her she could feel Coral and Hester move towards each other.
Julia looked around. The space was, for the most part, empty. The weak winter sun fought its way through the dusty windows, which were set high in the wall. The result was a watery light.
‘There are no plants here,’ said Hester.
‘Nor is there anyone to talk to,’ said Coral.
‘No. But there is that.’ Julia pointed to a small desk in the corner of the room, to the right of the door. She looked at the wall next to her, and found, as she had hoped, a light switch. It had to be said that the difference between the light being on and the light being off was barely discernible. Julia had to wonder why anybody had ever bothered with the light at all. ‘If you’re going to do something, do it properly,’ she muttered under her breath, rather uselessly, as the installer of the lightbulb was most likely long gone, and certainly not in the warehouse at this point.
The small desk was covered in papers, and Julia walked over to have a closer look.
‘This is the right place,’ she said, pointing to a pile of brochures with the wordsArdmore Accelerated Investments – grow your futureemblazoned across the front. Next to the brochures was a messy pile of post, many of the envelopes, when Julia sifted through, labelledFINAL DEMANDin official-looking red ink. ‘This doesn’t look good,’ said Julia.
‘Maybe they’re just really bad at admin,’ said Coral. ‘Some people are, you know.’
‘Not the sort of people that you want to be investing money with, though,’ said Hester, who sounded like she might cry.
Julia was still sorting through the pile of post. ‘There must be something here,’ she said. ‘Some clue as to where we can find the elusive Mr Ardmore.’ A moment later, her optimism was rewarded. ‘Got it!’ She waved an envelope at the other two. ‘This is addressed to Anthony Ardmore, not the company. And it’s got another address: Ambleside Way. I bet this is his home!’
‘Well, what are we waiting for?’ said Coral.
‘Let’s go,’ said Hester.
Julia glanced around the empty warehouse. She didn’t like the feel of it at all. She would have much preferred to call Hayley, and hand this whole sorry matter over to the police. Butshe looked at the bright, expectant faces of the two widows, and sighed.
‘Let’s do it, then,’ she said.
Number 4, Ambleside Way was a picturesque cottage. A large Christmas wreath surrounded the knocker on the front door, and there were two small pine trees on either side of the doorstep, decorated in cones. It could not have been more different to the warehouse if it actively tried.
Julia picked up the handle of the ornate knocker, and gave a sharp few raps. Nothing happened.
She waited a few moments, and then tried again.
‘There’s nobody here,’ said Hester.
‘They’re hiding from us,’ said Coral. ‘I’m going to find them.’
Before Julia could stop her, Coral had set off, her walk determined, to peer into every window, her hands cupped around her eyes.
‘I suppose the back door might be open,’ said Julia.
‘Of course it will be,’ said Hester. ‘Why would a person lock their back door? This is the Cotswolds, not…’ Hester paused for a moment, obviously trying to think of the most dangerous place she could – somewhere where the inhabitants would lock and bolt themselves into their homes. Julia waited with curiosity, wondering which of the world’s trouble spots Hester would choose. ‘Not Bath!’ Hester said, eventually, making both Julia and Coral laugh.
The back door was, however, not only locked, but padlocked.
‘This is very suspicious,’ said Hester, rattling the lock.
‘Maybe they keep the medicines in the house,’ said Coral, once again peering through the window.
