The Mysterious Disappearance of Marsha Boden - Chapter 9

Why was Mr Tidmarsh so distracted?

Hello and welcome if this is your first visit and welcome back if you’re a part of the Rosy’s Ramblings community.

I hope you are enjoying my novel, The Mysterious Disappearance of Marsha Boden, which I am writing as I go, posting a chapter every Wednesday and Saturday.  Please make a comment or get in touch at rosy@rosygee.com as I love hearing from you.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Helena Moorcroft had never been interviewed by a policeman before and was surprised at how quickly they came knocking on her door.

“Oh, I’m so glad you came, officer.  I was trying to telephone the local police station but they don’t seem to have one in Mudlowe anymore.”

“No, everything is centralised now, I’m afraid.  It’s called streamlining.”

“Oh dear.  A damned nuisance, I call it, because I couldn’t speak to anybody.  I gave up in the end.  Please, take a seat.”

The plain clothes policeman obediently perched on the two-seater settee next to the window, Miss Moorcroft’s favourite seat, and she sat with her hands neatly folded in her lap on the threadbare armchair by the old, open fireplace.

“So, Miss Moorcroft,” the officer began, flipping open his notebook.  “How well do you know Mrs Boden?”

The spinster looked like she had sucked on a lemon.  “Not very well at all, officer.  I mean, I see her to say hello to when she’s out walking her dog, but other than that, I don’t really know her at all.  Not really.”

The officer picked up on Miss Moorcroft’s dislike of Marsha Boden immediately.

“The thing is, officer, I saw her on Thursday evening.  At about eight o’clock.  The evening was beginning to draw in but I know it was her because she had the dog with her.”

“Go on.”